The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-01-16
The Loss of The Monitor.

The official reports of Commander Bank
head of the Monitor, and Commander Tren-
ehard of the Rhode Island. which had the
Monitor in tow, give definite accounts Of the
circumstances attending the loss of the Moni-
tor, from which it appears that great eoolness
and daring were shown by the officers and
men Of both vessels. and that everything was
done which was possible TO save the vessel,
and when that was found impossible, TO save
tie men. The account given by Assistant
Sarseon Weeks, of the Monitor, is one Of the
most succinct one We have seen, and is much
shorter than the official statements. We find
1t in the New York Tribune. After narrating
The pleasantness of the voyage from the time
they left Fortress Monroe on the afternoon
of Wednesday, I'LL the storm came on at the
evening of the next day, the account pro-
ceeds:
! The breeze was blowing pretty freshly, and
increasing in violence, but there were indica-
tions in the west of It's clearing off until about
5 o'clock, when.in the space of few minutes,
a storm of wind and rain gathered in the
southwest, with a Sea so rough that it began
TO dash against the tower, throwing up fonn-
tains that leaped 80 or 40 feet in the air,
washing all over the turret. The fury of The
storm kept on, every wave dashing over The
whole vessel from stem to stern,and entering
at every crevice intended for the admission
of air. The vessel was thumped about in
manner Understandable.
| The rain lasted from = quarter 10 half an
hour, but the gale RACED even more intensely
than before. The vessel began TO leak-about
= O'Clock the pumps were SET In motion.
! They rapidly gained on the water, but in
about half an hour they kept about even pace
with each other. BY liz O'Clock the water
was reported gaining rapidly; ii was evident
that the vessel could not live more than two
or three hours longer. The water rapidly
neared the fires when they were pat out the
pumps could not be worked.
When il was reported that the Monitor
could not stand it more than an hour or two
longer, signals of distress were made, and
were answered by the Rhode Island This
was al ii O'Clock, when II had been decided
as impossible 10 save the vessel, and atten-
ton was turned to saving their own lives.
One of the law-trs connecting the Monitor
with the Rhode Island had parted betweenS s
ami O'Clock. Tae Rhode Island went 10
work 10 send boats 10 the rescue.
II was most daring undertaf ing, but they
got out launeh, manned her and made to-
ward the Monitor Al This time the sky was
filed with clouds, through which little light
from the moon appeared, so that objects
could be distinguished. the remaining haw-
ser is now c1t so that the boats shall not get
entang gled the hawser becomes entangled
with the padlle-wheei of Inc Rhode Island;
the rope clogs the wheel, and the Rhode Is
land. a large war steamer, is drifting towards
the Monitor the launch is between the two
vessels lnls nearing each other, and Stems
doomed 10 destruction.
The proxi mity i dan ngerous TO all, for two
or three INCHES and the sharp prov Of the
Monitor vii stave in the wooden walls OF the
steamer. AS Two or three jump out of the
neat, the oars are seen 20 flash in lhe air
The Lunch is heard crashing; in a second
the crew have sprang on The deck of the Mon
tor. simultaneously the haTser Is cleared
from the paddlewheel, and the Rhode Island
runs OF, without the fatal snork, 10 a safe
distance
While the vessels lay alongside, several of
the Monitors crew sp-ang for The ropes that
daagltd from the side of the Rhode Island.
and SOME succeeded in climbing up, while
Others We're washed into the sea. The crew
of the launch spraay back into her, but those
= of tn Monitor were reluctant 10 trust them
selves 10 make the attempt, as several were
washel OF the deck by the great seas swash-
ing over They clung. therefore. 10 the top
of The turret, fearing they might share the
, late they hal witnessed eyertahing Others,
pTefrrring their chance 10 live a little longer.
. although there vas the moral certainty that
, they could not remain and live long.
> Finally the launch was filed. having taken
on probably some fifteen from the Monitor.
, All that were on deck al the time got in, AMI
the launch WAS ordered of Some stuffed
, The crushed side with pealacke's, while others
4 hailed out. and the rowers tried 10 get TO the
! steamer. which Vas their only hope Mean
: white the Rhode lslanl had launched whale
: boat. The s=a. which aas terrific, dashed the
4 whaleboat upon the launch. One of the off
, GERS in the launch stretched out both his
= arms TO break he force OF the blow and turn
4 the course of the beat. This he succeeded
In doing bat rot without considerable injury
q 70 himself. e ting close to the steamer, the
|. men spring for the ropes and some lose Their
: hold and are swallowed up by the saa,althousii
+, nearly every one in The boat is saved.
The whal-boat saved others from The iron
r ci4d. \ third rescuins boat Was sent, com
mqnt4l hy NJ Brown, 'raye man, ard skill
Il fll in tie management Of boat This ha~
! not been heard from. hut II NAV have picked
!, up some survivors. and nave got safely 10
h some other vessel. The Monitor went down
!. abna; O'Clock in the morning.