The New York herald., 1862-03-17


moment. Were 1t that have three or four shot
holes water line, and four mainmast cripple
all the damage done to us by
dOubtable Virginia, late Merrmas. e5nld be re
paired at this ANCHORAGE Tia. paper says that th1
Alnu.sU.. 1a. was fiddied by shot and shell as she
lay aground &c., &c. Nov this is gresuppt2Qus
statement, highly coorsd BY the hghfaluten bombasf
OF the editor But why that iron monster Virginia did
not riddle we lay deeply embedded in Virginia
mud is mystery which cannot solve otherwise than
by assuming that tenincA pivot was beating heat
ing and sotenng her metal too rapidly to be agreeable
or harmless her and certain is that she hauled Of
and boro away for Craney Island much sooner than We
anticipated
The yaporing Of the Norfolk DAY Book about the
gallant daring Of the immaculate chivalry, perfectly
safe within that enclosed bombproof iron ship, Is dis
cusngy ridiculous There was much less chance for US
in fighting her than for naked man fighting knight
suit Of steel armor for there is bare poss
bilty OF getting sword point through the creVlce
of the gorget, and the knights arms, legs and
feet are more or less exposed; but the Vir-
ginia did not seem to be vulnerable anywhere
and the chivaric heroes knew themselves to be within
an mpregnable shot and bomb proof floating battery
II we only had had water enough 1t was Captain Van
Bunts intention this ship right over her. IhatI
know and think VIC could have done it, and it would
have been our only resource whereby we might have
saved ourselves alive With our battery OF ninencb
shell guns and ten.inch pivot we can whip anything
built Of oak timber and panks that oats or ever hoated
the But oak stand against iron On that
make up minds without delay. 10 this con-
clusion was brought ON the first day
The morning Of the second day bright, calm and
beautiful sabbath morning. The facsous editor thus de-
Of white smoke jutting OUT now from tho virginia. now
from the Minnesota and at long intervals from the
battery with its black revolving cupola before the
| Virginia. II was as somebody said, like fighting
ghost.' Now this language must strike any thinking
individual as the spasmodic effort OF man suffering
under defeat to be funny-lke 'coward whstling to
keep his courage up" The engagement as we on board
| the Minnesota witnessed it, was as folows-At about
eight O'Clock in the morning the Virginia Yorktown and
jamestown were coming up the channel right under our
stern, and at that time had not discovered the Monitor.
The two last named vessels filled with troops evil
IDENTIFY for the purpose Of boarding after the Virginia
had drawn our fire sufficiently to exhaust all our amu-
milton. As the Virginia within milo of
she opened from an Armstrong gun which planted shot
70 ca
Immediately IN our wake covering our levathan like
flying fish, shot out the Monitor and rushed down upon
| the monster"
| We stood upon the poop deck and watched
the movements Of the III tiny yas battery with s;s sx-
tance she appeared Me q long black water moccasn,
gliding oer the surface Of tho placid bay with plbox
The monster Virginia locked upon her with apparent
amazslnsnt, and did not lro gun. The little snake
gaia aud when she rounded to, within lsty yards Of
her. the comparative size OF the batteries was as the
L
seemed TO be eycing each other through telescopes,
when suddenly we saw column OF smoke arise
from the tower Of tho Monitor, and saw the shot
striae the Virginia before the sound reached
| Thon the other opened with the whole broadside,
and every shot hew over the little battery. At
| "dghting a ghcs,'' and then the scene became
sonderfaly exciting Ali three of the rebels closed
up and opened upon the Montor but single shot
through the timbers of Of the started the
twa putns and blowing towards the sccesh land, and
tho irosides lcft to fight the most extraordi
1 aa v
The monster" had mighty advantage over her tiny
arn IN her heel trcc her once deliberate
~ she planted her solid shot right into tho big one with
tho most telling effect ain convinced. Very soon they
crossing each other bows, quarters and sternand as
thought searching for weak spot into which to
plunge their shot Al times the Virginia would try TO-
sage of OF run by The little snake 1t was long
fore nle could do So ami she hor cutting prov
right the rounded bow II tho Monitor, and
Afterwards informed WI most injured horselr for the
ora.cr iron plank sheer cut through the iron into the
wco and 'ssmsn!s Of wood were found on the bow Of
l Sis &. sss is e., ss as NJ g
opened an Armstrong she'll which passed through us.
struck knee he siarbcard side, when II burst,
with ali our port gans~%pard.cE gu.dsck and pivot.
Az time beohsd forth the lightning. fro and name.
and showered the hsayiest solid Shot one hsndred-
r usn am esaynssd Vim cd tia. some q those shot passed
through ber open ports. After struggle she backed on,
and sksa. Win the Monitor, went fighting down the
| reals. .
down towards the Rip Raps and felt convinced that hsr
aminun,tion must have been expended:
she had come from New York down here eftend-
Cd trip aud had not more than quartey Of the
oalsr kind cf that sne her guns, and she
expended them all upon the uneouth alligator and that
the Of her running down TO Fortress Monroe.
The Virginia did chase her OH tho Day Book
sorts what occurred afsrwAds shows the absurdy
OF the statement After the separation the
l fcis we saw o ID
pcared be- holding council OF about three miles
asIcrn Of us Presently they got under weigh, and
| the channel under stern, and we stood at our
guns resolved TO give them every shot yet remaining
and thea take 70 our tags, into which the mems bags
and hammocks had been passed in readiness.
We had determined to blow up the ship and let them
pick up tho chis but never TO surrender After they
had run within mile Of they stecred in shore and
headed up slowly for Crancy Island. Now f tho Mn
BOOB cscares why did NOT those three steamers
aud take OF usf or why did they not even IRE
parting gun at Us, There something very mysterious ,s
short range Of our ship, and neither Of them iIed
shot. We can only account for this by assuming
that al three badly cut and anxious 10 roach the
vicinity o dock with the utmost despatch. Our little
r.cnd, the Monitor stil ON hand at this anchorage,
with an ab sndanco of wrought iron solid shot IN her
sclcr al this present wriiirg, and ready pay her
spceis TIC chiyalry ard the virginia soon
on kcr IN Tie course o: week tho little battery viii
ny 10 Norfolk, and pay her compliments TO the rebels
We fought our woodsn ship against one built Of Ton
two others said 10 BE- iron strapped or and on, for
two days successfully and then, by almost superhuman
eirts saccocied In hauling hor on of the mud bank,
thereby saynga splendid steam frigatc worth million OF
do'Iars. 10 the government. Yet sti notwithstanding
alasins Va with tho invaluable aid aud assistance Of
the gallant hi,le Monitor ths Iron monster wns beaon
on An crippled condition, aud las not shown herself
snee ami any oncer N receive the thanks q Con-
sress captain Van Brunt should share with him tho
Ligh homer
While tho Virginia lay aground, within q milo OF
our ship No hsd fsirer chance than any time prov
has and threw brosfsde of twenty two guns Into her.
We fred two hroadsidcs orty gns) into the Viz
gmis, while the knior nred gun and leave to
yoa 70 say we should be misrcprescntod by tho abo
tpn papers.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
BsIrnoHx, March 10, 1861.