Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-03-06

worden and Paulding Not the Only
Heroes on the Monitor.
Com Inhn Marsfnn in Harners MARRY.

"orde0 and Pau1o1ng MOI CnO OnAy
Heroes on the Monitor.
Com. John Marston In Harper's Weekly.
My attention has been drawn to the
February number of Harper's Magazine,
containing as it does sketch of the life
of the late Admiral Paulding, and
although would be the last to detract,
in the most distant manner, from the
credit due to the gallant admiral, yet
there is one point in the sketch which ia
so evidently departure from the exact
state of the transaction that / feel I'M
willing to allow it to pass unoticed,
especially-as we sailors would say it
takes the wind out of my sails"
In the article above alluded to it is
said that sit was entirely due to his
Commodore Pauldiug's) foresight that
the Monitor was so speedily equipped
for service" This is undoubtedly the
case, and too much credit cannot be
awarded to him for 80 doing; but it was
not Commodore Paulding who counter
manded the order of the navy department
directing the Monitor to proceed to
Washington instead of Hampton Roads.
The facts of the case were these, and /
received them from the admiral himself:
Commodore Paulding had been ordered
by the department to send the Monitor
to Hampton Roads, and she left New
York under those orders. She, however,
had been gone but few hours when
another order was received by Com
modore Paulding from the secretary of
the navy, directing him to send the
Monitor to Washington. Commodore
Pauiding Immediately dispatched a fast
vessel to overhaul the Monitor, with
orders to proceed to Washington. But
it was too late; the Monitor had gained
too great distance to be overtaken, and
the dispatch vessel returned to New
York without accomplishing her object.
At this time was in command at
Hampton Roads. Some two or three
days before the Merrimac came down
from Norfolk, I received from the navy
department four kilograms, ordering me
most peremptorily to "send the Monitor
to Washington Immediately on her ar
rival" On the night of the 9Th of
March-the day on which the Merrimac
came down and sunk the Cumberland,
and the Congress was burned-at about
8 o'clock, the little Monitor arrived.
Capt. Worden Immediately came on
board the Roanoke and reported himself
to me. I inquired into his condition,
which was not very favorable one; his
men were all green; they knew nothing
of the peculiar armament then on board
the Monitor. A few moments reflection
however determined me as to the course
l should pursue. I informed Capt.
Worden that my orders were very posi-
tive to send the Monitor to Washington,
but that I was going, at the risk of my
commission, to disobey these orders and
send him up to Newport News to look
out for the Merrimac. In this Capt.
Worden most joyfully acquiesced, and
on the following day the result was
known to an astonished and admirira
world.
I have made this correction of the
sketch of my much valued friend Ad-
miral Paulding, for the reason that after
a service in the navy of more than sc
years. look back on no part of that
service with the pleasure and satisfac-
ton l do on my having on that men,
orable occasion disobeyed my orders.
A recent writer, think, in the United
Service, speaking of the introduction of
the new means of warfare, asks the
question: "Where would the United
States at this moment have been if
Ericsson had not given us the Monitor p
and may Inotask the question: "Where
would the United States have been had
I not disobeyed my orders" There was
nothing to prevent the Merrimac going
to Philadel phia New York or Boston,
and the fall of either of those cities
would have been the signal for Europe,
but especially for England, to acknowl-
edge the independence of the south.