Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-04-18
The Raid of the Merrimac-opinio
or the Northern Press,

The MERRIMAr.
AT last, it will be seen, the Merrimac has
come out of her hiding place, without being
sunk or captured as the Navy Department
have again and again promised would be her
fate. Instead of being taken, she seems ia
have possessed herself of three small vessels
She was resisted by the Naugatuck, vessel
having some Of the characteristics Of the Ste
vcns Battery, but nothing is said of the part
acted by the Monitor Was the latter one of
the small vessels taken2 We presume not
but such may be the fact, for all that can be
learned from unsatisfactory report Of Gen
epl Wool.
Frofa the New Fork Herald.
NERRIMAc AND CONFEDERATE FLEET OFT AGlAN IN
HAMPTON RoAps--THEiR AUDACITy AND Mpu-
DENcE.
BY the news which we publish this morn
ing from Fortress Monroe, il appears that the
Merrmac, accompanied by the Yorktown aud
Jamestown--the latter armed with an iron
prov, protruding six feet beyond the water
line-came out from Crauey Island on Friday
morning, at seven o'clock, accompanied by
four other gunboats-two of them probably
the Teazer and Raleigh--and Ave tugs, max
ing in all twelve vessels, and advanced into
Hampton Roads, opposite Newport News.
After notifying the French and English
war vessels to move out Of danger, the Com
modore Of the fleet sent the jamestown to
capture two brigs and schooner anchored
near the shore between Newport News and
Fortress Monroe, and in the service Of the
Federal Government. The three prizes were
taken off under the Confederate flag in less
than half an hour, and conveyed 10 Craney
lsland-one Of them with the Union flag at
half mast-no pleasant sight for American
eyes. Meantime, the other Union sloops.
schooners and brigs in the Roads retreated
under the shelter of Fortress Monroe, and "in
the course of an hour the forests Of masts
between the Fortress and Sewalrs Point dis
appeared, and the broad open expanse of
water bore on its surface only the Confederate
fleet and one English and two French men-of-
war;
This was no surprise for the Merrimac and
her consorts had steam up for several days at
Crancy Island and were expected out as soon |
as the weather became fine. On the first APP |
pearance Of the Merrimac, too, the Minnesota |
Tired an alarm gun Yet the Confederate fleet |
were permitted to carry off three vessels in |
the service of the Government without an at |
tempt at resistance. And not only so, but at |
four o'clock in the afternoon the Merrimac |
fired three shots in the direction OF Hampton |
Greek, as a challenge to the Federal feet to |
come out and fight.
The Monitor, meantime, continued at her |
usual anchorage, and as for she Vanderbilt |
and the rest who were to run the Merrmac |
down, we have no account of their presence
Where were they2 II is no wonder that " the |
bold impudence Of the manoeuyres Of the
Confederate fleet, contrasted with the appa-
rent apathy of our llcot, excited surprise and
Indignation among the spectators. What has
the Navy Department been doing ever since
the late battle2 Why was not the Merrimac
ant Of NnrroIly - pt,nL "a. ,.,to.. .,,.4
after she was disabled by the Monitor, instead
Of waiting till she was repaired and received
two new powerful guns, carrying balls of
three hundred and sixty pounds weight, with
punch like points, to penetrate even IRON
and waiting, moreover, till one Of her con-
sorts had her boiler repaired and another had
an iron PROV aiIixed2 What corresponding
preparation has been made to meet the Com
lcderate feet thus prepared That nothing
adequate has been done appears evident from
the fact that the Confederate vessels came out
to offer battle, and it was declined. except |
under The cannon Of the Rip Raps and For |
tress Monroe. This is not as it ought to be, |
and the Navy Department and Congress owe |
heavy debt Of responsibility to the country |
for palpable neglect whose results cannot fail |
to be injurious to the prestige of the United |
States Navy among the maratime nations of |
the world There is good reason TO fear that |
the Merrimac will play IN important part in |
the coming battle on the peninsula, extend |
ing from yorktown, on the York river TO |
Warwick, on the James river, unless her de- |
struction IS previously accomplished.
N. T. Correspondence Of Phiiadelphia Inquirer |
The day has been one Of much excitement |
growing out Of the news coming In from al |
most all the more important Of The war quar-
ters The report about the Mertimac kept us |
on the tenter hooks all day; while the GER
tainty that we do not yet occupy Corinth, |
and that our losses In killed and wounded are |
so enormous, bad depressing effect which /
was aggravated il anything, by the reports |
Of further Confederate successes in New Mex
leo AS in duty bound, the Bears at the Stock |
Exchange did their bes; to magnify these re- I
ports, with considerable effect, frightening |
the holders Of Government and other securi- /
ties Into sales at a sacrifice. The creduliiy Of
one class Of operators is only cqualled by |
the impudence aud inventive faculties Of the !
other. The latter went 50 far as to exhibit
private telegram" from Baltimore, announ-
cling that the Merrimac had got out Of lamp /
ton Roads, and was heading for York river !
The knowing ones laughed, but the green
ones believed, buried TO sell out and were
themselves sold"
From the Bqltimore american
WHAT 10 SAID AND THOUGHT
The events Of the morning arc much COM
mentcd on, and have caused considerable
feeling OF irritation and some humiliation
Beyond the capture Of the three transport
vessels, the demonstration Of the Confederate
feet has been little than a reconnaissance. |
II cannot be concealed however, that the /
Coufederates have had the best Of tho affair. |
The capture Of the three prizes WAS bold |
affair, and We can well imagine the hnrrak 1
with which their arrival at Norfolk vas greet I
I'd. Whether they might not hayebecn saved, |
and The Confodcrates been made to suffer for I
their temcriiy, is a point upon which | will I
not venture a decided opinion.
From The BqHimore Nescs SAet.
rs Bisfop wmrriSGnAM Az ABomroYT2