Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-03-12
rARsron AND THE xoxrrox.


werdsn and Pauldtns Hot the Only
Heroes on the 1onitor.
Com. John Marston In Harper's Weekly.
Nv attention has been drawn to the
February number Of Hdrpev's Magazine,
containing ~ 1t 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 Is
20 evidently . departure from the exact
state Of the transaction that / feel I'M
willing to allow it to pass anoticed,
especially-as we sailors would say-"i it
takes the wind out of my sails"
In the article above alluded to it is
sid that sit was entirely due to his
Commodore P~auldiug's) foresight that
the Monitor was Q speedily equipped
for service" This il undoubtedly the
case, and too much credit cannot be
awarded to him for 20 doing; but it was
mot Commodore PauldiDg 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 q 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 Warrington. But
II Wa too late; the Monitor had gained
too great q distance to be overtaken, and
the dispatch vessel returned to New
York without accomplishing her object
At this time / was in command al
Hampton Roads. Some two or three
days before the Merrimac came down
from Norfolk, l received from the navy
department four kilograms, ordering me
most peremptoriy to " send the Monitor
to Washington Immediately on her ar.
rival" On the night of the 8th Of
March-the day On which the Merrimat
came down and sunk the Cumberland
and the Congress was burned-at about
9 o'clock, the little Monitor arrived
Capt. Worden Immediately came OF
board the Roanoke and reported himself
to me. / inquired into his condition
which was not q very favorable one; hi
men were all green; they knew nothing
of the peculiar armament then on boart
the Monitor. A few moments reflection
however determined me as to the cours,
/ should pursue. / informed Capt
Worden that my orders we're very posi-
tive to send the Monitor to Washington
but that l was going, at the risk OF my
commission, to disobey these orders ant
send him up to Newport News to lool
out for the Merrimac. In this Capt
Worden most joyfully acquiesced, ant
on the following day the result wa
known to an astonished and admiriu,
world.
/ have made this correction of tn
sketch of my much valued friend Ad
miral Pauldirg, for the reason that afte
. service in the navy of more than 6,
years. ! look back on no part of tina
service with the pleasure and satisfac
tion 1 do on my having on that mem
orable occasion disobeyed my orders.
A recent writer, I think, in the Unite
Service, speaking of the introduction O
the new means of warfare, asks tn
question: "Where would the Unite,
States at this moment have been j
Ericsson had not given US the Monitor
and may Inota ask the question: "Wher'
would the United States have been hat
I not disobeyed my ordersr' There wa,
nothing to prevent the Merrimac goin,
to Philadelphia New York or Boston
and the fall of either of those cite
would have been the signal for Europe
but especially for England, to acknowl
edge the independence of the south.