The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-03-20

ferred to tug. and that night he was
carried to Washington.
The fight was over. We Of the
Monitor thought and still think. that
we had gained a great victory. This
the Confederates have denied. But II
has never been denied that the object
Of the Merrimac on the 9th Of March
was TO complete the destruction Of the
Union fleet in Hampton Roads and that
In this she was completely foiled and
driven of by the Monitor. nor has it
been denied that at the close Of the en-
gagemcnt the Merrimac retreated 10
Norfolk, leaving the Monitor in pos
session Of the field"
The Confederate Onicsr's Account.
From the article by Colonel John Il.
Wood, an officer of the Mcrrimac dur
ing the fight with the Monitor. in the
Century War Series. j. quoted the fol-
lowing: AT daybrcak we discovered
lying between us and the Minnesota a
strengthening 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 possibly have made her APP
pearance at more inopportune time
for us, changing our plans. which were
to destroy the Minnesota. and then the
remainder Of the feet below Fortress
Monroe. She appeared but pigmy
compared with the lofty frigate which
she guarded. But in her size was one
great element of her success. will
not attempt a description Of the Mon
itor; her build and peculiarities arc
well known.
''After an early breakfast. we got un.
der way and steamed out toward the
enemy, opening fire from our bow pivot,
and, closing. we delivered our starboard
broadside 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. Ram.
sey. chief engineer, reported that the
draught was so poor that it was with
great difficulty he could keep up steam
Once or twice the ship was on the bot
tom. Drawing twenty-three feet oil
water, we were confined to narrow
channel. while the Monitor. with only
twelve feet immersion. could take any
position and always have US in range Of
her guns. Orders were given to con.
centrate our fire on the pilot-house, and
with good result. as we afterward
learned. More than two hours had
passed. and we had made no impression
on the enemy. so far as we could dis.
cover, while our wounds were slight
Several times the Monitor ceased firing.
and we were in hopes she was disabled.
but the revolution again of her turret
and the heavy blows Of her elevcn-inch
shot on our sides soon undeceived Us.
Coming down from the spar-deck
aud observing "A division standing AT
ease. Lieutenant Jones observed:
Why are you not firing. Mr.. Egg
gleston?'
80 Why. our powder is very precious.
replied the Lieutenant: and after two
hours inccssant firing l find that can
do her about as much damage by snap
ping my thumb Mt her every two min
utcs and half
Lieutenant Jones now determined
to run her down or board. For nearly
an hour we maneuvercd for position.
Now go ahead now stop now
'a~tern;' the ship was as unwieliy as
Noah's Ark. At last an opportunity
offered Go ahead. full speed. But
before the ship gathered Roadway the
Monitor turned. and our disabled ram
only gave CHANGING blow. eflecting
nothing. Again she came up on our
quarter. her bow against our side.
and at this distance fired twice.
Both shots struck about half
way 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. An
other shot at the same place would have
penetrated. While alongside. boarders
were called away: but she dropped
astern before they could get on board.
And 50. for six or more hours. the
struggle was kept up. AT length the
Monitor withdrew over the middle
ground where we could not follow. but
always maintaining position to pro-
tect the Minnesota. To have run our
ship ashore on falling tide would have
been ruin We awaited her return for
an hours. and ut two o'clock p. M.
steamed to Scwall's Point, and thence
70 the dock-yard at Norfolk, our crew
thoroughly worn out from the two days
fight Although there i no doubt that
the Monitor first rctired-for Captain
Van Brunt, commanding the Minnesota.
SO states in his official report the bat
tie was drawn one. so far as the two
vessels engaged were concerned.
1.-The Monitor was well handled. and
saved the Minnesota and the remainder
Of the fleet at Fortress Monroe. But her