The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-12
NUMBER Is.
MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.
An Officer Of the Latter DcScribes tbs
Great Naval Rattle.

An OFFICER Of the Latter ncscribes ,,a
Great Naval Rattle.
From the article by Colonel John Tay-
lor Wood, an officer of the Merrimac
during the fight with the Monitor, in the
Century War Series, we quote the follow
ing: AT daybreak, we discovered ly-
ing between us and the Minnesota a
strange looking craft, which we knew at
once to be Ericsson's Monitor, which had
long been expected in Hampton Roads,
and of which, from different sources
we had good idea She could not pos
sibly have made her appearance at a
moro inopportune time for us, changing
our plans which were to destroy the
Minnesota, and then the remainder CT
the fleet below Fortress Monroe. She
appeared but a pigmy compared with the
lofty frigate which she guarded. But in
her size was one great element of her
success. l will not attempt descrip-
ton of the Monitor; her build and pc
culiarities are we'll known.
CATER an early breakfast we got un-
der way and steamed out toward the en-
envy, opening fire from our bow pivot.
and closing, we delivered our starboard
broads.de at short range, which was re-
turned promptly from her eleven-inch
guns. Both vessels then turned and
passed again still closer. The Monitor
was firing every seven OF eight
minutes, and nearly every shot
struck. Our ship was working worse
and worse, and after the loss of the
smoke stack. Mr.. Ramsay, chief engi-
neer, reported that the draught was so
th hat If with 1iffir,1fv no
could keep up steam. Once or twice
the ship was on the bottom. Drawing
twenty three feet of water, we were con-
fined to narrow channel, while the
Monitor, with only twelve feet INNER
sion, 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
afterward learned. More than two hours
had pissed, and we had made no i'm
| preston 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
| abled. but the revolution again of her
turret and the heavy blows of her eleven
inch shot on our sides soon undeceived
| US.
"Coming down from the spar-deck
and observing division standing at
ease,' Lieutenant Jones observed:
"'Why are you not firing, Mr. Eggie
ston 2
"'Why, our powder is very precious
replied the lieutenant; 'and after two
hours incessant firing l find that | can
do her about as much damage by snap
ping my thumb at her every two minutes
! and half
| ''Licutenant Jones now determined
to run her down or board. For nearly an
hour we manoeuvered for position.
Now go ahead; now stop; now
'astern'; the ship was as unwieldly as
Noah's ark. At last an opportunity Of
fered. Go ahead, full speed
But before the ship gath
cred hendway the Monitor turned
and our disabled ram only gave a
glancing blow, effecting nothing.
Again she came up on our quarter, her
bow against our side, and at this dis
tance fired twice. Both shots struck
about halfway up the shield, abreast of
the after pivot, and the impact forced
the side bodily in two or three inches.
All the crews of the after guns were
knocked over by the conclusion, and
bled from the nose or ears. Another
shot from the same place
would have penetrated. While
alongside, boarders were called away;
but she dropped astern before they
could get on board. And so, for six
more hours the struggle was kept up.
At length the Monitor withdrew over
the middle ground where we could not
follow, but always maintaining posi-
ton to protect the Minnesota. To have
run our ship ashore on falling tide
would have been ruin. We waited her
return for an hour; and at
two o'clock P. NJ, steamed to Sew
alrs Point, and thence to the
| dock-yard at Norfolk, our crew thor
oughly worn out from the two days
fight. Although there is no doubt that
the Monitor first retired-for Captain
Van Brunt, commanding the Minnesota,
so states in his official report-the battle
was a drawn one, SO far as the two YES
sells engaged were concerned. But in its
general results the advantage was with
| the Monitor. Our casualties in the sec
ond days fight were only few wounded.
"The Monitor was we'll handled, and
saved the Minnesota and the remainder
gunnery was poor. Not a single shot
struck us at the water line, where the
ship was utterly unprotected, and where
one would have been fatal. Or had the
fire been concentrated on any one spot,
/ the shield would have been pierced; Or
had larger charges been used, the result
would have been the same. Most of her
shot struck us obliquely, breaking the
iron of both courses, but not injuring the
wood backing. When struck at right
angles the backing would be broken.
but not penetrated. We had no solid
proiectiles, except few OF large wind
age, to be used as hot shot, and of course
made no impression on the turret. But
in all it should be borne in mind that
both vessels were on their trial trips,
both experimental, and both receiving
their baptism of fire."