Helena weekly herald., 1886-08-12
ADMIRAL WORDEN.
The Hero of the Celebrated Merri.
mac. Monitor Fight, Twenty.
four Years ago.
A brief description OF the Merrimac's
fight with the Cumberland and
Congress and her final bat.
tie with the Monitor. by
one who saw it.


TOTHE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-Few
men, women or children twenty -four years
ago. but knew Admiral Worden as the fear
less commander,,of the little Monitor, the victor
IN the terrible IRON clad battle on the calm and
silvery waters Of Hampton Roads, between
two differently constructed iron bound exper
iments in modern naval warfare One, the
Confederate iron clad Virginia. better
known as the Menimac-carrying guns,
and the IRON clad turreted Monitor, 2 guns
The former had a house shaped roof covered
with railroad iron, while the latter had an
iron plated turret, in appearance very appro
priately described by Confederate soldier
at Sewells Point battery, as "a Yankee
cheese box on a raft"
March Sth, 1862, was a calm, bright and
balmy morning at Fortress Monroe. The
regiment to which l belonged-Ioth New
York Zouaves-was on garrison duty in the
fort at the time. In the detail for guard
duty that morning, l was assigned to the
"Water Battery" "a guns, an ancient struct
ure Of stone, earth and grass covered
A few shots from the Merrimac would have
buried us all in the ruins. At or near
II o'clock, Saturday, March Sth, /, with
huge unusal shaped water craft moving out
of the Elizabeth river from Norfolk. She
headed around into the Craney Island cut
off channel bound for the mouth of James
River. where lay two Of our best wooden
frigates-the Cumberland and Congress
swinging at anchor, unconscious of
the impending doom. The character
and direction of the Merrimac being
learned, the frigates beat to quarters and the
garrison at Newport News prepared for
action, under the command of Gen. Mans
field, afterwards killed at Antietam. The
brave tars knew not the strength Of the
enemy, but were determined to do their
whole duty. The contest was short and de-
cisive The Cumberland went down with
her colors flying and the ram of the Merri-
mac IN her side. Lieut. Morris, commander
of the Cumberland, fired the last shot as the
water dashed around the guns. He was
brilliant, brave officer, had heroic crew and
a staunch ship, but all efforts to injure the
iron clad Merrimac, may be likened unto
hail storm beating on strong roof. Com
mander Smith, of the Congress, seeing the
fate and unavalling efforts OF the Cumber-
land, slipped his cable hoping to escape to
Fortress Monroe, where lay the trgates
Minnesota, Roanoke, ST. Lawerance and nu
merous gun boats, but the noble Congress
was doomed to 90 up instead of down. She
drifted ashore near Newport News, where an
UNEQUAL contest of a few minutes decided
her fate by fire. Her magazine exploded
about midnight, and the shock was terrible,
fairly shaking the water battery, where / was
stationed, eight miles distant. As soon as
Capt. Van Brunt, Of the Minnesota, the only
steam frigate fit for duty, discovered the in
tention Of the Merrimac's commander, he
slipped his cable and started for the scene
of action, but his vessel ran hard and fast on
a sand bar where she remained three days.
The frigate St. Lawrence, sailing vessel,
was towed toward the fight, but proved worth
less as there was no wind. The steam frig-
ate Roanoke had broken shaft and was un-
able to render any assistance. In her efforts
to get into the fight she grounded Oft Sew
ells Point, where heavy gun battery had
been erected in tie face of bold sand bluff
which was casemated with railroad iron. A
lively fight took place between the frigate
and the battery for an hour or more, until
the helpless vessel foated off, when she re-
turned to her anchorage near the Rip Raps.
The St. Lawrence also returned shortly after.
The Merrimac, after disabling and setting
the Congress on fire, turned her damaged
prov down the main channel to finish her
days work by destroying the helpless Mime
sofa, at long range. The Merrimac was not
able to get close enough to destroy her, owing
to shallow water, a fact that saved her from
total destruction, although the Merrimac
hulled her several times, while the Minneso-
ia replied with spirit at times with a
whole broadside AS the Minnesota was
considered CERTAIN prize next day, the Mer-
rimac and her consorts the Jamestown, Pat
ric Henry and Teaser retired out of range
under the guns at Sewells Point, there to
prepare for the destruction of the U. 5. war
ships in Hampton Roads next day.
As the shades of night closed DER the
toward the Atlantic, the Cause of the
Union looked dark and gloomy. This was
the situation:
The Cumberland sunk; the Congress burn
ing; the only steam frigate there mt for duty
when afoat was hard and fast aground; the
frigates Roanoke and st. Lawrence helpless
without wind, while the numerous gun boats
were worthless in fight with the victorious
iron monster. The hulk of the old trigate
Brandywine, once famous for carrying Cen
eral LAFAYETTE home to France after his visit
to the limited States in 1925, at the time
of the fight was used as naval hospital,
was taken in tow and sent to Baltimore.
There were no guns at Fortress Monroe or
on the Rip Raps that could prevent the |
Merrimac from passing out and up to Baltl-
more or Washington. Our only hope lay in
new IL inch rifle called the ''Union" gun,
the largest rifed gun in the world at the
time, which had been mounted on the sand
beach near the old Baltimore wharf Serg't |
Welch, the gunner in chagre, claimed that he
could load and fire six shots al the Merrlmac
after coming into and before getting out OF
range. He felt confident that water line
shot from his monster gun would go through |
the Merrimac. This may have been true, but
il is equally true and certainly more reason |
able that well directed shot from the Mer-
rimac would have disabled the "Union' gun
Fortunately for all concerned on the Union
side the second days fight was of a far diff |
ferent character than was anticipated by the |
Union or Confederate Commanders. Night |
closed in upon a thoroughly disheartened |
army and navy. O'erhead the stars were |
Inning brightly, but dense fog clung to the
water.
The foregoing is brief outline of the start
ling events of that never to-be-forgotten day, |
when the naval powers of the world found
out that their magnificent wooden war ships
were no better than paper alongside OF a
Merrimac or Monitor.
was on the outer picket on that eventful
night, and had strict orders to bring all boats
ashore passing in or out within hearing.
At o: 20, heard boat that was being rowed |
rapidly toward the fort from the outside. |
/ challenged twice. No answer. gave a
third challenge, and unless obeyed would |
shoot. was heard and the answer came |