The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-23
MONITOR.MERRIMA0.
ADMIRAL eoRrER's ACCOUNT OF THE
MEMORABLE CONTEST.
Opening ths Ball W0,den's Plan
The Merrimac's Disadvantages In
structions from the Ordnance BIZ
reau-What Might Have Been.
Admiral porter's "Historv. y

Ihhiiifi ]
Worden showed his confidence in the
Monitor AMI her eleven-inch guns by
steering directly for the Confederate iron
clad. The later slowel her engines and
paused as if to suryey her little adversary
and ascertain her character; but il there
was any doubt on board the Merrimac there
was none on board the Monitor, which kept
strai hit on her course, and the Confeder-
ate, saw that in few moments she would
DO directly alongside Of them The Merri-
mac opened fire from her forward gun upon
what seemed mora like a large floating buoy
than a man of war, but, not having frig
ate's broadside to aim at, the shot passed
harmlessly over.
MEASURING THEIR STRENGTH.
Tho Monitors answering guns were
better amel The solid eleven inch shots
struck the Merrimac fairly, with blow
that resounled through the vessel THIS
was returned by broad side from the
Merrimac but those shots that struck the
turtet glanccl harmlsssly Off. Both vessels
then turned and approached zach other
still closer, the Monitor firing about every
seven minutes, each shot striking the Merri-
mac. Tie latter vessel. having lost part
If her smokestack the day before, was not
working so well, the chief engineer report
ing that the draft was so poor that it was
with great difficulty he could keep up
steam. the Merrimac drew twenty-thrae feet
Of water, an was thus confiae1 to narrow
channel, while the Monitor, drawing but
| twelve feet, could take any position and
| Away keep within range of her antagonist
guns, AMI, through the enemy had ma ny
more guns, the Monitor stuck SO close to
her adversary that tho latter could use but
small proportion Of them.
Worden's plan was to keep near to his
enemy and endeavor to break in her side.
| with his solid shot TIE Merrimac kept W
| as rapid fire as pos ible upon what was
| visible of the Monitor, pausing now anG
| then when the smoke cleared off to SEE
| whether the little YES eel had been demol.
| ished. but always finding her apparently
| unharmsi and active as ever pouring in hei
| solid shot and shaking the great ironclaT:
| hugs frame in "A manner which ber officer
| feared might IN the long run cripple their
| ship.
WHAT HIGHT HAVE BEEN.
The Monitor had on board some forty
steel shot, which it was INTENDED to fir
1
| with the Msrrlmac, but previous t. leavin
| New York Lieat. Wor1en received order
| from the bureau Of ordnance not t. use thos,
shot with the increased charges, as fifteer
| pounds of powder was as much as tn
1 elevsn-inca guns wouli bsar Worlen fel
obliged t, conform to these Instructions as
che responsibility OF bursting the gun
would have fallen upon him. 1t was subse
| quently proved by experiment that th'
eleven-inch Bahigrens would easily beal
twenty-five pounds of powder, and thi
difference in the charge of the guns as i
| now known, would have made all the diff
| ference in the world in the result Til
Merrimac's armor would have been broken
and she would have been at the mercy o
the Monitor as her speed was not sufficient
to have enabled her to escaps
AT last Jones thought he saw a chance o
| rammng the Monitor. and gave the or
der to go ahead at full sp,el but before ID;
great vessel could gather Roadway the agili
Monitor turnei, aud the disable PROV o
the Merrimac gave glancing blow, which
did no harm whatever. Again the Monito
cana upon the Msrrimac' quarter, her bow
actually against the shipVsi ie. aud at thi
| di tancs fired twice. Both shots strucl
about half way up the Merrimac's armor
abreast of the after pivot, and so sever
was the blow that the side was forcei ii
several inches. The crew of ths after gun
were knocked over by the conclusion
bleeding from the nose and ears few
m re shots in the same plaza would hsv'
made an opening. and had Worisn know
this at the time, he woull doubtless hav
taken the responsibility of using doubl
charges of powder and the steal shot, an
thereby secured complete victory.