The Republican journal., 1876-03-23
The Monitor" and the "Merrimac,
BY COMMODORE FONHALL A. PARKER


floating battery, designed for the Govern
ment OF the United States by John Erics
son, and named, at his suggestion. thu
Monitor. was launched at Green Poin
Long Island, and at three P NJ. on the
25th Of February, formally taken posses
sion Of by the Navy Department, and pu
in commission at the Navy Yard. New
York
On Thursday, the 9th of March, this
novel float, concerning whose fate many
gloomy predictions had been hazarded
left the lower bay in tow of the steamer
Seth Low, and. with q tair wind and a
smooth sea. steered for Hampton Roads.
About noon on the 18th, the wind fresh,
ened, and the sea began to rise, and by
tour in the afternoon was making clean
breach over the little Monitor, causing hel
to reel and stagger like a drunken man
now striking her pilot-house with such
fearful torce as to drive the helmsman
from the wheel, now raising its foaming
crest far above the tops of the smoke and
blower-pipes, and deluging with water
the deck below A little later, and the
drenched blower-bands begin to slip, The
draught grows feeble, and the steam runs
down; then, with a sudden snap, the blow
er-bands part, and in an instant the fire
and engine rooms are filled with gas In
vain do the engineers and fremen, led by
the executive officer rush to the post of
danger ard endeaVor to repair the damage
A position more deadly than that from the
upas-tree torbids approach to the severed
bands. With heroism unequalled, each in
turn essays to ~each them but one by one
ali fall senscless to the deck and are borne
on the shoulders of their sailor comrades
to the upper air,
While this scere was being enacted in
the engine room, the steam pumps had
ceased to work and the berth deck pump
been found to be useless, while the water
driven through the hawse-hole, through
the lookout-holes in the turret, and over
the tops of the smoke and blower-pipes
was gradually gaining upon the vessel
and threatening to submerge her. Fortu-
nately, however, the wind was off the
land, and Worden, cool and collected
amid the menaced danger had ordered
the Seth Low to steer directly for the
shore. BY dark the sea became smooth,
and at eight p. NJ, the engine being again
freeing the ship of water, the Monitor was
Il second time headed for Hampton Roads,
The first watch passed pleasantly away.
under serene sky, while the silver moon
looked benignantly down upon band of
mariners as hardy and daring as that
which, leaving the shores of Spain four
centuries before, had braved the trackless
ocean III search of this very land for whose
defence these later mariners We're now SO
resolutely pressing onward.
With the mid-watch the sea again rose.
and dashed madly over pipes and turret,
threatening recurrence OF the disaster Of
the previous day. The wheel-ropes, too,
became iammed so that, no longer govern
ed by tie rudder, the vessel waved wildly
to and fro, bringing a fearful strain up
on the hawser by which she was towed
and upon which--now that her engine had
nearly stopped-her safety mainly depend
ed To add to the horror Of this anxious
night every few minutes, in response to
the enquiries Of the captain, came the dis
mai sound from below, "Blowers going
slowly, sir, but cant hold out much Ion
ger!n
Ere the rising of the sun, however, the
waves had snbsided, and when it set, the
Monitor was inside Of Cape Henry, head
ing tor Fortress Monroe Through the
providence OF God, her officers were say
ed from shipwreck and well might the
lovers OF freedom. everywhere on the hab-
liable globe, rejoice at their salvation.
The Genius OF the Republic had great
work for them to perform on the morrow,
for which the severe trial to brain and
nerve to which they had been subjected
on their adventurous passage was doubt
less designed as grim preparation.
For never were brain and nerve more
needed than now never arrival more
timely than this! The Cumberland sunk,
the Congress in flames several transports
destroyed, the Minnesota aground. Such
was the tale, alike piteous for those who
startled the ears of the iron pioneers as
they entered the waters OF theChesapeake,
4 tale which, flashed across the wires,
caused apprehension in every loyal heart
from Maine to Virginia, from New York
to California, Tor the safety of the capital,
of Baltimore, OF Mansfield's army. What
mighty issues, then, now depended upon
the untried Monitor and her glorious crew.
Perchancc Il nations veal or woe, liberty
or slavery, republicanism or tyranny! But
God is just; and amply did the vessel sus-
tain her country's honor, amply vindicate
the judgment Of the gifted Ericsson, in the
conflict that ensued
At nine o'clock that night Lieutenant
Commanding Worden reported his arrival
at Hampton Roads to Captain Marston,
the senior officer present; and, being di-
rected to proceed to Newport News for
the protection of the Minnesota, he avail
ed himself OF the services, as pilot, of Act
ing Master Samuel Howard. an earnest
volunteer for this duty, and, continuing
onward, anchored in close proximity to
the stranded vessel little after midnight
Just before he ''came to-, the Congress
blew up with terrific report, and. as the
blazing fragments We're thrown high in
the air, exhibited a spectacle OF grandeur
such as is rarely witnessed. The Conted-
crates greeted it with loud huzzas, but the
Unionists beheld it with feeling of shame
and humiliation, and vague fear Of some
dread disaster in the future. On the Moni-
tor not word was spoken; but each man
a vow of vengeance, on the tab
lets OF his heart, against the ruthless Mcr-
rimac.
Thus passed away the weary hours of
the night, and when day dawned all eyes
were directed toward SewelFs Point, in
an eager endeavor to discover the num-
Der, disposition, and intention OF the foe.
And first doomed up" amid the mist
of morning, the Patrick Henry, next the
Yorktown, and finally the iron-plated ram
herself, the formidable Merrimac, sur
rounded by several small tugs, and look
ing, with her arched back, like a huge
tortoise. Her design was, evidently, to
assume an offensive, and about halt-past
seven she reported under way, with her
steering for Newport News. At
the same time the drums on the Minnesota
and Monitor were heard loudly beating
the call to quarters and the gallant Wor
den, lifting his anchor, stood boldly to-
ward his enemies, with the intention of
engaging them at as great q distance as
possible from the noble frigate, in whose
defence it became clearly necessary to
give battle now
AS he approached, the wooden vessels,
scattering like flock of frightened sea
gulls took refuge behind the defences at