The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-17

time the guns were in sight. The Virginia.
however, was large target, and generally
so near that the Monitors shot did not often
miss lt did not appear to us that our
shell had any effect upon the Monitor. We
bad no solid shot. Musketry was fred at
tthe lookout holes. In spite Of ali the care
lof our pilots we ran ashore, where we re-
| mained over Is minutes. The Patrick
denry and Jamestown. With great risk to
themselves, started to our assistance. The
Monitor and Minnesota were in full plav
on us. A small rifle gun on board the
| Minnesota or on the steamer alongside of
her, was fred with remarkable precision.
| Wien we saw that our fire made no innnres
sion on the Monitor. We determined to run
into her IL possible. We found it
a very difficult feat to do. Our greet length
and draft in a comparatively narrow channel.
With but little water to spare, made rs slug
gisn IN our movements, and hard to steer
and turn. When the opportunity pre-
sented all steam was put on; there wes not,
| howe YER sufficient time to gather full head
way before striking. The Glow was given
with the broad wooden stern, the iron Prov
having been lost the day before. The Mon
| itor received the blow in srcn manner as
to weaken its effect, and the damage WAS to
hen trliting. Shortly after an alarming leak
| in the bows was reported. T., however,
did not long continue. Whist conten ding
with the Monitor we received the fire of the
| Minnesota, which we never failed to return
1 N.
/ We set her on fire and did her serious ip iu-
ry, though much less than we then supposed.
Generally, the distance was too great for ef-
fective firing. We exploded the boiler CT
steamer alongside OF ber. TIE fight had
continued over three hours. To IA the Mon
itor appeared unharmed. We were, there
fore, surprised to see her run of into shoal
water, whore our great draft would not per-
NIT us to follow, and wnere our shell could
not reach her. The loss of our prov and
| anchor, and dconsuEsption of coal, water, etc.,
| bad lightened us so that the lower part OF
the forward end of the shield was awash.
We for some time awaited
THE RETUR,y OF THE MONITOR
to the roads. After consultation Il was de-
cided that we should return to The navy
yard in order that the vessel should be
brought down in the water and completed.
| The pilots said that if we did not then
leave that we could not pass the bar until
noon of the next day. We therefore at u
NJ. quit the roads and stood for Norfolk.
Had there been any sign of the Monitors
i willingness TO renew the contest, we would
have remsinedto fight her. We Weleft,herin the
shosl water to which she had Withdrawn,
and which she did not leave until alter we
had crossed the bar on our way TO Norfolk.
The official report says: "Our loss. is two
killed and nineteen wounded. The stem is
twisted and the ship leaks; we have lost the
prov, starboard anchor, and al the
boats: the armor is somewhat. dam
aged, the stea1n-pipe and snaokestack
both riddled, the mpZzles OF SWo of
the guns shot away. 1t was not easy to keep
a flag flying; the fsgstaffs were repeatedly
shot away: the colors were boisted to the
smokestacG, and several times cut down
from It," None were killed or wounded in
the fight with the Monitor. The only dam
age sne did Yves to the armor. She fred
forty-one shots. We were able to receive
most OF them obliquely. The effect of the
shot striking Obliquely on the shield was to
break all the iron, and sometimes TO dis
place several fest of the outside course; the
wooden backing would not be broken
through. When q shot struck directly at
right angles, the wood would also Ee broken
through, but OF displaced. Generally the
shot were much scattered; in three instances
two or more struck near the same place, in
each case causing more of the iron
to be displaced and the wood tc bulge in-
, side. A few struck near the waterline.
The shield was never pierced, though it was
evident that two shots striking in the same
place would have made large hole through
armor, wooden backing and everything.
, The ship was docked; PROV of steel and
, wrought iron put on and s course
, of two inch iron the hull
} below the roof extending in
, lergth lSG feet. Want of time
, aud material prevented its completion. The
| damage to the armor was repaireCas wrought
! iron port-shutters were fitted. etc. The
} rifle guns were supplied with bolts of
a wrought chilled iron. The ship was brought
q foot deeper in the water, making her draft
twenty-three feet. Commodore Josiah Tat
4 nall relieved Admiral Buchanan in COM
}. mand. On the 11th of April ne took the
n Virginia down to Hampton Roads, expect
: ing to have desperate encounter with thc
!. Monitor. Greatly to our surprise
/. THE MONITOR REFUSED TO 3rGHT US.
9 She closely hugged the shore under tn
guns OF the fort, with her steam up. Hop
ing to provoke her to come out, the Jam ss
lt)Wn was sent in. and captured sevoza
A prizes, but the Monitor would not bulge
/. 1t was proposed to take the vessel to T0rl
10 River: but it was decided in Richmond sha
:, she should remain in Norfolk for its prctec
81 ton. Commodore Iatnall commanded th'
le Virginia As Gays, of which tine there Wer
Y only thirteen days that she was not in thi
" dock or in The hands of the navy yard. Ye
j. he su eceeded in iDpressipg the enem- tina
1t we weFe ready for active service. It was evi
If dent that the enemy very much oveTrateC
J. our power and efficiency. The Souts als'
10 had the same exaggerated idea Of th
i'd vessel On tue Sth OF May squad7on, in
n Guiding the Monitor, boaabarded oar bat
- teries at Sewen Point. We Immediately
Or LEFT the yard for the roads. As We drev
Of near the Monitor and her convicts ceases
In BON barding and retreated under tie guns o
,e the forts. keeping beyond the range OF on
of guns. Men-of.war from below he forts
Is and vessels ex xpressly Gsted for RAINING u
1e down, joined the other vessels between sh
I'd forts. Ii looked as if the feet was about T.
Id make a tisrce onslaught upon "a: But W
lg were again to be disappointed. The Moni
be tor and the other vessels did not ven
ID ture to meet us, although we advance
at until projectiles from the Rip RspS fel
ip more than half mile beyond uE
I'd Our object, however, was accom-
D; plished: we had put an end to che boabard
d. ment, and we returned to ou- buoy. MOI
1t. folk was evacuated on the 10th OF May. l
be order that the chip might be carried up th
II. James river we commenced to tighten hel
Id but ceased on the pilots saying they coal
We not take her up. Her shield was then out I
re water; we were not in fighting eonGltiol
be We therefore ran her ashore in the blight
a Craney Island, landed the crew, and set Il