Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-03-15

within range Of the guns Of The new comel
during the day.
AS n having rested II ON tiis hfst fv';sid
aud recovered from the bewilderment Re.
suting ifom finding such a terfible antago
nist IN so small a one, the Merrrimac tc
tured TO the contest, aud, as before, was.
met feurlessly by the Monitor. The Merri..
mac being now within range Of the Muneso.
to, delivered several Of her thnndering
brondsidcs, aud showers Of solid shot went
crashing against the sides Of the iron mon.
stcr. The glihboats also went iuto the
| fight gallantly Though the Monitor again
sought close quarters, the Merrimoc, hay.
ing alrendy had taste Of that sort Of thing,
kept at prudent distance. For more than
an hour the battle was kept up without
either side showing damage, when at about
II a. m, the M0uitor retired beyond the
Minnesota to allow Ter guns to cool. The
contest nov ragged between the Morrimac
aud Minnesota aud the gnnboats. The
TERRIBLE broadsides Of the frigate, chained
to the bottom as it were, shook the earth,
aud the solid shot glanciug in every direc-
ton from the sides Of the Mcrrimac.
Having given her guns an hour to cool, the
Monitor returned TO the contest, and the
Mertimac was apparently ready for her,
for she Gid not retreat bnt stood her ground.
Nothing could exceed the accuracy of the
firing on both sides. After keeping up the
contest for half au honr at o range of half
or three quarters of mile, the Monitor
began to ndvnnce on her antagonist, who
awaited her with apparent confidence De.
lvering her ERE with deliberation aud
unerring precision the Monitor went stright
ahead and at full speed for the Merrimac,
till the men on both boats, IL they had not
been hidden by the iron covering, might
have engaged in hand TO hand fight Now
| followed one OF the most remarkable and
cxeiteiDg scenes ever witnessed in naval
warfare. The vessels touched, aud deliver.
| ing their brOidSdeS simultaneously, the
shot crashed Mpon the Sides of both, either
glancing off aud FILLING into the water, or
crHmbling into atoms AS if determined
that the combat should have nn end, The
Monitor moved around the Nlerrimac at
distance Of only few yards, plnngmg
her shorts into her sides. With well dir
ected aim she planted one into ber hull Gc.
low her water line.
Three gaping holes now appeared in her
iron coating Passing deliberately round
the stern of the Merrimar, the Mouitor
aimed shot at her screw, and several
Others at vital points. The Merrimac now
began to make off toward the cove 1anking
Craney Island, aud as it became apparent
that she was disabled cheers went up from
the ramparts ard the shore. The Monitor
did not pursue, probably on account Of the
beating of her guuS, or some other equally
good reason. After lying for short time
near the shore, the Merrimac 81 owly round
ed out, and turned her prov toward the
place she was seen in the morning, where
the other rebel boats were assembled, spec.
tators of the fight. They gathered around
her like the hackers Of whipped bully =
At this ime it was the general opinion of
those W Tho had the best of means for obser.
wing, that the Merrimac had sunk at least
two feet, and that she was going down.
Her deck was thronged with her crew. She
gave no sign Of steam or smoke. Small
boats put off from her, and tug boats came
TO her sides, as if TO render assistance. As
soon as arrangements could be made for
doing so, the boats took her in tow, and
about three-qnarters past I2, the Merrimac,
the Yorktown, the jamestown, and the
other rebel craft, either towing or pulling
the former, might be seen, constituting
mournfui procession, as they passed into the
dim distance under Craney Island