Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-04-25

! army dt d U3tUtICc VI lIOIc tIlitIl tUTe6 u0VS
march fromits base operations. In the path
less wilderness of ofVirginia, think, this limit
should be reduced to one days march. An
American army cannot, therefore, remove
itself more than days march from the rail
road or water-course that supplies it, and if
the road it follows is often interrupted by the
destruction of bridges, it must wait till they
are repaired, It risk an advance without food
and ammua:Son. Now, on the railroads lead-
ing to Richmond there were viaducts which
could not have been rebuilt in less than six
| weeks.
The land march was therefore bandoped
and we returned to the movement by water; !;
but this had changed its aspect, and was no
longer such as Mcclellan had planned. The
revelation of his purpose to the enemy had
enabled the latter to take his precautions
against tine danger which would otherwise
have threatened him. The evacuation of
Manassas had preceded instead of following
the opening of the campaign by the Federal
Army. The movement against Richmond
had ceased to be a surprise. Unfortunately
it was destined to lose also tho advantages of
aprompt execution.
Some days hal been employed in the use
less pursuit of the enemy at Fairfax Court
House and Manassas; but these were only
half lost, as the transports had not yet arrived.
AS soon as they began to appear the army
was ordered to embark at Alexandria. There
however, n new disappointment awaited the
commander-in-chief. Transportation for So
600 men at once had been promised him but
the vessels assembled could hardly contain
half that many. Instead of moving at one
time, as had been hoped, the whole army with
its artillery and its moteriel, tho Federal flo
tilla had to make numerous trips The
movement Of the army commenced the nth
of March. The force consisted of eleven d.
visions of infantry, of 5000 to 10000 men
each, more than G,0O0 regulars, (nfantry and
cavalry,) and about $50 pieces of artillery,
making in all about 100000 men. A divis-
ion was detached at the moment Of departure,
to form, it is impossible to say with what
motive, an independent command under the
orders of General Fremont, in the mountains
of northern Virginia We shall sec the army
of the Potomac successively under reductions
not less incxplicable; but let lis not anticipat
1t required fortnight to take this immense
armament to Fortress Monroe; the appear.
ance of the Meyrimac; and tho terrible ex-
hibition which she had made of her powers,
no longer permitting the Federal navy to be
regarded us absolute mistress of the waters of
Virginia. The army could not have found a
more favorable landing place. Fortress Mon.
roe is a regular citadel, built of stone, ut the
southern point of the peninsula of Virginia
and which has remained ever since the begin
ming of the war in the hands of the Federal
with that of tho Rip Raps, fort built OH an
| al: .,(
sage from tho open sea to Hampton Roads.
and thence to Richmond, by the James river,
or by the Elizabeth river to Norfolk, where
tho MNrimac was. In these inner waters oc-
cured the two naval actions which have SO
greatly occupied public attention, and which
had SO grave an influence on tho destinies Of
the army of the Potomac that it will not be
improper to give them place in this nara
tive.
will not describe the Mcrrimac, with
which all arc familiar. will only remind
tho reader that she was an old and very large
screw ftigatc, cut down to tho water line, and
recovered with an iron roof rather slightly
inclined to throw off balls. In this roof some
port holes were cut for 10O-pound Armstrong
guns and some other pieces Of the largest
cal Der. Her Prov was armed with an iron
spur like that Of tho ancient galltys. On tho
Sth Of NJ archS Sthe Mewimac, escorted by
several iron-clad gunboa,s, leaves Elizabeth
river and directs her course to the entrance
of james river, where arc moored two old
sailing frigates of the Federal Navy, the Cum
berland aud the Congress. Both Of them
fire full broadsidcs at the unexpected enemy
that is approaching them. but without effect |;
all their balls rebound from the roof. The
1Merrimac continues her course quietly. and,
moving ut tho rate of only four or five knots,
strikes her spur into the side of the Cumber-
land. Strange to say, this shock was very
gentle; it could hardly have been felt on
board the McrHmac but it was sufficient to
grve a ddath blow to the Federal frigate.
She was seen to sink majestically, bury
ing with her two hundredmen of her
crew, who, to the last moment, fired their
useless guns-a grand and glorious spectacle
But in this fatal shock tho Mervimac had
broken her spur. Is it on this account
that she did not try to sink the Congress
in like manner2 She engaged with that
frigate in an araillery duel that could not
last long. Incumbered with the dead and
the dying, the Congress lowered her sails. ran
ashore, struck her flag. and took fire. In
trying to capture part Of her crew, the sail.
ora ofthe Meviusac were expose to fire Of
musketry from the shore. and ball struck
their brave and skillful captain Buchanan.
MEANWHILE all tho Federal squadron col.
lected in Hampton Roads got under way to
weigh to tho assistance Of their unfortunate
companions in James river; but this squadron
could be of very little use. 1t was composed
of thrce frigates, only ono of which, the Min.
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