The New York herald., 1862-11-14

cab . But let Us not anticipate
II required fortnight 70 carry the immense arms-
mont which have enumerated 10 Fortress Monroe
the place selected for its dsbarkaton. The appearance
of the Merrimao. aud the terrible proof when u hao
given OF strength torbddng any longer me edeIa nsvy
to be copsdered N absolute mistress Of the Virginan
watcrs the army had not been able TO select the most
favorable point for landing Fortress Monroe regular
CITADEL built At the southern point OF the Vr
einia peninsula has remained since the beginning or
the war in the hands OF the federal government he
fortress dressing fire with that OF fort called the Rip
Raps built artificial foundation OF stone commands
lie paes which from the open sea, leads to Hampton
Reads and from that 20 Richmond by the james river
else by the Elizabeth river Norfolk where the Merr
mac II - in these interior waters that the two
naval actions occurred with which the public attention
has beon SO actively engaged and which has had so
grave influence the desiines OF the Army OF the
Potomac thai tt will not perhaps be ont Of place 70 nd
init them in this history.
raE MhrRiAAc AND ris FEpruAI FRIGATEs.
shaino describe the Merrimac Every one knows what
she was will only state that sho was formerly very
large steam frgate which raced down 10 the
floating line ana covered with an roncad ROOT SO ncinod
10 make balls glance OIL in this roof some portfolios
pierced for hundred pound Armstrong and
other pere of larger caibre She was armed with steel
prov like that OF the old gaeys On the oth o. March the
Merrimac escorted by several armored gunboais comes
out o the Elizabeth river and steers direct toward the
mouth OF tho James river whore anchored two old
federal sailing fgates the Cumberland and the Congress
Both discharge their broadsdes al the unexpected enemy
that approaching but tho hre has effect. All the
balls glance OF the roofing The Msrrmac continues her
course peacefully and Gomez at the speed Of only four 70
FIVE knots " plunge her beak into the CumberlandS side
Strangely enough the shock was hardly felt on board
the Merrmac; but it suiced as a. death blow
TO the federal frigate She rolled maestcay over bury
ing with her hundred OF her who up to the last
moment still served their poweess artlerya great and
glorious spectacle but in this fatal shock the Merrmac
broke her Was that the OF her not serving
the Congress in the same way? IL is certain that she
confined herself TO an ertcry duel with that frgate,
which the latter could not sustain long. Encumbered
with dead and dying she put sail ashore struck
her ag and took fire. In striving TO capture portion Of
her the marines Of the Merrimac exposed to
FIRE o musketry from this side, bali woundng their
brave and skilful captain-Buchanan.
During this time the whole federal squadron assembled
at Hampton Roads had put tscf In motion to relieve its
unfortunate companions James river but this squad
ron could be Of little 1t composed OF three
frigates of which only one-the Mnnesota-was in con-
don 70 render any service she frigate Of
the dimensions the Merrmac but not armor clad
The two others-the Roanoke also screw frgAe, but
which had lost its shaft and the St. Lawrence an old
sailing frgae-were only ft to DO destroyed. Both, after
fruess efforts TO reach the OF combat abandoned
tho design and returned to their anchorage AS the
Mnnesoa--which might have had some chances against
the Merrimac not with its artillery, but pronng by its
sspsror speed 70 y ana run her downdrew SIX ieet o.
THAI the Merrmac, and did not answer the
rudder well in water whore she had only foot under
her keel! she not long in getting into position OF
the utmost danger. Ii at that moment she had been
assailed by the Merrmac she would undoubtedly havo
shared the fate OF the Cumberland or Congress. The
Merrimac doubtless to avenge her commanders wound,
remained sheilng the camp and batteries OF Newports
News, from whence the ball that struck him had been
fred 1t then returned to Norfolk for the night, in
tending probably 10 complete next day the work OF
destruction But during the night the Monitor arrived
THE MEaRIMAc AND MONITOR DUEL
which make of present this strange vessel to the
eyes Of the reater Every one knows those cyndrical
OF the principal of pastry shops
Imagine the cake placed in an obong DISH and you have
exact idea of the external appearance OF the Monitor
The savoy biscuit iron tuiret, with two openings
through which pass the muzzles OF its two enormous
enns This revsves its by very ingenious
contrvamce as direct artillery any point OF
the horizon As the obong dish which the cake is
pac it asor of iron pot lid placed fiat over the hull
viii contains the machinery, accommodations for the
A,stan Nsnfn@ lllf
the turre-and that floating turret OF such novel ap
pearnce the first thing perceived by the Merrimac
and its companions when, on the morning m the
9th OF March, they turned TO finish up the Minnesota
still aground aud probably also TO so on 20 further de-
Yorktown advanced first towards the Monitor with that
somewhat frightened curiosity with which dogs approach
unknown animal! They did not wait long Two flashes
burst from the turret, followed by the whstlng oi two
10 poilnd balls That enough 10 cause the two cx
porc.s 70 make their way back with all speed. Th.
Merrmac ,ned. .tcy recr gnizcd with what she had to
do and advanced bTavcly against her adversary, whom
she had not 10 await long Then began the duel which
has been much spoken Of and which appears destined
great revolution IN tho naval art. from the
first the wresters felt that they had to to close
quarters but at some yards distance from each
other they appeared equally invuneraoie Tho ou
lets glanced OF cr broke. without any other effect than
slight impressions Round baso 40 pounds conica balls
Of 100 poands. Armstrong bals-nothng came OF them
Then the acrrimac wishing to profit by her huge bulk
tried to down her adversary but could not get the
rush The Monitor, short, very active very quick
manGuveriDg stuck to her, turned round her, cyaded
her blows with rapidly which the excessive length OF
the Mcrrimsc prevented her attaining There was
nothing more curious than TO the advcrsarics
turning round each other, the little Monitor describing
the inner circle and each seeking the weak point Of the
other to discharge at IT, at guns length. one Of their
enormous projecties "Imagine,' said an eye witness
me, .sthe fighting Of Hecnan and Tom Say ers" Thus
the combat continued without apparant results for
several hours Once only the Merrimac succeeded IN
striking with her PROV tho Monitors side bat the latter
pirouetted under the blow like floating tab, and very
sight indeniatlon wa the only injury caused by ths
batants at length put an end 10 the STRIFE.
The Con iederte rerned 10 Norfolk, and the Monitor
remained master OF the field Of bate. The Miunesoa
and whole squadron of Hampton Roads were saved,
the pignS had made head against the giant IL still re-
named 10 be known whether the latter would make
attempt when the stakes would be more tempting
when instead oil destroying or two yesseisofwar II
would ccnce.n the opposing the debarkation Of whole
TIlE Tp.ssrogrs At FORTRESS MoSnoR.
in these circumstances that arrived at Fortress
Monroe Tue roadstead soon covered with vessels,
coming, some from Alexandria, some from Annapolis;
loaded with dicrs, others with horses guns and
material o all kinds sometimes counted al the anchor
age several hundred vessels, among them twenty OF
twenty five large steam transports, awaiting the moment
the wharf and land the hteen or twenty thou
disaster that would have occurred If the Merri.
mac had suddenly appeared Ia the midst OF
tint dense mass Of vessels, striking them one
after the other, and sending to the bottom thase
human hives that could not possibly have escaped her
blows for the federal authorities naval as well as mill
tary, the few days must have been days OF the NEST
ANXIOUS solcitude. Every time that smoke was per-
cc ed above The which concealed the mouth Of the
izsben river the heart beat violently but the Merr
mac came She permitted the debarkation OF the
army H. be completed without her interference
Why did she not Gomez Sne did not come because,
from her position Norfolk acting constant menace,
she obarcd at tina. moment, without risk two results Of
equal Importance. In the first place she parayzed the
rces ssemhled cooperate with the forces
in tho attack at yorktown; in the second placeand that
was the che obetshe deprived the federal army OF all
the advantages which the possession Of the James river
would have secured TO 1t for campaign Of which Rich
lnond the base.
sPEuuiA1IoSs ABOUT THE MKRruMAc.
without doubt il the Merrimac had gone down to
HampL n Roads and had destroyed the neet which had
collected there she would have obtained an immense re-
suit. but all the might not have been in hcr
favor in that enterprise In the first place. the Mcrrmac
would have found herself again in front OF tho Monitor
Vessel 10 vessel did not fear her Tho artillery OF
the Monitor had powcrless against her armor, and
would be again but II the Merrmac had not succeeded
iu the nrst % down the Monitor she had
taken measures successful the time THIS
means submarine ram OF wrought iron, ten feet