Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-17
der in her magazines, and about 800 900 in Pay
master Buchanan's sale.

THE FIRST ATTACK on TUE MINNESOTA
After sinking the Cumberland and firing the |
Congress, the Merrimac, with the yorktown and
the jamestown, stood off in the direction of the /
steam frigate Minnesote, which had been for
some hours aground about three miles below
Newport News This was about FIVE o'clock on
Saturday evening The rebel commander of the
kerrimac, either fearing the greater strength OF
the Minnesota, or wishing, as it afterward APP |
peared, to capture this splendid ship without |
doing serious damage to her, did not attempt 70
the Minnesota down as he had run down the
Cumberland. He stood off about mile distant, |
and with the Yorktown and the jamestown threw
shell and shot at the frigate. The Minnesota,
though from being aground unable to maneuver
or bring all her guns to bear was fought splendid
w. She threw a shell at the 1orltown which
set her on fire, and she tosged of by her
consort, the jamestown. From the re appearance
of the Yorktown next day, the fire must have
been suppressed without serious damage. The
after cabins of the Minnesota were torn away in
order to bring two of her large guns to bear from
her stern ports. the position in which she was
lying enabling the rebels to attack her there with
impunity. She received two serious shot; one,
eleven inch shell, entered near the waist pass
ed through the chief engineers room, and ex-
poied in the carpenters room, knocking both
rooms into ruins and wouhdng several men.
Another shot went clear through the chain plate,
and another passed through the mainmast Six
of the crew were killed outright on board the
Minnesota and nineteen wounded. The men.
though fighting at great disadvantage, stuck
manfully to their guns and exhibited a spirit that
would have enabled them to compete successfully
with any ordinary vessel.
About nightfall the Merrimac satisfied with
her afternoons work Of death and destruction,
steamed in under Sewall's Point. The day thus
closed most dismalIy for side, and with the
most gloomy apprehensions of what would occur
the next day.
APPEARANCE OF THE MONITOR
About nine o'clock the Ericsson battery, the
Monitor, arrived in the roads, and upon her per-
formance was felt that the safety of the position
in great measure depended. Never a
greater hope placed upon apparently more insig-
nhcant means, but never greater hope
more triumphantly fulfilled. The Monitor is the
reverse formidable. lying low on the water, with
plain round structure amidshp, small pilot
house forward, a dmnutive smoke pipe aft, at
miles distance she might be taken for raft. with
army ambulance amidship. Ii is only when
on board that her compact strength and form
liable means of offensive warfare are discover
able.
THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND THE MER-
RIMAC.
Before daylight on Sunday morning the Moni
the Minnesota, lying between the latter ship and
the Fortress, where she could not be seen by the
rebels, but were ready, with steam up, to slip
Ott.
Up to noon on Sunday the rebels gave no ndi
cation of what were their further designs The
Merrimac laid up toward Craney Island, in view.
bat mOtiOnless At one O'Clock she WAS observed
il notion and came out, followed by the York
town and jamestown, both crowded with troops.
The object of the leniency toward the Minnesota
on the previous evening thus became evident. 1t
vas the hope of the rebels to bring the ships
aboard the Minnesota, overcome her crew by the
brce Of numbers, and capture both vessels and
men. The design was bold and practicable one,
and apparently of easy accomplishment.
AS the rebel hotilia came out from Sewell's
Point, the Monitor stood out boldly toward them.
1t is doubtful If the rebels knew what TO make of
the strange looking battery. or if they despsed it,
Even the Yorktown kept on approaching till a
thirteen shell from the Monitor sent her to the
right abont. The MerIimac and the Monitor
kept on approaching each other, the former wait
ing until she would choose her distance, and the
latter apparently not knowing what to make of
her funny looking antagonist. The first shot
from the Monitor was fired when about one hun
Cken yards distant from the Merrimac, and this
distance was subsequently reduced % fifty yards,
and at no time during the two hours of furious
I
than two hundred yards apart.
IL is impossible to reproduce the animated de
scription given of this grand contest between two
vessels of sach formidable offensive and defen
sive powers. The scene was in plain view from
| Fortress Monroe, and in the main facts all the
| spectators agree. At first the fight was very flu
rbus and the guns of the Monitor were fred rap
| Idly. As she carries but two guns whilst the
Merrimac has eight, of course she received two
or three shots for each one she gave. Finding
that her Antagonist was much more formidable
than she looked, tie Merrimac attempted TO run
her down. The ST erior speed and quicker turn
ing abilities of the Monitor enabled her to avoid
these shocks, and to give the Merrimac as she
passed shot. Once the Merrimac struck her
Deir amidships but only to prove that the bat
teiy could not be run down nor shot down. She
spun round like top, and as she got her bearing
again sent one of her formidable missiles into her
huge opponent.
The officers of the Monitor at this time had
gained such confidence in the impregnabity of
their battery, that they no longer fired at random
nor hastily The fight then assumed its most in
teresing aspects The Monstor around the
Merhmac repeatedly probing her sides, seeking
for her weak points and reservng her fire. with
GOODNESS that must have been intensely aggrava-
ting TO the officers of her enemy, until she had
the right spot and the exact range, and made her
experiments accordingly. In this way the Mer
rmae received three shots which must have Sc
rously damaged her. The first went in abaft of
the smoke stack and ranged forward. The next
shot was put low down on her side, near the edge
of the iron roofing. which overhangs her sides
somewhat like pent house. The next shot was
placed nearly in the same position. Neither OF
these shots rebounded at all. but appeared to cut
their way through iron and wood into the ship.
Soon after receiving the third shot. the Merri-
mac turned toward Sewalls Point, and made off
at full speed.
The Monitor followed the Merrimac until she
got we'll inside Sewall's Point, and then returned
to the Minnesota. 1t is probable that the pursuit
would have been continued still further, but
Lieut.. Worden, her commander. had previously
had his ewes injured, and it was also felt that as
so much depended on the Monitor il was impru-
dent to expose her unnecessarily
The Tax BIll-Some Unjust Particu.