Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-20
THE DUPONT STATUE.

Y Il ~ Il L n Il ~ AO
OF Norfolk harbor, and, underline guns OF Fortress
Monroe, ravaged with impunity the shipping, armed
ana undr!ned, in Hampton Roads, the navy Of the
United Stat es had been believed TO contain vessels
o. war of the highest type, and the equals in their
ing of the same day the Monitor, the first iron
clad or her own type, the offspring OF the genius Of
Ericsson, arrived in Hampton Roads, and the next
day presented herself to the Merrimac in defense
OF the wooden frigate Minnesota, up to that time
considered formidable man-of-war but in the
presence OF the Merrlmac proved to be a defense
less victim. In the desperate and critical battle
that then took place in Hampton Roads the end of
wooden naveS was decreed, but what was to take
This remarkable sea fight was no mere test Of
manPuvreS OF navigation and scientific target
practice 1t was the e1perimentun cr'ucts of verl-
table war, death grappe of skill, backed by cOur-
age unsurpassed, and sealing its convictions in
wounds and death. The terrible earnestness OF
this encounter disclosed the true features OF the
new departure in maritime warfare, and so sudden
and sweeping revolution had never before been
wrought In history. 1t proved much, but not ALL and
pathway to complete success is often paved wit
failure and suffering The Monitor-whose name is
nseparabIe from That Of Ericsson, whose genius
devised her; OF WOrden, whose heroism tested her,
and OF Greene who caught up the torch Of glory as
It dropped from the hand OF Worden, when be fell
blinded and bleeding In the combat-came In few
months TO pittable end.
In December following, the Monitor having been
thoroughly repaired, endeavored to find her way,
Charleston, TO participate in the contemplated
attack on that CITY, and in mere cap-full OF wind
went hepessly to the bottom OF the sea off Cape
Hatteras The Weehawken, at her moorings In
charleston harbor, In fair weather. went down in
I'VE minutes after her first signal for assistance was
given.
Contributions Of disaster to heavily-plated war
ships come from the English navy; the Captain
marvel OF impregnablity, sunk In the bay OF Bis
cay, WIN her freight OF 500 officers and men, and
the handful OF half-drowned survivors were never
aOls satisfactorily to account for what had hap
pened; the Vanguard arnor-plated, collided with
no especial Violence with her cOnsort and sank in
stantly In the Irish sea And the problem OF
weight and strength versus security and efficiency
remains unsolved. In the winter OF 1861, In at
tempted secresy, but with anxious haste, the skill
and ingenuity OF Americans on either SIDE In the
shipyard5 at Brooklyn and Norfolk, were quietly
maturing inventions which were to be the main
facts in deciding the great contest.
THE MERRIMAC AND THE MONITOR
were the pioneers In the new system of.naval war
Iare, the offspring on either side OF American skill
and tested equally by the courage of American sea-
men. The combat between these two vessels
ended wooden fleets. although as yet wooden cruis-
eFS may De temporarily in for this has now be-
come the "age OF steel" In November, 1851 Com
modore Du Pont had safely and skillfully carried
mis- heet OF wooden ships, led by his flagship the
Wabash, into the waters Of Port Royal harbor.
And with mastery Skill handling his fleet with a
perfect regularity, and his guns with fatal pre-
reduced earthWorks OF great strength defended
with guns OF superior calbre, manned with skill
ana courage with celebrity and unchecked sue
cess he had accomplished all and more than the
task allotted to him, and had conquered and Sc
cured an admirable base OF supplies, and of naval
and military operations most advantageous to the
government and dangerous to the enemy.
Ssamanship. comprehensive military Judgment,
Intelligent and aggressive warfare never bet
Ter Illustrated than by him in this expedition. A
paper blockade was succeeded by a vigorous block
AGE de Jdcto, and long line of coast, with adjacent
vesa ana aaa6os fell under the control Of the
All this had been accomplished with the 1nstru-
mentalit1es known to the naval warfare up to the
spring OF 1862. But the methods and Instruments
OF maritime war were now to give Way to The
novel Inventions and the latter were pressed for
ward In the midst OF delighted surprise and excite
meht without careful estimate Of their real
capacities nor OF their serious defects Yet in this
luEcture the ability and ready, well disciplined in
were admirably displayed. and they quickly recoS.
nized all that had taken place and addressed all
Inelr powers to the new work before them. 1t is
not 10 De wondered at that, react1ng from the
ALMOST HOPELESS HORROR
which the appearance Of the Merrimac and her re-
sistless power caused In the minds and hearts of
those who witnessed them, and all to whom such
tldngs came north OF the scene OF action; the un-
expected arrival, as In special benedicton OF the
Monitor and the unhesitating courage which her
commander, the gallant Worden, 1nterposed his
untred and experimental craft TO meet the on
slaught OF her vaster and mysterious antagonist,
applause and admiration, well deserved but
which LED to hasty over valuation OF the
type OF Sucn vessels which has had so
was much excitement, and a popular de-
mand for success; and for a time reason seemed to
nave been swept away from the people and the
cool judgments OF their admin stration and employ
ment was demanded for which such vessels had no
could never be realized. The clamor for an iron
ciaQ Meet OF the Monitor type became at once loud
anu widespread, and was yielded to by the NAVY
department In such degree that MIR. Fox the AS
sistant secretary, told Admiral Du Pont that zone
Monitor alone would cause the immediate evacua-
ton OF Charleston" The construction OF such yes
sells was at once vigorously begun, and although
many Improvements were made and many obvious
oeIects IN the original model avoided yet the inher
ent unntneSS OF such vessels for cruising at sea- or
70 be handled readily in narrow Channels or even
LOT living Win safety In rough water could not be
anu never mas been remedied. The careful tudp.
mentS OF the most able and experienced officers In
Inc navy, ana thelr representations OF the imper-
thelr employment, and their untnesS for the seri-
GUS task proposed Tor them, were all OverbOrne by
the voluolty OF interested contractors with their
usuaI VocHerouS escort OF political "pOt-huntersn
Navy department. were not then suffciently STRONG
so tnat seven iron vessels OF the Monitor type and
announcer the new lronsides, better planned and
more seaworthy, were rapidly finished and sent
the departmental decree that Charleston must he
attacked py them and that the attack must be
SUCCESSFUL Against these plans Admiral Du Points
Judgment was opposed, but other influences proved
700 strong LOT the acceptance OF his counsel He
wrote TO the department.:
"The powers and adaptability Of these vessels
were as much o sealed book to me as the defenses
OF Cnareston 10 the department., but under ali cir
cumstances. TO wit: the imperfect knowledge OF
those defenses and OF the powers OF ronclads in
which the department had expressed unbounded
commence. no on1cer could hesitate TO make the
experiment. ana gave 70 u my whole heart and