Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-04-05
a Visit to the Monitor.

e 1S1C TO Ino MCu1lOC.
EFFECT OF THE MERRIMAC's SHOT
THE SPEED OF THE MONITOR.
The Fortress Monroe correspondent
of the Baltimore American describes
a visit to the Monitor after the action
in Hampton Roads, as follows:
had the pleasure to-day Of accom-
panying Lieut.. William ii. Jeffers when
he proceeded, under orders from Com
medore Goldsboro, to take command
Of the Monitor and relieve Lieut.. Sell
fridge, of the Cumberland, who had
been appointed temporarily in the aO-
sence of Lieut.. Worden. As we ap-
preached the novel naval wonder l was
struck with the pertinence Of the Nor
folk description Of her as Yankee
cheese box on raft 1t gives bet
GER idea Of her appearance than any
of the engraviGgs or descriptions in the
New York papers.
They all fail to afford correct idea
of the general appearance ot the yes-
sci, and especially when she is in ac-
ton. She is oval shaped, l72 feet
long and Al feet in width at the CEN
ter. Her hull rises perpendicularly out
Of the water, as straight all round as
the sides of stone wall and as fiat on
top as table, without any rail or guard
around her. She has two square smoke
stacks, about seyen feet in 'highth, but
in time Of action these are removed,
and smoke and steam come through
CRATES in the deck, the iron Of which is
about eight inches thick. Nothing re-
mains on her deck but the piot-house,
which is square iron statue, about
three feet high, about the size of an or
dinary dry goods box. When walking
her deck, although anchored at the
head Of Hampton Bar, where the sea
is quite rough, not the slightest motion
of the waves could be felt. Her deck
is as firm aud steady as rock. This
position, half way between Newport
News and Sewalps Point, has been
chosen in order to keep watch and
| wa rd over the Merrimac, should she
attempt to make another visit to the
Roads. Steam Is all the time hept up,
NfCtt u "tAIC OIC tftS tCOICNC OttIt u JCC5oS
keeps a constant aoutch from the top
Of the toacer.
THE TOWER.
! The interior of the tower exhibits
still stronger the superior strength of
the vessel. There is solidity about
it that makes the thought Of any earth
ly power disturbing it's movements or
penetrating its interior seem simply al
diculous. An examination of this part
Of the vessel explains the confidence
which her officers and men have in her
entire and complete iryulnerability.-
They say: "We fear nothing on land
or On water, and are ready, when the
order is given, to proceed direct to
Norfolk or Richmond"
EFFECTS OF TIE SHOT.
There are marks on the tower and
hui! of about twenty balls, and some
Of them seem to have struck the tower
fair and square, with no more appar-
en-. effect than could be produced by
the blow of sledge hammer. The
paint is rubbed off, and if repainted 1t
would be difficult to discover where
most Of the shots struck. The gun
ners of the enemy seem, however, to
have early abandoned the attempt to
damage the tower, though most of
the port holes, three striking in close
proximity. Two Of the six or seven
I>marks on the tower are said to have
been accidental shots from The guns: Of
the Minnesota.
The greater part of the shot marks
are on the edge Of the hull, which, it
should be remembered, does not rise
more than twelve inches out of the
water. They seem to have been un-
| der the impression that there must be
q weak spot underneath the water line,
and they hammered away all rounq,
but here, the invulnerability of the
Monitor was equally great, and the in
| dentations are only to the extent of
fraction of an inch. There is a small
fraction of the edge of the iron at one
point, which only serves to show its
great strength at point which might
be supposed to be weakest.
/ The shot that strack the square pilot
house did little more damage than to
knock the cement out. Had the pilot
house been round instead Of square, as
is now proposed so-raake it, the ball
would have glanced and lost half It's
force, and failed to iniure the eyes Of
| the gallant CONN, ander. He is, how
ever. ! am pleased to learn, rapidly re-
covering. The retiring of the Merri-
mac from the eontes.. with her iusignii-
cant antagonist is not to be wondered
at, when the exercise Of ali the power
she possessed, for five hours, had done
little more than deface her paint. The
attempt Of the Merrimae to run her