Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-23
THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.

fight between the Monitor and Merrimac,
from which we quote the following:
"The drawbacks to the position of the pi-
lot.ho were soon realized. We could not
fire ahead nor within several points OF the
bow, since the blast from our own guns
would have injured the people in the pilot
house, only few yards of. Keeler and
Toffey passed the captains orders and mes
sages to me, and my inquiries and answers
to him, the speaking tube from the pilot
house to the turret having been broken ear
ly in the action. They performed their
work with zeal and alacrity, but, both be-
ing landsmen our technical communications
sometimes miScarried. The situation was
novel vessel of war was in desperate COM
bat with powerful foe; the captain, COM
manding and guiding all, was incioscd in
one place, and the executive officer, work
ing and fighting the guns, was shut up in
another, and communication between them
was difficult and uncertain. 1t was this ex-
perience which caused Isaac Newton, imme.
diately after the engagement, TO suggest the
clever plan of putting the pilot house on
ton ofthe turret, and making it cylindrical
instead of square and his suggestions were
subsequently adopted in this type of vessel.
"As the engagement continued, the work
ing of the turret was not altogether salts.
factory. 1t was difficult to start it revolv-
ing, or, when once started, to stop it, on
account of the imperfections of the novel
machinery which was now undergoing Its
first trial Sinners was an active, muscular
man, and did his utmost to control the mo-
tion of the turret but, in spite Of his efforts,
it was difficult if not impossible TO secure
accurate firing. The conditions were very
i of ordinary hrooI-
side gun, under which we had been trained
on wooden ships. My only view of the
world outside of the tower was over the
muzzles of the guns, which cleared the ports
by a few inches only. When the guns were
run in, the portfolios were covered by
heavy iron pendulums, pierced with small
holes to allow the iron rammer and sponge
handles to protrude while they were in use.
To hoist these pendulums required the en-
tire guns crew and vastly increased the
work inside the turret.
1.-THE effect upon one shut up in a re-
volving drum is perplexing, and it is not
simple matter to keep the bearings. White
marks had been placed upon the stationary
deck Immediately below the turret to indi-
cate the direction of the starboard and port
sides, and the bow and stern but these
marks were obliterated early in the ac-
ton | would continually ask the cap
tain, How does the AIerrimac bear? He
replied, 'On the starboard- beam,' or On
the port quarter as the might be.
Then the difficulty was 10 determine the
direction cf the starboard- beam, or port
quarter, or any other bearing. 1t finally
resulted, that when o gun was ready for
firing, the turret would be started Oh lis
revolving Journey in search Of the target,
and when found it was taken 'ou the fly
because tho turret could not be accurate!:
controlled Once the Merrimac tried 10
ram us; but Worden avoided the direct
impact by the skilful use of the helm, and
sho struck glancing blow, which did 10
damage. At the instant Of collision | plant
ed solid one-hundred- ed-and-eighty-pound
shot fair and square upon the forward part
of her casemate. Had the gun been loaded
with thirty pounds of powder, which! was
the charge subsequently used with similar
guns, it is probable that this shot would
have penetrated her armor; but the charge
being limited to fifteen pounds, in accord
ancc with peremptory orders to that effect
from the Navy Department, the shot re-
bounded without doing any more damage
than possibly to start some of the beams Of
her armor- backing.
"soon after noon she'll from the enemy's
gun, UQ6 muZZlG uOp Lcu ydIuS ulSLtus, SlI uCh
the forward side of the pilot house directly
in the sight hole, or slit, and exploded,
cracking the second iron log and partly lift
ing the top, leaving an opening: Worden
was standing Immediately behind this spot,
aud received in his face the force of the
blow, which partly stunned him, and, fill
ing his eyes with powder, utterly blinded
him. The injury was known only to those
in the pilot house and its immediate vicini-
ty. The flood of light rushing through the
top of the pilot house, now partly open,
caused Worden, blind as he was to believe
that the pilot house was seriously injured,
if not destroyed he therefore gave orders
to put the helm to starboard and sheer off,
Thus the Monitor retired temporarily from
the action, in order to ascertain the extent
of the injuries she had received. At the
same time Worden sent for me, and leaving
Sinners the only officer in the turret went
forward at once and found him standing at
the foot of the ladder leading to the pilot
house.
"He was a CHASTITY sight, with his eyes
closed and the blood apparently rushing
from every pore in the upper part of his
face. He told me that he was seriously
wounded, and directed me to take COM
mand. assisted in leading him to a sofa
in his cabin, where he was tenderly cared
for by DR.. Logue, and then | assumed COM
mand.
"When reached my station in the pilot
house, found that the iron log was fractur-
ed and the top partly open; but the steering
gear was still intact and the pilot-house
was not totally destroyed, as had been
feared. In the confusion Of the moment
resulting from SO serious an injury to the
commanding officer, the Monitor had been
moving without direction. Exactly how
much time elapsed from the moment that
Worden was wounded until | had reached
the pilot house and completed the examina-
ton of the injury at that point, and deter.
mined what course to pursue in the dam
aged condition of the vessel, it is impossible
to state; but it could hardly have exceeded
twenty minutes at the utmost. During
this time the Merrimac, which was leaking
badly, had started in the direction of the
Elizabeth River; and, on taking my station
in the pilot-house and turning the vessels
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