The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-05-30
Merrimac and Her Exploits.


Iside and inside view OF the rebe
monster that so long required the
watching Of Uncle Sans big fee
in Hampton Roads, and which il
spite Of bis great guns sent the Cum
berland and Congress 10 a hurry tc
Davy Jones' locker. Nothing bu,
the opportune arrival OF the "Yan.
kee cheese box on a raft" sent the
iron sea dragon believing back tc
its den, and ended a panic jus,
breaking ont in every loyal port on
the Atlantic, not excepting the
boasted Commercial Emporium. -
OF course, everybody is interested
In knowing all about the marvel oi
the world, and since the Merrimac
has been blown TO flinders every
body can be gratified.
Mr.. Diggs, one OF the head work
men in the Gosport Navy Yard un.
der the U. S. Government, had Ia
continue his occupation under the
Confederates or starve. He assisted
in cutting down and fitting up the
! Merrimac; and now that tho Navy
Yard is in our hands again aud he
is free from rebel persecution, Mr.
Diggs does not hesitate to tell how
the Merrimac was iron clad.
He says that her top was flat and
covered with q grating made Of sew
eral cross layers Of X inch square
bar iron, strongly riveted and bolted
together. Her roofing consisted
first of Is inch rafters, OF ten inch
thickness, and lying close side by
side. Across these lying fore and
aft, waa roofing 5 inch pine plank
Next came 4 inches OF oak plank, mp
and down. This made a roof oftwo
feet thickness of solid wood, all firm.
ly bolted and barred together-the
whole being secured and s'e,died
at the ends by strong iron braces and
bolts, running crosswise as well as
fore and aft. Next on top OF tho oak
plank, came layer OF two inch iron,
the bars running fore and att
Across this was another layer Of
iron, same thickness, up and down.
Mr.. Diggs inspected the Melri-
mac when she returned from her en-.
gagement with our wooden walls
and the iron Monitor, and he thus
describes the scars on the fogged
monster.
One gun broken short off near the
"trunnions," and another broken OBJ
liquely, about eighteen inches from
the muzzle. Her stem was mashed
80 mat the wood could be strung
ont like ball Of thread, and they
had to squeoz, a whole bale OF oak
um into it to stop the leak - the
planking being sprung off and gap
ing wide, Quite a number Of tie
Monitors allots had ploughed mp the
roofing. 60 that you could lay a
large water melon in the spot where
the shot had struck. Upon making
inquiry, he learned that two men
we're killed, but he thinks there
must have been more. He says
had the Monitor followed her up, she
could have captured the reb1l bug.
bear in another half hour; and yet
the rebels would blow about her be,
ing able to whip half d"zen Mon
itors!
or the exploits Of the Merrimac in
uanptoa Roads and her final blow
mp, w have graphic account dc
rived from the statements of two OF
the crew OF that vessel, who escap.
ed with forty others at the time OF
the explosion, and having made
their way to Fortress Monroe, were
sent thence to Philadelphia. One
of these fugitives is from Piscata
quis county, Maine, and the other
from Louisville, Kentucky. We
copy from tho Inquirer, beginning
with preparing for action.
After leaving the dry dock at Nor
folk, the Merrimac laid nine days
under the sheers at tho navy yard;
before she left she was slushed ali
over with grease; this was. s.done ev-
cry time afterwards, whenever she
expected to 60 into en- engagement
When the vessel left the navy
yard at Norfolk, previous to the
fight with the Monitor, Commodore
Buchanan made the following speech
to the men, the crew being called to
quarters.
"Sailors and soldiers-thc Secre.
tary OF the Navy has placed me in
command Of the squadron Of Virgin.
ia; all eyes are turned upon you to
day; the people of the South expect
every man to do his duty, and more
than his duty" Calling the atten.
tion OF the men to the Federal yes,
sells blockadiug the river, he said:-
"Those two vessels, the Cumberland
and Congress, are worth over a mil,
lion tdollars apiece; we are going
to destroy or capture them. Many
Of you have families and firesides at
home; there may be others who
have not these inducements; bnt
recollect whether we sink or capture
those vessels, your prize money will
be the same.
"No matter whether you capture
or destroy them, your compensation
from the Government will bo suffi
cient to msintsin you comfortably