The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-15

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the Minnesota. The fight went on in this
way for an hour or two, both vessels ex- I
changing shots pretty freely. Sometimes
the Merrimac would retire, followed by the
Ericsson. and Vicss Osrsd While the fight
between the batteries was going on one Z
hundred nine inch shot were sent up from
Fortress Monroe on the steamer Rancocas
to the Minnesota. AT quarter past ten
O'clock the Merrimac and Monitor had come
into pretty close quarters, the former CIV
ing the latter two broadsides in succession.
1t was promptly replied to By the Monitor.
The firing was SO rapid that both craft were
obscured in columns of white smoke for IA
moment or more. The ramparts of the
fort, the rigging Of the vessels in port, the
houses and the bend were all crowded with
sailors, soldiers, aud civilians, When the
rapid firing alluded to took place, those
spectators were singularly SILENT IS if
doubtful as to the result. Their Impotence
was.soon removed by the fall figure of the
Monitor, with the Stars and Stripes flying
at her stern, steaming around the MerrImac,
moving with the ease of a duck on the |
water. The distance between the vessels /
was forty feet. In this circuit the MCnI- |
tors guns were not idle, as she fred shot |
after shot into her antagonist, two of which, |
it is alleged, penetrated the Merrimac's
sides.
At eleven A. NJ. the Minnesota opened
| FIRE, and assisted the Monitor in engaging
| the Merrimae. She fred nine-inch solid
shot with good accuracy, but with apparent
ly little effect. The Merrimac returned the
fire. firing shell, one of which struck and
exploded the boiler of the gunbost Dragon,
which was alongside the Minnesota endeav-
oring to get her off. By this unfortunate
affair Jos. Mcdonald sailor, was seriously
scalded. For the next hour the battle ragged
iercely be. ween the Merrinac on the rebel
side and the Union vessels, the Monitor,
Minnesota and Whitehall but with no par
ticular result. The Minne:ota being the
best mark for the Merrimac, the latter fred
at her frequently, alternately giving the
Monitor a shot. The Merrimac made sew
eral attempts to run at full speed past the
Monitor to attack and run down the Mime
} sofa. All these attempts were parried, as
it were, by the Monitor. In one of these
r attempts by the Merrimae she ran her plough
{ or ram with tull force against the side of
t the Monitor; but it only had the effect of
3 eareening the latter vessel in the slightest
2 degree. The rebel boats Yorktown and
Patrick Henry kept at a safe distance from
E. the Monitor. The former vessel, at the be-
: ginning of the fight, had the temerIty to
come within respectable range of the Moni-
3 tor. The latter fred one shot at her, enter
Z ing her pilot house, carrying it away, and.
g no doubt, killing number of rebels. She
G retired out of range.
q The fight ragged holly on both sides, the
opposing batteries moving around each
It other with the skill, ease and dexterity of
/ expert pugilists The Merrimac though
l., the strongest did not move with the dex-
II :erity of heSdantagonist; hence the Monitor
:. had the advantage of taking choice of pos
: ition. Alta quarter before twelve O'Clock,
|, noon, Lieutenant Hepburn, the signal officer
1, on the ramparts at Fortress Monroe, report
d ed to General Wool that the Monitor had
It pierced the sides of the Merrimac, and in 9
d few minutes the latter was in full retreat
,r heading for SewalPs Point, and chased fol
le few minutes by the Monitor. The Mer
a rimae had evidently suffered TO some ex
n tent, and it was thought at one time tina
K she was sinking. After she got safely
j. under the guns of the rebel battery a
Of Sewalls Point she stopped and signalle(
ef for IreIF f-esA- hAS eosasarLs, VINO were UeaT-
at ing retreat. Subsequently two tugboats
D. or gunboats, went alongside and took bel
e, in tow, and proceeded to Norfolk. Thi:
t. ended the engagement.
v On examining the Monitor after the en-
"a gagement, though shell after shell had ex
,a ploded on her decks and solid shot strncI
70 the tower, yet no perceptible damage had
q been done 10 the vessel, nor injury to th,
ee crew, with the exception already mentioned
to One of the crew of the Monitor was asked
II how the boys felt during tho engagement
ie He replied, "Oh, first rate; the shot an,
te shell from the Merrimac sounded like hail
of stones On our decks"
ur WHY SHE WAS NAMED THE MoNIToR-LETTEl
g. FROM CAPTAIN BLOSSOM.
81 The following letter from Captain Fries
ar son to Assistant Secretary Fox will nov
st be read with interest
re New York, Jan. 20, 1862.
he SIR-In accordance with your request
d now submit for your appreciation a nam
d tor the floating battery at Greenpoint Tn
3D. impreguable and aggressive character of thi
he structure will admonish the leaders of th,
as Southern rebellion that the batteries on I'll,
rd banks of their rivers will 10 longer pre-
rt sent barriers to the entrance of the UDioI
to forces. The iron-clad intruder will thu
IL prove a secure monitor to those leaders
en- But there are other leaders who will also
IS be startled and admoniShed by the booming
Bill of the guns from the impregnabIe iron tur
a. ret. Downing street will hardly view will
III indifference this last Yankee notiou-tbi
OF monitor To the Lords of the Admiralty
the new craft will be monitor, suggesting
doubts as to the propriety of completing
= those four steel-clad ships at three and
at half millions apiece On these and man,
e similar grounds propose to name the new
st battery Monitor. 1 am, sir, respectfully
= your obedient servant,
p s J. ERICSSON.
n- GUsrAvus v. Fox. Assistant Secretary c
y the Navy, Washington.
bit
ia 49,
I'd u.s. Lieutenant Colonel Heffren of tn
g 5oth regiment was seriously Injured a
1 Bowling Green few days since By assist