Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-13
THE NAVAL BATTLE OF HAMP-
TON Roads.
A Vivid description Of a Famous
Event,
A VIIlAinOus Salvage Scheme
Defeated.
New Orleans Statts. Il.

The House of Representatives has
just given, for the present at least, .
quietus to one Of the most imDudent,
bare faced and scandalous jobs that
has eyer been urged upon Congress,
and which was at once an attempt to
rob the treasury and to propagate a
fragrant historical lie. At the last
session Of Congress a bill passed the
Senate giving the officers and crew Of
the United States Monitor, which was
engaged in the naval operations in
Hampton Roads in April. 1862, $780,
600 as bounty money. This bill was
based on the allegation that the Moni
tor had defeated and destroyed the
Confederate ironclad Virginia.
That the bill anpropriatiDg money
on such a pretext should have passed
the Senate is a disgrace to the country
and should arouse the indignation OF
every brave soldier or sailor, whether
be fought on the side Of the Confeder-
acy or for the Federal government
Nay, it should excite the resentment
of every sailor or soldier no matter
what flag he may follow.
Prize money, promotions, medals
and honorable mention, are tributes
paid to soldiers and sailors who win
great victories or make defeats giori-
Gus by the heroism with which they
sustain unequal fights. The oficers
aud crew of the Monitor did neither
The two days fghtiD Hampton Roads
is, it is true, one of the most glorious
events in naval warfare; but in that
glory neither the Monitor nor the
other Federal vessels, with one ex-
ception. can claim any part; and, in
stead Of seeking to pillage the common
treasury under the pretext Of reward.
ing the services done the Union BY
the crew Of the Monitor. those whose
jealousy Of the fair fame Of the Union
cause is greater than their ~rapacity,
ought rather to say as little about the
battle of Hampton Roads as possible.
Indeed, all such honorable men should
let the achievements Of the Federal
feet in that battle sink into oblivion,
if it be possible to disengage, from the
glory and heroism which marked the
action Of one side in a great conflict
and efface from history the per6dy
which characterized the other.
Of course it is not our purpose to
recount the story Of the battle OF
Hampton Roads in all its details
But, as in these days Of unblush:ne
rapacity, the lobbyists and attorneys
are notlikely to permit 3 job, involving
an outright steal Of $500, 600, TO rest
in an'easy grave, it is public duty h
show upon what a bold and infamous
lie this proposed raid was based.
The battle in question took plac,
on the 9Th and 9th Of March, 1862
between the ironclad steamer Virginia
the first OF her race, supported BY iy,
lightly armed steamers and gunboats
carrying in all twenty one guns, OF
the Confederate side, and the Fedora
feet in II impton Roads, carrying tE,
hundred aud four guns.
During the first days fight and earl
in the action, the Virginia ran int
the Cumberland carrying twenty. fOu
guns, and sunk her with upwards q
one hundred of her crew. The opl
glory won ia the whole engagement b
; the Fedorals vas won by the Cumber
land; she went down with her color
flying, aud her gallant crew fougb
their guns until the very waves Of m
sea, rolling into their muzzles silence,
their thunders, and swept away N
heroic hearts that stood to them.
there be any OF the gallant crew Of thu
gallant Federal ship who survive. an
a bill were introduced into Conrre,
to reward their dauntless devotion /
their flag, We think no Confederat
0 soldier would denounce it as A tre,'
? Having thus disposed Of the Gum
d berland, FlAg-oficer Buchanan. CON
8 handing the little Confederate aee
e turned the Virginia upon the FEEDER,
frigate Congress. AS the draft of N
Q Virginia was very great, it was diff
NulN W hauulb hSL III bHo blOal Watf
v Of Hampton Roads; and to get her INF
position to attack the ConRres
Buchanan was forced to run her
short distance above the Federal Ian
batteries on the James river in ord,
o TO wind her" and then repass the.
in returning to the attack. Durir
all this time the Virginia was sui
jected to a terrific and concentrate
fire frem the Federal batteries an
feet. But while the Virginia WI
e being thus worked into a position
attack, she amused herself by silen,
o ing several of the batteries, blown
D up a large transport steamer, sinkir
0 one schooner and capturing anothe
9 An engine Of wal which committe
!. such havoc with the enemy viii
0 merely maneuvering TO get into DOS
D ton to fight, must have indeed been
: formidable monster. A~pproachin
the Congress, the Virginia opened