Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-03-21


/ The engagement of the two iron-olad ves-
sells. the Monitor and Merrimac, in Hampton
Roads on Sunday was the first of the kind
that ever occurred, and the most extraUrdina-
~ naval conflict on record
/ An English naval officer who saw the fpht
is reported to have said that no vessel in the
! British navy could Withstand the Monitor 1t
is very certain that her timely arrival saved
our shipping in Chesapeake bay from com
plete annihilation, and there is no telling what
destruction she might have caused elsewhere
II she had made her escape. OF the contest
between these two strange monsters of the
deep the Tftbuae's special correspondent gives
a vivid sketch
"At early dawn this morning, the Merrimrc. james.
too"i loFM0WH and number Of other rebel craft
seen drawn up OF Sowars Point. apparently waiting tor
he smoke aud haze 10 hit before rcsumug the contest
The Monitor had taken her citation q, me cf In advance
OF me himtsota and our other Runboats ia the
neghborhood Of the ffgac. shortly after o clock the
Ie,r'mac began 20 move up towards the Minnesota
about three miles distant Herpah lay across the bows
OF the M0nHOr, whose presence real character II is
probable she was not then aware Of When within about
mile, the ball was opened by the Monitor firing shot
Hh,eh struck the side OF the ron-hidcd monster the
herripac at tle same time slackcu,, her speed Her
intention evidently was 90 make directly fnr the Mime
9ia ana serve her as she had served the C1berHd and
] toHgresS But suddenly she found lion iu her path
me hnng was Kept up Tor some time at Che distance VI
ABOUT one mile, when the NOH0r began 0moye towards
her antagonist, delivering her hfe deliberately and with
precision The M5Timac six times be size aud with an
A. ,4 10 "us W. w % a"alc' het az Iost,
their terrible batteries-tho MUrUu4c firing much the
in fc,,c'i ii 1G ,e n.st ulA, ~ au iineht
who crowded the ramparts and lined docks With al
ed r,,y a, ,i, , ~ m1u'N Ivy "1'e usePpoltt
Iunnretcndirg Un,,,,ar NV, ,,oi T fr'aem W. w. ~
ihls time the two clad oombaants seemed touch
;1,i, , iu''''s uN",.inB tncI s,9a seem
t,HbY 'o 'lc muAS.9 Oh c"gh oihefs gums but so ht
rom being unequal To her adversary, he Monitor moved
'c, W. p,AnnS net SINUS ~h'r sue Wluu ne
bntb The MOI, az srJ ,ir ~ oo' t
tho Vsrra,,,r ,o 4, ar t,i t, i a., suiJi"'
toy nursui,g nis,,i,, he, 10, ,,;,i J. , W., 1870,
lion which bsd cbatse,e,i,eJ h,r ,t.,', go, h
outset After kecpine mo- the pur.tit fr hslf M ham,
tho Monitor ret,l,,, "a ,o,gs,ris hc - ~ Lti
have mentioned ina shortly ,tcr tli. ..,,,,.,,,, %
nienced one Of The rebel "a pIoats ,p,,,,l, . W
fo,rY steamed out and b ldly gue,.,.,i tb, N -
Shot nrorgb nor mic, r,-,st NJ a. ..-,' ~, ,
s.,, h. So - u t "a VI | 9'li'u, uJil3'
"a If HAVING res,ed 6,, NJ ~, ,,'-l "a .,,.
ed fro I'd III, besii rment rcsuitng tr,n 6nd'ng snrb
terrible antagonis in so s,osii 5pc Tho N1.1,,, ~
turned 10 ihs contest ard as bef,yc s moi fsrlrsly
,y the Monitor The N,iu,,r li, ,,,yg ,,iihr rs,e
NJ the Minnc.o,a Jsiiyer, Il ..,i ~ i, t,,,,irri,,
broadsides and showerso Of solid shot went era,bipg
painst Inc side Of the iron u,otstrr lo suniots so
went into the fl tht rallantlv Ihouph his Monitor ~
gain sought close quarters. The Mer,c having already
lad tasp OF tl,i s,f Of tliry k,' M rrI,.rf a.
lance For more than an hnuF the btttlc t,s k,pt N,
vithout either s.e sh,,,ing d,nog, be, M ,ht, ii
m the Monitor rrtrod tey,rd ibc M,nDesoi1 n, al
allow her GUNS to cool 1be c,l.to.t nor, r,,rd ho.
t,,,,.,, do No., ,,,t ,t, ~ ~ i'e'" o
Tho Terrible bfo.d.ias pf I'M. "a ,i. t.i,d an IN. h,
tom As il vere shook tbe earth and t, .Iid .i,i .,c
ed in every direction from III sd.. N Inc N,rrn,ae
" Having piveu he, INNS an b,,r IA, ,l I'm. N-itor
returned 10 the ctntcs and hc M.,n,,c A.. ,pr,r,pt
Is ready for her for sho did not retreat but ,,dd 10 her
ground Nothing copld exceed tb, ar.ur,ry m he fr
ing ON both sides AGrr Keeping up he c1,ict for htlf
an hour at a range II half or throa quarters Of mile,
AWAITED hc! win apfarcn, confidence. u,i,euns her
d IIHf