The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-17
THE MERRIMAC.
STORY OF HER CRUISE.

AS TOLD By HER FIRST OFFICER.
HER FITTING oUT-THE ATTACK-A PART OF
HER TRIAL TRIP-sINRING OF THE CUMBER-
LAND-THE MONITORS APPEARANCE
SOUTHERN VIEW OF HOW THE FIGHT ENDED.
Castesby Ap. r. Jones, formerly execu-
tive officer, and, during the fight with the
Monitor, commander of the old rebel ram
Merrimac, contributes the story of her trip
to the Southern Magazines: When on April
2l, 1861, the Virginians took possession OF
the abandoned navy yard at Norfolk, they
found that the Merrimac had been burned
and sunk. She was raised; and on June 23d
following Mr.. S. r. Mallory, confederate
secretary of the navy, ordered that she
should be converted into an iron clad, on the
plan proposed by Lieut.. John M. Brooke,
c. s. navy. The hull was 273 feet long.
About one hundred and sixty feet of the
central portion was covered by roof OF
wood and iron, inclining about thirty-sIx
degrees. The wood was two feet thick. 1t
consisted of oak plank four inches by II
inches, laid up and down next the iron, and
two courses of pine-One longitudinal OF
eight inches thickness, the other twelve in
ches thick. The intervening space on top
was closed by permanent gratlngs OF two
inch square iron two and one-half inches
apart, leaving openings for four hatches,o
near each end and one forward and one abaft
the smoke stack. The roof did not project
beyond the hull. There was no knuckle
IS in the Atlantic, Tennessee and our other
ironclads of later and improved
were rounded. The armor was four inches
thick. 1t was fastened to its wooden back
ing by one and three e-eights inch bolts,
countersunk and secured by iron nuts and
washers. The plates were eight inches wide.
Those first made were one inch thick,
A i 49, <.lx
cold iron. Wesucceeded soon in punching
two inches, ana the remaining plates, more
than two-thirds, were two inches thick
They were rolled and punched at the Trede-
gar Works, Richmond. The outside course
was up and down, the next longitudinal.
Joints were broken where there were more
than two courses.
THE HULL
extending two feet below the roof, was
plated with one inch iron it was intended
that it should have had three inches. The
PROV was of cast iron, wedge shape. and
weighed 1900 pounds. 1t was about two
feet under water, and projected two feet
from the stem 1t was well fastened. The
rudder and propeller were unprotected.
The battery consisted OF ten guns, four
single banded Brooke rifles and six nine
inch Dahlgren's shell guns. Two OF the
rifles, bow and stern pivots, were seven
inch, Of 1850 pounds: the other two
were GA inch (thirty-two pounds calibre),
of 5000 pounds, one on each broadside.
The nine-inch gun on each side nearest
the furnaces, was fitted for firing hot shot.
A few nine-inch shot with extra windage
were cast for hot shot. No other solid shot
were on board during the fight. The engines
were the same the vessel had whilst in the
United States Navy. They were radically
defective, and had been condemned by the
United States government. Some changes
had been made, Notwithstanding which the
engineers reported thai they were unrelia-
BILE. They performed very we'll during the
fight, but afterwards failed several times,
once while under fire. There were many
vexatious delays attending the fitting and
equipment of the ship. Most of them arose
fr Jm the want Of skilled labor and lack of
proper tools and appliances. Transporting
the iron from Richmond also caused much
delay; the railroads were taxed to supply
the army. The crew, 800 in number. we're
obtained with great difficulty. With few
exceptions they were volunteers from the
army; most ofthem were landsmen. Their
DEFICIENCIES were al much as possible over
come by the zeal and intelligence Of the off,
GERS; a list of them is appended. In the fight
one of the nine inch guns was manned by a
detachment of the Norfolk United Artillery.
The vessel was by the Contederates called
| Virginia. She was put in commission dur
ing the last week ofFebruary, but continued
lcIOWOeO Wild mechanics the eve OF bDe
fight. She was badly ventilated, very un-
comfortable and very unhealthy. There
was an average of fifty or sixty at the hospi-
tai, in addition to the sick list on board. The
flag officer, Franklin Buchanan, was de-
tanned in Richmond, in charge OF an impor-
taut bureau, from which he was only re-
lieved few days before the fight. There
!, was
NO CAPTAIN,
the ship was commissioned and equipped by
the executive aud ordnance officer, who baC
reported for duty in November. He had, b!
special order, selected her battery, and wa
} also made responsible for its efficiency. !
trial was determined upon, although tn
vessel was in an incomplete condition. Tn
lower part of the shield forward was onl.
: immersed a few inches, instead of two fee
} as was intended: and there was but on
f inch of iron on the hull. The post-shutters
+ etc., were unfinished. The Virginia was un
seaworthy, her engines were unreliable, an
:, her draft, over twenty-five feet, prevente
6sr from going to "ashinstoI herad ae
Q restricted to the bay and its i'm
T mediate vicinity. There was NO regula
! concerted movement with the army. TIL
frigates Congress and Cumberland tempt
q ipgly invited an attack. II was fixed 70
Thursday night, March 6, 1862; the pilots, {
which there were five, having been pre-
= viously consulted. The sides were slusheC
u supposing that it would increase the tenC
IL ency of the projectiles to glance. All prep
arations were made, including lights
'r distractions. After dark the pilots declare
e that they would not pilot the ship durin
70 the night. They had a high sense of the
= responsibility. In justice to them it shoul
!, be stated that it was not easy
II pilot a vessel of our great draft und'
favorable circumstances, and that IL
Is difficulties were much increased by Il
q absence of lights, buoys, ETC., to which the
!. had been accustomed, The attack was pos
ID pons to Saturday, March S. The weatb,
20 was favorable. We left the navy yard at
of A. NJ. against the last half flood of the It'd
OF steamed down the river past our battsrie
through the distractions, across Hamptc
- Roads, to the mouth OF James river, whe
= of Newport News lay at anchor the frigst
" Cumberland and Congress, protected
~ strong hatfariea and nnnhnafs The actif