The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-28

was speedily Signallcd to the Union block
aiding squadron in that ncghborhood. which
consisted OF the frigatc Congress and the
sloop-of-war Cumberland, at Newport News,
and the frigatcs Minnesota, Roanoke, and
st. Lawrence at Fort Monroe, six miles dis
tant Lieut.. CATEsBY JONES was in COM
manl Of the Mcrrimac, which had boon
made into an armorcl vessel by razcclng to
the water line the cid and famous frigatc
Mcrrimac, then lying abandoned at the Nor
folk Navy Yard and building up on her an
iron easement TO protect her battery. This
shield was in the form Of u roof, and the
plating, which was OF railroad bars,
was four inches thick, which would be
considered an absurdly weak armor now
adays. Her battery consisted Of eight 0-inch
DAnLGBrN guns. and four 7A-inch rifles of
the BROOKE pattern a powerful armament
for that time.
Tho fleet at Fort Monroe slipped their
cables and advanced toward the monster,
while the Congress and Cumberland stood
ready to meet her. Tho three ships were
soon engaged in n hot fight; but our vessels
saw to their dismny that their shots had no
moro effect on the terrible Confederate than
peas ON an elephants hide, while the Mcr-
rmac poured forth her broadsdcs with dis
astrous Consequences to the wooden ships.
The fight was ~ short one, the Merrimac
soon striking and sinking the Cumberland,
whose gallant crew went down with her
| The successful vessel then paid her attcn-
| tons To the Congress, dealing out to her
raking fire of hot shot, for the heating of
which Lieut. JONES had prepared furnace
! aboard the Mcrrimac, which was unframed
| by the shells OF the wooden frigatc. The
/ Congress was soon in flames and the Mcr-
rimac made for the other vessels. but owing
to her great draught Of water was unable TO
got near enough to them TO do them any
injury and at in the evening the COnfcd-
crate irOnclad and her cOnsorts steamed
back to Norfolk. Lieut. JONES, in an ac-
count OF the baltic which he published long
after, says he WAS satisfied with the days
work, as we'll he might have been, and had
no doubt OF his ability to start out on the
morrow and clean out the rest Of the Union
loet Meantime a panic prevailed at Fort
Monroe, and tho whole country held its
breath.
But Lieut.. JoSEs did not do any moro
cleaning out. At o'clock in the evening
there appeared on Fort Monroe a strange
looking little craft, which, two days before,
had lett New York. 1t was the Monitor, an
experiment in naval construction. in which
everything was new and untrlcd. turrcts,
machinery. and all. Her guns had been
only once fired, she had gone to sea from the
stocks, tho paint upon her was scarcely dry,
and her officers, except the two engineers,
knew nothing, by experience Of her work
ing or capabilities. At G o'clock on the
morning of the 9th Sunday the watch OIL
g
stcaming toward them from Scwal's Point,
while the mist overaid the water. Tho
Monitor was at once siguallcd. and promptly
hoisted anchor. battened down her iron
matches, and prepared for her maiden fight.
The Morrmac hove in sight, and at oncc
made for the Minnesota, which she intended
to capture and carry OF as prize to Nor
folk, where crowds lined the wharves, wait
ing to see her tOwcd into the harbor in
triumph. But, before the Minnesota was
reached. the little Monitor came out from
under her quarter, and DAVID advanced to
meet GOLIATH. She ran down TO within
short range Of the Merrimac, which promptly
gave her turret three broadsidcs but they
glanced on without doing harm. The Moui-
tor replied with her two elcyen-lnch guns,
and. beginning at s o'clock, the naval duel
proceeded, lasting until noon, the two con-
testauts frequently touching each other and
sending their shot at so close quarters,
while, through large part OF the fight, they
We're only few yards apart. In the excite
ment, the Monitor at first fired wildly, so
elcvating her guns that most Of the missiles
were wasted but, later, the guns were de-
pressed, and the shot began to tell Nor
tally wounded, the Merrimac was towed TO
Norfolk where she soon sank. If the Moni-
tor had known, what was subsequently
proved, that her eeven-inch guns could
stand a charge Of thirty pounds Of powder
with solid shot. instead OF the small charge
she used, the fate Of the Merrimac would
have been dccile after few rounds.
The country took breath Of relief, for one
Of the graycst dangers Of tho war had been
overcome. II the Merrimac had followed up
on the 9th the astonishing successes she
achieved on the sth, the whole fleet at New
port News would have been destroyed or
captured, Fort Monroe would have been nj
her mercy the james river would have been
closed to the Union, and our whole Atlantic
seaboard would have been in peril. The
little Monitor had begun new era in naval
warfare the era Of tho last fifteen years
and the one which Is TO be succeeded by that
Of the movable torpedo which, properly de.
vclopcd, will ncutrullzc the great monitors
that now form the main strength Of all mod
crn nayics. Lieut.. JoNEs at once recognized
that tue mproguablc turret was henceiorth
10 be the chief feature Of naval construction
and did not hesitate TO so express himself
The building of the screw steamer Prince
ton was one Of the milcstoncs Of progress
the use Of shell guns was n second; Tn,
4 Monitor was third and now comes tn,
, movable torpedo, whose successful applica
q tion Will eventually mako great nayic.
things Of the past, aud the world will gladly
r got rid Of such enormously expensive ma
rlne establishments.
On the side Of the Confcdcrates, Lieut.
, CArlsnY JoNrs in this historic battle bor'
+ himself with distinguished gallantry, anC
, the success Of the Monitor was chiefly du,
10 the skill and bravery of her two cngi
noors, ALpAN c. SriNrEs and ISAAC NEW
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