The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-20
SAVING THE NATION.

Worden is commander He is in the pilot
house with Samuel Howard, who has yolun-
teered to act as pilot.
Steer straight towards her, says Captain
Wordcn, and the Monitor glides towards the
starboard side of the Virginia.
The Frazer and Yorktown, which have come
down to take share in the feast, turn back.
They do not like the looks of the strange craft
steering fearlessly up to the Virginia, which
opens fire. Her shot hypast the Monitor or
glance harmlesSly from the revolving turret.
Nearer glides the Monitor like q weasel APP
preaching its prey. The turret ceases to turn
for a moment, the thick iron slides covering
the two PORTFOLIOS swing, the two guns flame,
and the 11-inch solid shots-each weighing 16S
pounds-rip up the iron plates of the Virginia.
Thes turret turns once more, the slides fall
back over the PORTFOLIOS, the gunners ram IN
the cartridges, lift the solid shot, and again the
guns of the Monitor belch their flames. The
vessels are side by side, so near that the clouds
of smoke from each vessel become one cloud
for the moment hiding them from the crowds
of people standing on the shore at SewelPs
Point and Newport News to see the fight. Two
of the shot from the Virginia strike the turret,
but do no harm, while those OF the Monitor are
splitting the iron plates of the Virginia and
SCATTERING the timbers
The Virginia is heavy and unwieldy, the
Monitor light and agile 1t steams past her,
runs up on the port side, places herself between
the Virginia and the Minnesota. The Virginia
puts on steam TO run her down.
Hard-a-port the helm" shouts Captain
Worden, aud the 1nen at the wheel port the
helm and the Monitor swings round in such a
way that the blow does no harm. Again the
SOLID shot of the Monitors guns make the VIr-
glnIa trembie from stem to stern.
shell from the Virginia strikes the pilot
house of the Monitor and explodes, binding
Captain Worden, and Lieutenant Green takes
command The Monitor has used up all the
solid shot which had been hoisted into the
turret, and steams away to get ready for an
other attack.
The Virginia is no longer attempting to
make a meal of the Minnesota, but is steaming
towards Norfolk, her men at the pumps, for
the water is pouring in through the seams and
rents made by the shot of the Monitor. Tugs
run alongside and take her iii tow, but only
with constant pumping and bailing can she be
kept ahoat Her sides are broken. Great
pieces of iron have been torn away-the mas
sive tiElbefS crushed.
THE EFFECT or THE BATTLE.
The news flashed over the wires, giving joy
to every loyal heart in the North-disappoin
ment to Jefferson Davis.
The recognition of the Confederacy by Eng
land, France and all the governments of Eu-
rope is not so near as it was. The Virginia
will not lombard New York or set Boston on
fire. The day Of wooden ships has gone by
forever and the time for iron has come.
All the world talked about this battle of the
iron ships. The Virginia was likened to Coli
ath, the Monitor to David with his sling.
The hopes and jubilant expectations of JEFF
ferson Davis and the people OF the South faded
away, for in the Northern workshops FORCES
were blowing and steam-hammers pounding,
building other Monitors; while in the South
there were no iron mills, nor were there any
workmen to construct an iron-clad navy.
Labor and invention were winning victories
on the sea as well as on the land.
TO be continued