The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-08-11
SwInton's Histories.


Decisive Battles of the War;" is, no doubt,
correct in the main and tolerably just in many
particulars but wherever q glenm of success
has unequivocalIy fallen upon the Confederate
Cause, Swinton tries to dim its lustro, II
unable to exsinguish it altogether.
On page 234, he says, "the iron-clad Vir'
ginia, or 90 che is known in history, the Mer'
rimsc, etc." Now history does not know this
famous vessel by this latter name, for although
built upon the hull Of the frigate Merrimac,
she chan ged her name with her fortunes: and
it 10 9 singular littleness on the part of the
historian to retain the Federal appellation
while ignoring her glorious Confederate title.
Bet it is chiefly in regard to the contest
between the Virginia and the Monitor that We
charge swinton with wrong assertions and
false deductions. It has been proved by high
authority in this city, by eye witnesses of the
battle, by actual participators on board the
Virginia, that she was not injured by any
shot from the Monitor. Her leak was csused
by the force with which she ran into the Cum
berland the day before !; but because she was
unable, on account Of her great draught, to
follow the Monitor into shallow water when
the latter vessel fed towards Fortress Monroe,
therefore Swinton impertiuently concludes
that "she steamed away for Norfolk to tell
her vexation to the disappointed throng Of
speo6atore, and then to 60 into docks for
repair"
The Virginia, as was clearly shown by Gen.
A. G.. Blanchard, in the article which appeared
in the Pioaysvae of Jolly 14th, contsnded with
the Monitor for several hours without inflict.
ing any injury, bat at last q well lldirectsd
shot struck the pilot house of the Monitor and
wounded her commander. This put an end to
the contest. The Monitor, after Lt Worden
was injured, ceased the fight and ran back to
Fortress Monroe: but the No,thern historian,
as usual, claims q victory because the Monitor
was not captured, and because the Virginia,
after the Monitor fled. went to Portsmouth
Navy Yard to stop the leak.
Here is the paragraph which show how,
even in writing what is called history, vanity
nisleads and prejudice blinds what should be
q clear and impartial vision. Let US notice
even the gramma ticai construction; for the sub
ject of the sentence is violently forced to be
the noun Merrimac, when both Truth and
Rhetoric call for another substantive. Italics
are our own: "a few well, depressed shots
(ftom the Monitor) rang against the cuirass Of
the Merrimac, and the latter departing of
after four hours of fierce effort abandoned the
fight and steamed away for Norfolk,
etc."
Now who will deny that the proper rendering
of this sentence should have been in this wise:
"a few well-depressed shots (frcm the Mon
itor) rang against the ouirass of the Virginia,
but despairing of subduing her eager and
obstinate antagonist, after four hours of fierce
c fort she (tae Monitor) abandoned the fight
and steamed away" for Fortress Monroe. Here
at least, the unities are preserved.
The next sentence on page 252. is particu-
larly weak, and shows wonderful self denial
in an enemy who, with vict Dry in his grasp
aad pr;zs within his reach, could forego the
one and overlook the other THE great mis-.
fortune the Monitor had experienced in the
loss of her det 'rmined commander prevented
her from pursuing, and forcing the battle to
a surrender"
Indeed!
We have but one more word to say. If the
Monitor was victor in the fight of the 9th of
March, 1862. why did she not come out and
fight the Virginia every time the latter vessel
made her appearance in Hampton Roads, and
when she went up to Newport News
and captured two schooners from under the
guns of the Fort and carried them back to
Norfolk hRrbori
The result of that days work showed that
the Monitor could not be injured by the guns
of the Virginia, bat did not prove the Monitor
superior to her antagonist. The great draught
of the famous Confederate vessel prevented
her from going up the James River, aud no
pilot could bs found willing to take her out to
ooo khoh nll lah .Lol --1a
she was built, but her name is dear to every
Confederate heart, and her fame must not be
tarnished while love of truth and historical
justice animates single descendant of those
whose cheers mingled with her guns on that
one short, bright day of Confederate glory.