The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-04-02
ON THE MERRIMAC.
AN ACCOUNT BY AN OFFICER OF THE
CONFEDERATE VESSEL.
How the Engagement Began with the
MOnitor-But Little Damage Done
Both Vessels on Their Expert
mental Trips-ResGlts.
Icol. John Taylor Wood in The Century

lCol John Taylor Wood in The Century.l
At daybreak, We discovered lying between
us and the Minnesota a STRENGTHENING
craft, which we knew at once to be- Er,cS-
sons Monitor, which had long been expected
in Hampton Roads, and of which. from
different sources, we had good idea. She
could not possibly have made her appear
ance at more inopportune time for us,
changing our plans, which were TO de-
stroy the Minnesota, and then the remainder
of the feet below Fortress Monroe. She ap-
peared but pigmy compared with the lofty
frigate which she guarded. But in her size
was one great element of her success l will
not attempt a description of the Monitor;
her build and peculiarites are well known.
After an early breakfast we got under
way and steamed out toward the enemy,
opening fire from our bow pivot, and clos
ing, we delivered our starboard broadside at
short range, which was returned promptly
from her eleven-inCh guns. Both vessels
then turned and passed again still closer
The Monitor was firing every seven or eight
minutes, and nearly every shot struck. Our
ship was working worse and worse, and
after the loss of the smoke-stack, Mr. Ram
say, chief engineer, reported that the
draught was SO poor that it was with great
difficulty he could keep up steam Once OF
twice the ship was on the bottom. Drawing
twenty three feet of water we were con-
fined to narrow channel, while the Mon
itor, with only twelve feet immersion
could take any position, and always
have us in range of her guns. Orders were
given TO concentrate our fire on the pilot
house, and with good result, as we had made
no impression on the enemy, so far as we
. could discover, while our wounds were
slight. Several times the Monitor ceased
| firing, and We were in hopes she was dis
abied, but the revolution again of her turret
and the heavy blows of her eleven-inch Shot
on our sides soon undeceived u.s.
Coming down from the spar-deck and Oh
serving a division standing "at ease" Lieut.
| Jones observed:
why are you not firing, Mr.. Eggeston!'
why, our powder is very precious" re.
piled the lieutenant; "and after two hours
incessant firing find that can doher about
as much damage by swapping my thumb at
her every two minutes and half"
Lieut.. Jones now determined to run her
down or board. For nearly an hour We
maneuvred for position. Now $50 ahead"
now stop; now "astern'; the ship was a,
unwieldly as Noah's Ark. At last an op
portllnity offered. Go ahead, full speed
But before the ship gathered headway th'
Monitor turned, and our disabled ran
only gave glancing blow, elTectin!
nothing. Again she came up on our quarter
her bow against our side, and at thi
distance fired twice. Both shots strucl
about half way up the shield, abreast of TIN
after pivot, and the impact forced the sid
bodily in two or three inches. All the crew
of the after guns We're knocked over by tn
concu sion, and bei from the nose or ears
Another shot at the same place would hav
penetrated. While alongside, boaIders wer
called away; but she dropped astern befur
they could get on board. And so, for six O
more hours, the struggle was kept up A
length the Monitor withdrew over th
middle ground where we could not follow
but always maintaining position
protect the Minnesota. To have run GU
ship ashore on a falling tide would hav
been ruin. We awaited her return for a
hour; AMI at ? o'clock p, m. steamed t
Sewalrs Point, and thence to the dock var
at Norfolk, our crew thoroughly worn on
from the two-lays' fight Although there
no doubt that the Monitor first retired-fC
Capt. Van Brunt commanding the Mimi
sofa, so states in his official report-the la
tie was drawn one, SO far as the two We
sells engaged were concerned. But i'll i
general results the advantage was with Il
Monitor. Our casualties in the second day
fight were only a few wounded.
The Monitor was well handled, and save
the Minnesota ana the remainder of the fle
at Fortress Monroe But her gunnery vi
poor Not a single shot struck us at Z
water-line, where the ship was utterly II
protected, and where one would have beC
fatal. Or had the fire been concentrated ,
any one spot, the SHIELD would have he,
pierced; or had larger charges been Use
tie result would have been the same. Mo
o. her shot struck Us obhquely, breaking
iron of both courses, but not injurins
wood packing. When struck at right anEi
he lacking would be broken, but not yer
iratad We had no solid projectiles, exec
q few of large wiIdage, 10 be used a, ii
shot, and Of course made no impression
the turTet But in all this it should be Dor
in mind that 10th vessel7 were on their III
trips both were experimental and both
ceivinS their baptism OF fire.