The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1862-04-04
THE ERRIossoN BATTERY.

and known as the Monitor
in shape and machinery is an ordinary
propeller, l73 feet in length, II feet of
beam, and IL feet depth of hold. A re-
volving fort, which contains two ll-inch
Dahlgren guns, is placed upon the deck
near the centre of the vessel. This fort or
bomb-proof is 20 feet diameter inside, 10
feet in height and feet in thickness
The hull is built of iron, and to protect
the sides, the vessel is covered with one
layer of oak, Is inches in thickness, an
other layer of oak Is inches in thickness,
and the whole plated with six plates of
i-inch iron. The whole thickness of the
sides is therefore three feet, of solid wood
and iron, exclusive of any ribs or braces
in the interior. There are no bulwarks
upon the deck, which is covered with
heavy plates of iron, sufficient to resist
any glancing shot or shell that may be
thrown upon it: The smoke pipe is made
with telescope joints, which can be low
cred into the hold during an engagement.
The guns in the interior of the fort are
loaded from the inside, and are free from
exposure to the enemy's fire. She is pro-
PEELED by steam engines.
The Monitor was built at the Continen-
tai Iron Works, Greenpoint, under the SUI
perintendance of Thomas f. Howland o
Brooklyn.
She was launched a short time since
and retained for period at the place 0
launching, after which steam was got up
and the vessel ran down to the Navy Yart
at Brooklyn, where her guns were pu
aboard: It was afterward contemplated t
make trial "trip at sea, on Saturday last
but this was delayed and meanwhile
late on Sunday night, intelligence was re
ceiyed from Washington of the orderin
of the Monitor at once to Fortress Mon
itor, where is presumed the batter
is required for the purpose of engagin!
the rebel iron plated steamer Merrimac
which is now stated be about leavin
Norfolk harbor, and the reports Of th
failure of which steamer are conjecture
to have been purposely made by the reb
els, with view to her successful opera
tions on surprise visit along the Potc
mac.
The vessel was built under an act {
Congress, making an appropriation {
81 ,5O0,O ,O00 for building iron-clad vesse
: for the navy, and Captain Ericsson prt
< sented the plan for the Monitor. L
stipulated to launch his battery one hui
dred working days from the date of ii
contract, October, 1861, and to test i
r efficiency and impregnability before tt
, battery of an enemy at the shortest rane
5 of the guns. In this trial of eflicieDo
S the Government is to supply officers al
: men, guns and ammunition. The day
It the launch was the lO1st working ds
e from the time the contract was made.
= The previous description indicates Of
d hull to the vessel. but there are in effe
:. two. The lower one, which is entire
4 under water, is sharp at both ends, f
! bottomed, built lightly, and about six f
"a deep, with sides inclined to an angle
d fifty-one degrees to the vertical line. I
h second, or upper hull, which comp:i@
o the defensive portion, has straight sid
O is longer and broader than the under OIL
1t and is FIVE feet deep, sinks into the wal
le three feet, and is covered with the hea
Il iron armor above described. 1t has
lie bottom, except what is required to Ell
ID bic it to fit exactly on the top line Of t
h lower hull, both, of course, forming
consecutive side of the vessel.
The construction of the two hulls
+, such, that the upper one, the sides
/ which are straight, project over the low
which is nearly fat bostomed, to the c
lie tent of nearly four feet on the sides, a
is The upper hull being iron clad, and ST
Ia merged three feet and three inches, til
t. completely protects the bottom part
e the vessel from injury, and receives again
TX its invulnerable sides all shots which c
possibly cause damage.
The turret has two port holes for
ne guns, Its plates of iron completely ov
st lap and are riveted to each other, SO Il
= but one joint of one inch thickness Of il
ct exists at any one spot.
'n Corin,h, Tishimingo county Mississip
~ is a very important strategical point
sr' It is situated in a hilly, semi mounta
up Gus country--a branch of the Apalach
rs, range which diverges from the Alleghe
id mountains and forms the mountains