Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-03-21
The Great Naval Battle.

EanQ ana congress, IL thuS notices the attach
upon the Minnesota, her perilous situation
the appearance of the Monitor at ths
scene of action, and the renewed fght OF Sun
day afternoon;
After sinking the Cumberland and firing ths
Congress, the Merrimac, with the YorktoRz
and the Jamestown, stood eff in the direction
of the steam fFigate Minnesota, which had
been for some hours aground about three miles
below Newport News. This was about five
O'Clock on Saturday evening. The rebel cOnl-
mander of the Merrimac, either fearing tie
| greater strength of the Minnesota, Or wishing
as it afterward appeared, to capture this spen-
did ship without doing serious damage to ~
did not attempt to run the Minnesota dowe as
he had run down the Cumberland. He stoot
I off about a mile distant, and with the York
town and the jamestown threw shell aud shot
at the frigate. The Minnesota, though froHa
being aground unable TO manoeuver or bring
all her gus to bear, was fought spleudidy-
She threw shell at the Yorktown which set
her on fire, aud sue was towel off by her con
sort, the jamestown. From the re-uppearance
of the Yorktown next day, the fire must have
been suppressed without much serious damage.
| The after cabins of the Minnesota were toru
away in order to bring two of her large guns
to bear from her stern ports, the position 10
which she was lying enabling the rebels TO al
tack her there with impunitv. Size received
two serious shots; one, an eleven inch shell, en-
tered near the waist, passed through the chief
engineers room, and exploded i'll the carpen-
! ters room, knocking both rooms into ruins
and wounding several men. Another shot went
clear through the chain-plate, and another
| passed through the mainmast. Six of the crew
we're killed outright on board the Minnesota
and nineteen wounded. The men though fight
ing at a great disadvantage stuck manfuily to
their guns, and exhibited u spirit that would
have euabled them to compete successfully with
any ordinary vessel.
About nightfall, the Merrmac satisfied with
| her afternoons work of death and destruction
steamed in under Sewall's Point. The day
! thus closed most dismally for our side, and
with the most gloomy apprehensions of what
would occur the next day, Tie Minnesota
was at the mercy of the Merrimac, and there
appeared no reason why the iron monster
might not clear the Roads of our feet, destroy
all the stores, and warehouses on The beach
drive our troops into the Fortress, aud com
mand Hampton Roads against any number OF
wooden vessels the Government might send
! there. Saturday was terribly dismal night
at Fortress Monroe.
About nine oclaod tie ErFicsson battery.
the Monitor, arrived in the roads, and upoa
her performances was felt that the safety ortke
position 10 great measure depended. Never
was a greater hope placed upon apparently
more insignificant means, but never was a
great hope more triumphantly fulfilled. The
Nouitor is the reverse formidable, lying low on
the water, with plain round slruc; ure amid
ship, a small pilot house forward. a dimiuHtive
smoke pipe aft. at miles distance she might
be taken for falt with an aruly ambulance
amidslip It is only when on boald that her
compact strength and forpilable means Of Of
feusive warfare are discoverablc.
When Lieut.. WoIden was informed of what
had occurred, though bis crew were suffering
from exposure and loss Of rest from u stormy
voyage around lroIA New York, he at once
made preparations for taking part in whatever
might occur next day.
Before daylight on Sunday morning the
Monitdr moved up and took position along
side thesMimesota, lying between tne latter
ship and the Fortress, where she could not be
seen by the rebels, but was ready with steam
i up, 10 slip out.
/ Cp.to noon On Sunday the rebels gaVsS q
Indication of whatswere their further designs
The Merrimac laid up toward Crang Island
in view, but muti0nleSs.b At ono O'Clock she
was observed in motion, and came out, follow.
ed by the .Yarktowil aud jamestown. bod
crowded with troops. :. Tie object of the LED
iehey toward the Minnesota on the prcviou;
evening thus became evident. 1t was The hoRG
OF the rebelsito- 6sing The sAjps aboard the
Minnesota, overcome her crew by the, force 0
lambcrs. audcapture both vessel and filen.-
y The design wasoa- bold and practicable. one
and appareBtly of easy nPlishment,
As the. rebel fiotilIa came out from Sewelli
Point, the Monitor stood out. boldly toward
them. 1t isdoal5tt tllS rebels knew what
to make Of the strahge e-locking battery, or
they despised it. Even The Yorktown KEEP
en approaching. until i thirtceh inch stll froR
ihe AIoBitor sent her to the right about. Slh'
Merriniac And tha Monitor kept on approach
irg ca eh other, the forrief waiting uptil sh
> would-cboose her. DISTANCE, and the .laEteF ap
parently notIknowiag Mat tabmake Of he
funny looking antagonists The Grst shot fron
the Monitor was fred when about one hundre,
-yards distah. from the Mrrri':E;lc, aud this dis
tance was suBsedieftfy reduced to fifty yards
and at uatine during the two hours df furiQq
cannonadAAg that ensued, were the vessels NOR
thar two Hundred yards apart
It's impossible to reproduce the anim;4e
descriptions given Of this grand cQnttst~
Z, tween two vessels Of msch formidalae otTtusiT
land defensive powers. The scene was in plai
. view from FoTiFess Monroe, and in the mai
h facts all the spectators agree. At first II
: fight was very fEriouss%and the guns Of th
' Monitor were fred rapidly As she carrie
: :, but two guns whilst@the Meirrimlc has eight
;, of course 81 efeeeived-etwo or:three shots 70
! each she gave. ,Findngcthat her antngonis
4 was much formidable than she looked, the Mel
= rmac attempted " run her down. The sup(
: rior speed aud quicker turning abilities Of I'll
: Monitor enabled her 10 aVaH lhese shocks, an
. to give t6c Mcrrimac as she passed shot.
Once the Merrimac struck her near amidShip
!. r but only to prove that the battery could NJ
. be run down nor shot down. : he spun roun
n like top, and as she got her Bearing .agdi
sent one Of her formidable missiles into l'
d huge opponeat.
l. The Office the Monitor at'this time ha
d gained such confidence in the 'irppregnabili'
a of their battery, that they no longer fired I
he random nor haAtily. The fight then assumC
I. most interesting aspects. The Monitor rs
round tha Merrimac repeatedly, probing HI
4 sides, seeking for weak points, and reservir
d her fire, with eoOpess that must have be'
m intensely uggraYating to the officers Of her e
De emy, until she had the right spot and the
act range, and made her experiments aceo
al dinghy. In this way the Merrimac receive
i three shots which must have seriously daI