Daily national Republican., 1863-01-07
From the N. Y. Tribune, Jan. Q.
THE LOSS OF THE MONITOR.
An Account from one Of the Survivors,
Interesting Details.

shattered and arm disabled, caused by attempt
Ing to ward of the whale boat while in the
laGnch, which had lust taken a boats load from
the Monitor to convey them to the Rhode
Island.
The Monitor, in tow Of the steamer Rhode
Island, started from Fortress Monroe about 3
O'Clock on Monday afternoon, Goth December.
The Passalc, in tow Of the steamer State of
Georgia, had gone out some time before, and
was perhaps ten miles at seA On board the
Monitor were 63 persons all told. The sea was
calm and smooth as glass, and the weather
warm and pleasant. The vessel proceeded at
the rate of about five or six knots an hour
with perceptible motion less than that of any
other vessel. Everything seemed suspicious
for pleasant trip, and at night all went below
to sleep. Then they began to experience the
effects of close air.
In the interior Of the Monitor, as will be re-
membered by descriptions, few feet forward
OF the smoke-stack to the stern Ia located the
machinery, the fire-room, &c. Under the tur-
ret, and few feet forward Of the main-hatch,
Is the place occupied by the sailors. Still fur
ther forward 10 the cabin and ward room. This
Is lighted by turTet-hOles. Around this are four
large rooms, say by 8 feet, and four smaller
ones, by Q feet, occupied by the officers. She
had blower-englnes put In at Washington, for
the purpose of drawing all the air possible
through the loles of the turret and the blower
stacks.
With the exception noted of the closeriess of
air, which indeed was almost insupportable,
there was nothing to mar the comfort Of the
first night. The next morning broke beauti-
fully, but with a light breeze that smashed up
little waves against the turret, Just enough to
make small ralnbOws when the sun was shining
on the bows. So the weather continued until
Wednesday Thursday afternoon, when 1t
became cloudy, and as the sky grew darker 1t
was thought they might have rain. Soon, how
ever, the wind cleared all the clouds away, and
they thought there would be agreeable weather
all the way down; but later In the afternoon,
about O'Clock, II commenced TO blow.
At8 O'Clock they stood s. 8. W. from Halter
as Light, having cleared the Cape, the breeze
freshened more and more, but no apprehenslons
being felt of gale. About O'Clock they dis
covered the Passalc, some three or four miles to
the northeast. When they saw the Passalc
thus In her stern, she having been ten miles
ahead at the start, all on board the Monitor
could not but feel pride that she (the Monitor)
was the first there, as everywhere e1se-that she
was the first lron-Clad that had rounded Cape
Hatteras, as she had led In naval achievements
The conclusion was arrived at that the storm
would not Overtake them, and therefore that 1t
was not necessary to run towards Hatteras
Inlet.
The breeze was blowing pretty freshly, aud
increasing In violence, hut there were ndIca-
8 O'Clock, when, in the space Of few minutes,
a storm of wind and rain gathered in the south
west, the wrath Of the waves augmepting with
a sea 80 rough that II began to dash against the
tower, throwing up fountains that leaped 80 or
40 feet in air, washing all over the turret. The
fury of the storm kept on, every wave dashlng
over the whole vessel from stem to stern, and
entering at every creyice intended for the ad-
mission Of air. The vessel was thumped about
! In a manner indescTibable.
| The rain lasted from a quarter to half an
| hour, but the gale ragged even more intensely
than before. The vessel began to leak-they
hardly knew where II came in-but II was very
serious around the forecastle and anchor. II
was about o O'Clock, and 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. The gale had increased 10 a
hurricane; the Monitor reeling and shuddering
from end to end Faster and faster the water
came In. It was gaining on the pumps. BY
10Y O'Clock the water was reported gaining rap.
idly. few minutes later, and the report was
that II would soon be up to the fires This
again was followed by the report that the vessel
could not live more than two or three hours
longer. The water rapidly neared the fires
when they were put out, the pumps could not
be worked.
When 1t was reported that the Monitor could
not stand 1t more than an hour or two longer
white, and blue rockets were thrown up, and
were answered by the Rhode Island. This was
at II O'Clock, when 1t had been decided as i'm.
possible to save the vessel, and attention wa5
turned to saving their own lives One of the
hawsCrs connecting the Monitor with the Rhode
Island had parted between s and O'Clock,
When the Rhode Island answered, q voice on
the Monitor cried out through a trumpet that
they were In a sinking condition. Those ap,
pealed TO on the Rhode Island went to worl;
with the utmost speed to send boats to tho
rescue.
1t was a most daring undertaking, but they
got out launch and manned her, and riding
on the crests and sinking In the hollows OF
waves, she made toward the Monitor At this
time the sky was filled with clouds, through
which little light from tho moon appeared, 50
that objects could be distinguished The re-.
naming hawser Is now cut, 30 that the boat
shall not get entAnged; the hawser becomes
entangled with the paddle-wheel of the Rhode
Island; the rope clogs the wheel, and the Rhode
Island, large war steamer, Is drifting toward
the Monitor; the launch is between the two
vessels thus nearing each other, and seems
doomed to destruction; the launch reaches the
aide of the iron-clad.
The proximity Is dangerous 10 all, for two Or
three lurches and the sharp PROV of the Mont.
tor will stave In the wooden walls of the
steamer. All feel that they shall 20 TO the bot.
NOhs lHClt 10 u hlltuNt, 50 lul Ms lnbbt
on the Monitor ure concerned. As two OF
three jump ont Of the boat, the oars are seen IA
flash In the air. the launch Is heard crashing
In a second the crew have sprang on the deck
of the Monitor. simultaneously the hawscr Ii
cleared from the paddle-wheel, and the Rhode
Island runs of, without the fatal shock, to q
safe distance.
While the vessels lay alongside, several OF
the Monitors crew sprang for the ropes that
dangled from the side of the Rhode Island, and
some succeeded in climbing up, while other.
were washed into the sen. The crew of the
launch now sprang back into her, but those OF
the Monitor were reluctant TO trust themscvci
to make the attempt, as several were washed of
the deck by the great seas swHshing over. They
clung therefore, to the top Of the turret, fearing
they might share the fate they had witnessed
overtaklng others, preferring their chance tC
live a little longer, although there was the
moral certainty that they could not remain ant
live long.
Finally the launch was filled, having takcr
on probly some fifteen from the Monitor Al
that were on deck at the time got luz and thu
launch was ordered off, Some stuffed thl
crushed side with pea-pCkcts, while other,
bailGd out, and the rOwcrs tried to yet TO thu
steamer, which was their only hope. Mean
WHILE the Rhode Island had launched whale
boat. The sea, which was terrific, dashed thu
whalehoat upon the launch with terrible ieroc
ity.
One of the officers In the launch sprang ove