Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-07
WHOLE No ll,0l3
THE "MERRIMAC.v
Admiral Porter's Account of the Historic
Confederate Ram.

Admiral Porter's Account of the Historic
Confederate RAM
From advance sheets of ''The Naval History of
the Civil War" by Admiral Porter.
While the Federal arms were so success
full in the sounds oe North Carolina,
great disaster overlook the Federal cause
in Hampton Roads, filling the country
with dismay, and even bringing many of
the Union people to doubt the success of
the cause for which they had labored so
hard.
When the Union naval officers set fire to
the buildings of the Norfolk navy yard,
they supposed they had taken such precau-
tions that everything of value would be
destroyed, but as soon as the Federals had
departed a detachment of Virginia volun-
teers rushed in to extinguish the flames
The " Merrimac had sunk, but the lower
part Of her hull and her engines and
boilers were substantially uninjured
Lieutenant John NJ. Brooke, one of the
most accomplished officers among those
who had left our navy and Joined the Con-
federate cause, visited the scene of the con-
fiagration, and il at once occurred TO him
that the Merrimac could be rebuilt as an
ironclad and his plans being accepted by
Mr.. Mallory, the Secretary of the Confeder-
ate Navy, orders were issued 10 have them
carried out at once.
The vessel was raised and cut down to
the old berth deck, both ends for q distance
of seventy feet were covered over, and
when the ship was in fighting trim were
just awash. On the midship section
length OF one hundred and seventy feet
was built over, the sides being at an angle
of fifty-five degrees, a roof of oak and
pitch pine extending from the water line
To a hight of seven feet above the gun deck.
Both ends of this structure were rounded,
so that the pivot guns could be used as
bow and stern chasers or quartering. Over
the gun deck was a light grating, making a
promenade twenty feet wide.
The wood backing was covered with iron
plates rolled at the Tredagar Works in
Richmond. These plates were eight inches
wide and two inches thick. The first COW
ering was put on horizontally, the second
up and down, making a total thick
ness of iron of four inches, strongly
bolted to the woodwork and ciincbed in
side.
The ram, or PROV, was of cast iron, pro-
jecting four feet, and, as was found subse-
quently was badly secured. The rudder
and propeller were entirely unprotected.
The pilot-ho was forward of the smoke
stack and covered with the same thickness
of iron as the sides.
The motive power was the same as had
engines were very defective, and the YES
sci was not capable of making more Than
five knots an hour.
Another able officer, formerly OF The
United States Navy, Lieutenant Catesby ap
Il. Jones. had charge of the preparation of
the Merrimac's" armament, and to his
skill was due the efficiency of her battery.
1t consisted of two seven-inch rifles, REIN
forced with three-inch steel bands shrunk
around the breech these were the bow and
stern pivOts There were in broadside two
six-inch rifles similar TO the above, and
six nine-inch smooth bores-in all ten
heavy guns.
When this formidable vessel was COM
pleted the name of the Virginia was be-
slowed upon her. and she was placed under
the command of Flag Officer Franklin Bu-
chanan, who bad resigned from the United
States Navy, where he bad reaped the high
est rewards that could be bestowed in time
of peace. He was q man Of unduubted
courage and his professional ability was of
the first order. buchanan was fortunate
in surrounding himself with excellent of
ficers, men capable of performing any
naval duty, and it may be remarked that
no commander was ever better seconded by
subordinates
The crew of the ironclad were not all
seamen, but thai was comparatively unim-
portant, as there were no sails 10 handle
Gunuers were selected from the army at
Richmond, and they proved to be excellent
men for the duty required of them.
The officers of this historic vessel were as
follows:
Lieutenants, CaIesby ap Il Jones Exec
utive and ordnance officer, Lieutenants
Charles C. Sims, Robert d. Minor flag,
Hunter Davidson, John Taylor Wood, j. r.
Egglestou, Walter Butt Midshiprnen,
Fonte, Marmaduke, Litlepage Craig, Long
and Rootes; Paymaster, Semple; Surgeon,
Phillips; Engineer, Ramsey assistants,
lyman, Campbell, Herring, Jack and
White; Gunner, Oliver; Carpenter. Lind
say Clerk, Arthur Sinclair, Jr.; Volunteer
Aid, Lieutenant Douglas Forrest.
Thus equipped, differed and manned,
the iron-clad represented at the moment
the most powerful fighting ship in the
world, and the Federal Government might
well feel uneasy at the tidings they re-
ceived of this monster which threatened TO
carry destruction ali along the Northern
coast.