The Hillsborough recorder., 1874-08-12

at right angles to her keel but instead oi
ramuing her, he turned short when with
ii hw yards. : SO as TO pass BY her. and
deliyred,his FIRE. Yet the Monitor had
revolving turret and could fire in any di-
rectpn. But we will suppose that Com
mobre Parker's flew yards means an
indhnite space, and thus it was imprac.i-
cabc for 80 slow craft as the Monitor to
ran the Virginia.
| Tie ships passed and drew away from
ech other, and then turned anil renewed
Inc fgbtat close quarters Weif,uDaer-
ltand BY Parker's description that they
kept at close quarters and pounded each
with their guns. for he says:
Il sWorden turned short round 10 renew
the engagement! He found bis adversary
BY no means disincined to welcome him to
close quarters. Scat it again they went,
side by side. and again tile solid bolts
glanced harnllessly from roof and tower
and turret. For two hours the battle
ragged ID this manner, the vessels almost
touching each other. when the Monitor.
finding her supply of shot in the turret ex-
bausted, hauled out Of action and ran into
shoal water, where she remained while it
was being replenished.
This was pretty thorough test Of the
Virginia s armor. for we have not now in
our, ordinance more effective gun for pen
etrating armor than the eIeyen-inch smooth
bore. Whether il was as good test Of
the monitor .turret we cannot tell. be-
cause we know not what guns the Virginia
had.
The practicability Of the monitors in a
long action. and the convenience Of shoal
water to retire to while disarmed. is shown
by the continuation Of this narrative
i. This was tedious operation. as each
shot weighed one hundred and sixty-eight
pounds, and had to be hoisted from below
by hand, and occupied twenty minutes; !;
during all which time the rebels, botha-
float and ashore. believing the victory
theirs. were loudly and wildly cheering
BY the time the turrct was supplied
with shot the Virginia was
BEARING DOWN on THE MINNESOTA,
and bad sent one she'll through the boiler
Of tug lashed alongside. and another in-
to her, raking her fore and aft. knocking
four rooms into one and setting her on FIRE.
At this critical moment the Monitor again
interfered. iz hasalai -F ss4
Then the Virginia tried to ram the
Monitor. but By the helm she avoided the
direct blow. and was only struck obliquely
10 the quarter. swinging away from tho
blow uEipjur.G. The oyerhang 'of the
monitors make them strong against ram
ming. unless BY beak five or six feet be-
low the surface. below the overhang.
where they are no stronger than any yes-
eel. Bot during this contact shot was
planted fairly on the roof Of the Virginia.
which stripped oifthe iron freely aud il
was thought il had given her aquietus, sor
she turned away. aud our side shouted VIC
tory. But she had only drawn of to try
the ramming again. She came forward
bold as ever. but again the Monitor re-
ceived the blow obliquely and glanced oil.
Then the Sight with guns was renewed for
another hour. without any obvious adyau-
tage to either combatant.'
THEN THIS HArPENED,
when a she'll stiking the pilot.iouse Of
the Monitor fractured one Of the great iron
logs--nine by twelve irches--of which it
was composed. and filling wOrden's face
and eyes with powder, utterly blinded and
In degree stunned him. Deprived Of
sight forever. rs be supposed, and writbing
IN agony. this brave officer lost not bis self.
possession Cor one instant. 2 Be-
iieyipg his vessel seriously injured--for the
top of the pilot.house had been partly lift
cd Of by The coucussion--he ordered the
hclinsmen to sheer of into shoal water,
and tlen. feeling faint. groped his wayt 70
the foot Of the ladder leading % the berth.
deck. and sent for Lieutenant Greene
Greene said:
found him. says Greene 10 letter
written Just after the action, leaning r.
vainst the ladder. rs noble specimen Of a
man as ever brcathed, his face black with
iron and powder and his sight apparently
gone. lie told me IN calm. quiet voice
that the pilot-hcusc was damsged and that
Imust take command. led him 70 bis
cabin aud laid him down upon sofa. aud
then FASTENED 70 take my place beside the
helmsman while tho gun captains continued
to iight the guns, under the supervision Of
ChicfEngineer Sinners. who was revolving
the turret.' aa 49, 49,
Then The and Of the fights told IN this
way: .g4s
Finding The injury TO the vessel less Sc
we're than Bis commander bad supposed,
Lieutenant Greene ordered her bend 70 be
again turned toward the Merrimac, which
was now. for the secohd time, keeping ~
deadly Gre on the Minnesota. As the Nom
itor tarned. however. so did The Merrimae,
and 20 the surprise of all not on boar,l Of
her, she steamed at fullspeed for Norfolk
ruE ExDunAScE AND COURAGE
or commander and crew. alike ir The pas.
ssre 70 Hampton Roads and in this pro.
tsscted action. IN which they had q novel.
untrioa and complex machine. while their
antagonis, bad proved her destructive force.
q n