Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-05-22
THE MERRIMAC AND MONITOR
One Writer Who Asserts That the
Former Was Victorious.

tii' ''iltilP1itc ltontldu McrFlnac,
March ., 1852 Captain White served
on the Merrimac as Junior engineer,
and his story is decidedly at variance
with the accepted version. The
Mcrrimac stuck for while on the
middle. ground of Hampton Rhodes,
and IT was there, according to Cap
tain White, that most of the damage
was done by the Monitor. OF what
happened after the Merrimac WAS
once more afloat. Captain White
said:
We caught and did run into the
Monitor, and came near running her
under the water; not that we struck
her exactly at right angles, but with
our starboard bow drove against her
with a determination of sending her
to the bottom, and so near did we come
To accomplish our object that from
the ramming and the shot OF our rifle
gun that blinded her commander, she
Withdrew To shoalwater near the
Minnesota, whence we could not fol-
low-ncver again to offer or accept
battle from the Mcrrimac. After
waiting on the ground Of victory, with
out any signs of her return, for posi-
bly, an hour or more, we steamed up
To the navy yard, receiving the shouts
and huzzas of the thousands of our
people that had witnessed our great
victory. | wish to emphasize the
facts ust related of the proposed
collision with the Monitor and our
desire to repeat it, and of her with
drawal from the field and her refusal
then or thereafter to engage in battle
with the Merrimac, notwithstanding
that this statement is in positive con-
tradiction to the theory accepted
at the north, and even published in
the school histories OF to day.
Captain White also relates as con-
iirmatory of his story that he visited
tho Monitor and Merrimac cyclorama
in New York and called the attention
of the lecturer to some erroneous
statements regarding the fight, but
the lecturer, while admitting that he
was wrong. said he had to misrepre-
sent the facts " in order to make his
show popular" And again Captain
White returns to the charge and says
the Merrimac, after undergoing re-
pairs and having improvements made
10 her, went down to the Old Point
and offered battle to the Monitor and
all the great wooden warships of the
United States navy, including the
Vanderbilt, which ship had been
specially brought forward to accom-
plish our destruction" but neither
the Monitor nor any one of the large
ships the United States government
had ordered would come out from
under the guns of Fortress Monroe.
At the time of the engagement
George :. Geer of this city, was an
engineer on the Monitor Mr.. Geer
was shown the above extracts from
Captain Whites speech, upon which
he commented as follows:
II is true that the Merrimac did run
into the Monitor, but instead of COM
ing near running us under water, as
Captain White states, the blow was
hardly pcrceptible on board our vessel
Captain White would have his read.
ers infer that the ramming and shot
OF the Merrimac's rihe-gun which
blinded Worden occurred about the
the same time, but such is not the
case. The Merrimac rammed us half
an hour after the action began, and
fully an hour elapsed before the shot
was fred that caused our commanders
injuries.
As 10 the statement that the Moni-
tor Withdrew to shOalwater near the
Minnesota, whence We could not fol-
low-ncvcr again to offer or accept
battle with the Merrimac," it is en-
tirely contrary to the facts. We
chased the Merrimac into the Eliza
beth river recalled by a signal from
the Minnesota. the commander of
which, Worlen's superior officer,
feared to have us get further on ac.
count OF the line of torpedoes which
the confederates hal extended across
the river. The Merrimac made as
rapid progress as she could, in her
sinking condition, to Norfolk, where
she underwent repairs.
We lay in Hampton Roads month
inviting her TO come out of the Eliza
beth river, but she declined to accent
the challenge. Three Gays in success
sion we came out and steamed around
IN open water SO as to give her an
opportunity for an engagement. She
would come down the Elizabeth as
lar rs the torpedo line, and then when
We advanced she would retreat toward
Norfolk, III her endeavOr to lure us on
to the torpedoes. Had the choice
been with the crew we would have
followed her up the river. torpedoes
or no torpcdoes, but we were act.
ing under direct orders from the Presi.
dent, and were compelled to keep in
Hampton Roads.
At any rate, we accomplished our
purpose in the end. We intimidated
the Merrimac and kept her from COM
ing ont until finally to prevent her
filling into Union hands she was
blown up.
THE Presidential party arrived at
Washington from their trip to this
Coast, last Friday.