The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-12
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY: AUGUsTa12 1864,

disagree, because one, Captain Ericsson,
is describing theoretical monitor,
the others are considering its prac-
tical usej and availability. But how
ever sound the theory may be, If the
ships built in accordance with it do not
perform the task or answer the purpose
for which they are made, they must be
held to have failed. Q Now what are the
facts? The first monitor, in a battle with
the very rudely contrived Merrimac, drove
her hack into Norfolk but she did not
followIher into that harbor, and thus the
fruits Of her success were lost. The
,Weehawken captured the Atlanta, but the
prize was so little injured that she was
towed into Ports Royal and sent, North
with very little repair. We believe her
machinery got out of order at the begin
ming of the action, and she became un-
manageable, and was thus forced to sur
render. In the trial on the Ogeechee, the
guns of land battery were able ta do
considerable damage to the monitor en-
gagged. The attack upon the fortifcations
of Charleston was, however, the first COM
pete trial to which these ships were ex-
posed. There they had failed. If that
trial was not conclusive as to their powers,
why have fifteen months passed without
another trial either there or against some
other OF the rebel po is? This is the
question which practical men, anxious
only to see the work done, and ready to
praise whatever kind of ship does it, ask.
In discussing the merits of the moni-
tors, however, the most important witness
ses are those who have handled them un-
der fire. It has, we are aware, been hint
ed that many officers are prejudiced
against these ships; but navy officers are
patriotic gentlemen; they are ambitious
to win victories, and such q charge is
not to be lightly brought against such
men. What do they say in their, official
reports7 Commander Jeffers wrote, Off
cially, in regard to the turret system,
protecting the guns and gunners does
not, except in special cases, compensate
for the greatly diminished quantity of ar
tillery, slow speed and inferior accuracy of
fire."
Admiral Dupont reports that though
not one of his feet was under fire over 40
minutes, yet (" five of the iron-clads were
wholly or partially disabled, and that, too,
in that which was most essential to- our
success-I mean their armament or power
of inficting injury by their guns" %
Captains Drayton and John Rogers and
Commanders Ammen, George W.. Rodg
ers, Fairfax and Downes, unite in a re-
port thnt, "it had been proved"-in the
attack on Charleston that any very
heavy blow on the turret was very apt to
disorder and stop it,; and that the very
slox fire possible from the 15-inch gun,
and the fact that to, be effective against
stone walls it must be brought so
near as to take away from the i'm.
penetrable character of the iron-clads /"
constituted important points of weakness.
Admiral Dupont reports, again, that "with
even their diminished surface, they are
not invulnerable, and their various me-
chanical contrivances for working their
turrets and guns are so liable to immediate
arrangement that in the brief, though
fierce engagement at Charleston, five out
of eight we-e disabled 1'@' i'I f9
Now, the gist of the matter appears to
US to be this: the monitors have, of me-
cessity, few guns, and therefore, as COM
pared with the lard batteries, which they
are to engage, slight offensive power.
Their guns, however, are of extraordinary
power, and if they could be applied for q
sufficient time, would no doubt be effective.
The problem, therefore, was, to make these
ships SO entirely shot-proof, they could take
their time in an attack that they could
receive any reasonable amount of pum-
melting ,unLurt, and meantime make their
tremendous shot tell. Into such prob
lem, the question Of speed did not enter !;
and Capt. Ericsson rightly, as we think,
paid little attention to it. Everything de
pended upon their invulnerability; the vital
point was that the ship should be able to
sustain an enemy 3 fire uninjured, and this
was clearly Capt. Ericssons own thought !;
and therefore he placed the battery in q
turret made immensely strong, and de.
presse' the hull of the ship to near the
waters edge. d. 4 ,tH
I If the monitors had proven themselves
shot-proof their speed would have mattel ed
but little. 1t would have been of no con-
sequence whether they steamed four or
eight knots. They would have done their
work thoroughly, and no artillery row
used could have withstot their slow pom
derous hammeiing. But unluckily. it is
on this vital point that their success is