The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-03-21
ON THE MnRnIMAo.
An Account by an Omcer of the
Confederate Vessel.
How the Enlargement Began with
tho MOnitor-But Little Dam
age Done both Vessels
on Their Exper1mental
Tr1p-Results.

her q psarance at q m0reinopp .rtune
time IUr US, changing Qur plans.
which were to destroy the Minuesota,
and then the remainder of the feet
below Fortress Monroe. She ap-
peared but = pigmy compared with
the lofty frigale which she guarded.
But in her size vas one great element
. her success. I will not attempt 4
description Ut the Monitor; her build
aid peculiarities are we'll known.
Alter an early breakfast, we got
under way and steamed out toward
the enemy, opening fire from our bow
pivot, and. closing We delivers d our
sfarb0ard broadslde at short range,
which was returned promptly from
her e~leven-inch guns. Both vessels
then turited ana passed egain still
closer. Tue Monitor was firing every
seven or eight minutes, and nearly
every shot struck. Our ship was &C.
ting worse and worse, and after the
loss OF the smoke-stack, MI. Ramsay>
chief engineer, reported that the
drsught was 90 poor that 1t was with
great difficulty he could keep up
steam. Ouce or twice the ship wa
on the bottom. Drawiog twenty
three feet Of water. we were confined
TO u narrow channel, while the Mon
itor, with only twelve feet INNER
sion, could take any position. and al
ways have as in range of her guns.
Orders we're given to concentrate our
1re on the pilyt-house, and with good
f suit, a. we had made no impression
nm fhHa 0OAervD m fur "a ma amid d..
cover, while our wounds were slight
Several times the Monitor ceased fl.
ing, and we were in hopes she was
disabled, but the revolution again of
her tulret and the neavy blows0 her
eleven-lnch ehOt on our sides soon
undeceived US.
Coming'down from the spar deck
and Dose. wing = division standing
at esse," Lieut.. Jones observed:
"Why xre YOU not firing, MI. Egg
gletohs"
"Why, our powder is very pre-
cious," replied The Lieutenant; "afler
two hours incesasnt firing I find
that / can do her as much damage by
swapping my finger at her every two
minutes and q half"
; Lieut.. Jones now determined to
run her down Or board. For nearly
an hour we maj @uvred for . posi-
ton. Now; Ego aaead"; now ''stop";
now ''astern'; the ship was as un.
Wildly . n. 81 Ark, At last an
vppurtunny Uf rcd Gu anead, full
speed" But before the ship gathered
Roadway the Monitor turned, and
our disabled ram only gave q glanc-
ing blow, effecttng 1othlng. Again
she came up on our quarter, her bow
against our side, aud 1t this distance
fired twice. Both stots struck about
nalf way up the shield, abreast of the
after pivot. aud the impact forced
the SHE bodily IN two or the inches.
All the crews of the after guns were
knocked over by the conclusion and
bled from the nose and ears. An
other shot at the same place would
have penetrated. While alongside,
boxrders were away: but she dropped
astern before they could get on board,
And so, for six or eight hours the
struggle was kept up. At length the
Monitor Withdrew over the middle
ground where we could not follow
JUL ~ ~ y Ak4OAA VohA3AOA q RVoAS4OA ~
protect the Minneeo Ola. To
nave, run our ship ashore on
4 falling tide would have
ot On ruin. We awaited her return
ior IN hour; and ut 2 o'clock p. NJ.
steamed to Sewa:l's Point, and
thence to the dock yard at Norfolk,
. ur crew thoroughly worn out from
the TWO days fight. Although there
IL No doubt that the monitor first re-
tired for Capt. Van Brunt, com
manding the Minnesota, &C states in
his official report-the battle was y
drawn one, 60 far ~ the two vess. Is
engaged were q. n. erned. Hut in Its
general results the advantage was
with the Monitor. Our ta.uaities IN
the second days fight were only q
few wounded.
The Monitor wss we'll handled, aud
save | the Minnesota and the rest of
.he fieet at Fortress Monroe. BIT
her gunnery was poor. Not a single
shot struck Us at the watey.:ile,
where the snip was utterly uDpcL-
tected, ana where one would have
been fatal. Or had the lire been con.
centrated on any one spot, the shield
would have been pierced; OF had
larger charges been used, the result
would have been the same. Most Of
her shot struck Us Obliquely, break
ing the iron Of both Courses, but not
lnjurlDg the wood packing. When
stI uck ut right angles, the backing
would be broken, but 10: penetrated.
We bad no solid p~rojectiles. except
q few Of large windag~, TO be used rs
hot shot, aud Of course made no i'm
dression in the turret. But in ali
this 1t should be borne In mind that
both vessels we're on their trial trips,
both were ex0erimen tal. and both re-
eeiving their baptism Of fire.