The Republican journal., 1876-03-23

their vessel, anu Themselves and well
knew that, on this still Sabbath morning
from every temple throughout the north,
every stately mansion, cot, and cottage
for the telegraph had spread far and wide
the news OF the impending battle-pray-
ers were being offered up for their welfare
The married men thought of their wives
and children, the single of their mothers
and sweethearts; and if anything further
We're needed to stimulate their patriotism
and courage. there were the stars and
stripes floating Just awash from the mz-
zen peak of the Cumberland, telling how
| brave men had died rather than surrend-
| en-
Wordennow steadily steercG for the star
board bow OF the Merrimac, on Il course
at right angles to her keel, and when with
in few yards of her, but his helm hard-a-
starboard, and, III a clear, ringing voice
that was distinctly heard by the enemy,
| gave the communicative
Scarce had the word escaped his lips
when the mtizzie of a 1l-inch Dahlgren
was seen protruding Irom one Of the ports
Of the turret, and, in a second after, Green
who was deliberately sighting the piece,
pulled the lock-string. ''It did our hearts
good said an old tar who had escaped
the carnage on board the Congress, and
wko, with many OF his shipmates, was
an eyewitness OF the tght-"it did our
hearts good to see IFS fash and to hear the
noise it made and to know that the lit
tie water-tank was paying the rebs the
full interest OF the debt we owed them"
| The Conlederates were not slow. how
ever, in responding, both with great guns
| and musketry-the latter aimed at the
lookout-holes in the pilot house, with tie
view, no doubt, of disabling the command
ing officer and helmsman; and tie battle
was thus fairly begun, each vessel, as She
passed, close aboard of her antagonist de
liyerlng her fire and receiving 4 tremend-
Gus fire in return. IT was an anxious mo-
ment with both Union and Confederate
commanders; the one apprehensive that
his turret, which had been hit twice, might
be so deranged as to cease revolving; the
other dreading, as he heard the huge mis-
sles of his enemy rattling against the sides
OF his vessel, lest her armor should be
pierced AS the iron-clads drew clear of
each other. however, it became apparent
that neither was injured in the least and
as, with confidence redouDcd, Worden
turned short round to renew the engage
ment, he found his adversary by nomeans
disinclined to welcome him to close quar-
ters. So at it again they Went, side by side
and gain the soliA bolts glanced harmless
ly from the roof and tower and turret For
two hours the battle ragged in this manner,
the vessels almost touching each other,
when the Monitor, finding her supply of
shot in the turret exhausted, hauled out of
the action and ran into shoal water, where
she remained while it was being replcn-
ished. This was Il tedious operation, as
each shot weighed one hundred and sixty
eight pounds and had to be hoisted from
below by hand, and occupied about 20
minutes, during all which time the Con-
federates, both atloat and ashore believing
that victory was theirs, were loudly and
wildly cheering
Giving no heed, however, to their noisy
vocierations, Worden coolly waited until
his battery was reported ready for ac-
tion," when, observing that the Mcrrimac
was bearing down upon the Minnesota,
anu had opened upon her with terrible et-
feet sending one Shell through the boiler
OF a tug lashed alongside Of her, and an
other tore-and-att OF her bcrthdeck, knock
ing four rooms into one and setting tirealo
the ship. he stood boldly across the bows
and the Merrimacs found, 10 their chagI.n,
the lespised Yankee chess-boS intact. and
once more interposed between the Conird-
crate monster and its prey.
Judging the occasion favorable, Lieut.
Jones the commanding officer of the Mer-
rimac. determined to ram his ~aucy oppo-
nent, and ordering four belts to be rllng,
dashed ahead at full speed, with the hope
of hitting her amidships, but, BY skillul
movement of his helm, Wortlcn avoided
the direct blow, and the Monitor, being
struck obiquely, bounded away from her
enemy without receiving the slightest III
jury
The contact OF the vessels was brief, but
before they separated Green haH planted
shot full and fair in the roof OF the Merri-
mae, which stripped OIL the iron freely"
and for 4 moment it was thought by the
officers and crew of the Mnnesota-anN-
lous spectators, as we may we'll conceive.
OF this novel combat, upon whose issue
the fate Of their own ship depended--thnt
the leyiathan had received her quietus
tor She turned her head quickly toward
Norfolk, while Worden close at her heels
steered across her stern and endeavored to
cripple her screw
The excitement now among the lockers
on at Newport News and Fortress Monroe
no language can describe. ''She is whip
ped she is whipped" they cry. But sud
denly their voices are hushed and each
man holds his breath; for here the Merri-
mac comes once more-a gOodly sight to
see, with all her banners tlyng-steering
straight for the ''lttle, submerged propel
ler,n Again the eleveninch gun plays up
on the Merrimac, while shot, shell, and
canister in return are concentrated upon
the pilot-house and turret Of the Monitor
Thus the fight continued for another hour
without any obvious advantage to either
cOmbatantS, when I shell, striking the
pilot-house of the Monitor. fractured one
of the great iron iogs-IlIne by twelve
inches-of which it was composed, and,
filling Worden's face and eyes with pow
der, utterly blinded and in Il degree stun
ned him. Deprived Of sight forever, as he
supposed, and writhing in agony this
brave officer lost not selt-possession Tor an
instant. His force of character and high
professional training nobly sustained him
and, like Regulus amid the tortures OF the
Carthaginians, his thoughts were not of
himself, but for his country. Believing
his vessel seriously iniured-for the top OF
the pilol house had been partially lifted
off by the conclusion - he ordered the
helmsman to sheer off into shoal water,
and then, feeling faint, groped his way to
the foot Of the ladder leading to the berth
deck, and sentfor Lieut. Greene. Il found
him." says Greene, in 4 letter written just
after the action, ''leanlng against the lad
der, as noble specimen OF q man as ever
breathed; his face black with iron and
powder, and his sight apparently gone
He told me in a calm, quiet voice that the
pilot house was damaged, and that must
take command. | led him to his cabin and
laid him down upon q sofa, and then has
tened to take my place beside the helms
man, while the gun-captains continued to
fight the guns under the supervision OF
Chief Engineer Sinners, who was revolv
ing the turret."
Finding the injury to the vessel less Sc
we're than his commander had supposed,
Lieutenant Greene ordered her head to be
again turned toward the Merrimac, which