Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-29
MERRIMAC BATTLE.
QUESTIONS OF HISTORY RAISED BY
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
Another Letter from sfr. virgnins New.
ton, who Was a Participant
In tho Engagement.
RIcHwoxD. Va. March "a, 1891,

To f1f ffANpf " tf Et%lAtllts
Dear Sir,--I am quite unwilling TO take
,.our valuable space for further discussion
81 the Merrimac battles this time, but
IN vour issue Of the oath instant CORE
snondent under the signature S. X. T., who
seefns 20 rely upon newspaper statements
NJ Indefinite name and date. draws in cues
,,on some statements in my previous COM
,,nnication of the 18th, and makes some
ssseriions which are so easily refuted that
I,rust Won will pardon this intrusion.
Il. 4. is disposed TO question the
.tafement that Midshipman Ivey Foreman.
~ North Carolina hauled the flag Of the
Congress down. | am especially SOLICITORS
DAT Young Foreman should hayo the
honor Of this oct unquestioned. as he died
IN Richmond the last year OF the war and has
no family that am aware OF To assert the
Siaitn. The yriter of this communication
vas on the decks of the Congress at the
tme. He has now in his possession side
sr,us which he took from the Congress on
ms occasion, and ho saw Foreman haul
down this flag and throw 1t aboard tho
T.aufort 20 Captain Parker. The fact is
further confirmed by the account OF this
action given IN " Recollections OF Naval
OAcer'
THE FLAG INCIDENT.
sRT. further quotes rs an authentic
s,atement: $50 enraged were the crew Of
he Cumberland at seeing the United
c,ofes fac lowered on board the Congress
FIAT Lieutenant Morris. commanding the
cumberland. swOre that before his ships
gag should be SO disgraced she should 90
10 The bottom" DC.
Tho assertion is here plainly made that
tbe Congress was surrendered before the
cumberland. Now. in reputation of this
afatafpapf 1 shall f.fanfn from
surgeon D. Il. Phillips, Of the Merrimac,
and Captain Van Brunt. of the United
Sfstoe Heam frigate Minnesota.
ON paqes 203 and Dos Volume VI, Vir-
einla Historical Collections. Surgeon Phil
ut was about 500 P. III. when we reach
Il aud rammed tho Cumberland, and about
ASP. VI. when she sank. After ramming
fhc Cumberland we moved up past the
shore batteries 10 get the requisite room to
turn. We had proceeded but a short dis
lance before the Cumberland went down.
We then took up more favorable position
on tine quarter Of the Congress and poured
into her such terrific showers of shot and
shell that in a short time she became per-
feet elaughter-pen and hauled down her
colors and hoisted white flags OF surrender
at her spanker, gaf. and main."
coIoRs FLYING.
II is true that ut this time the Congress
did run up white flags to hor foremost and
mainmast, but her colors were still flying.
Az this moment Captain Parker, of the
ReaufOrt. was ordered TO board aud burn
her. but when we reached her port-auarter
we were puzzled at the anomaly Of white
FLAGS hying at her fore and main and her
c0lors still up. and we were not satisfied
If her surrender until we got alongside Of
her without further resistance.
At page 2l7. YoumeNI., Virginia EIistOri-
cal Collections. Captain Van Brunt. of the
United States steam frigate Minnesota.
says in his official account of this action:
"On Saturday. Sth of March, ut 1915 p.
NJ. we discovered the Merrlmac and two
small steamers rounding Sewells Point
and heading for Newport News. In obedi-
once to signals | slipped my cables and got
under way for that point to engage her.
We ran 10 within about one and half
miles Of Newport News, and there uniortu-
lie ely grounded. At this time 1t was re-
ported TO me that tho Merrimac had passed
The frigate Congress and ran into the ship
of-war Cumberland. and in fifteen minutes
after / saw the latter going down 10y the
head. The Merrimac then hauled of.
taking q position, and about 2:30 =. M. en-
Cagng the Congress, throwing shot and
shell into her with terrific effect. AT
$50 Z. NJ. the Congress surrendered,
tilu Ut 4 VI. iut bSAV NOWh
upon my vessel"
1t is obvious from these citations that
the newspaper which 5. IL. L. quotes is
hopelessly inaccurate.
TIE CONGRESS.
S. r.. T. questions the statement that tho
Congress set her topsail and made an effort
10 reach Fortress Monroe. In corrob0ra-
ton OF this fact | refer to RecOllections
Of Naval Officer" and 20 page 2O3. Virr-
gina Historical Collections, where it is
stated:
Now. however, when the Congress saw
u (the Merrimac) returning she slipped
her cables and endeavOred TO escape. and
in so doing ran aground not far from the
shore and the batteries of her friends"
s. r.. II. saws: lin regard to the English
man-of-war dipping her flag to the Mer-
rimac this incident was especially men,
toned IN an elaborate account of the bat
tie" &c, &c.
In refniation of this statement / again
refer 20 Recollections of a Naval Officer"
and 10 page 225, Virginia Historical Collec-
tions.
SECOND VISIT.
This wasthe second visit of the Merrimac
10 he roads TO offer battle to the monitor
on April H. 1862. On this occasion the
Jamestown and Raleigh were sent in TO
Hampton creek to capture some transports
there anchored. quote from Lieutenant
John aylor Wood. of the Merrimac. See
page Quoted above.
This was done in full view of French
aud English man-ot-war then at anchor in
the Roads. As the jamestown tOwed her
prizes under the stern of the English cor
yelte Rinaldo. Captain Hewitt (now an adj
miIal in the English navy, she was en0,u-
siGSfcqlV cbo0td'
5. II. r. again saws Though Mr.. n.
emphatcaily states that the Congress and
Cumberland bore the brunt of the fight ON
the oth there was, nevertheless. considera-
be fleet Of vessels mt Newport News
traneport-steamers and others-three of
which were destroyed by the Merrimac."
THE OTHER VESSELS.
Now. il there were other vessels at
Newport News at this time what
became of themY IL they attempted |
TO ge. to Fortress Monroe they must
have met the Merrimac, Beaufort. aud |
Raleigh advancing from Norfolk. If |
they attempted TO escape up James river |
they must have met the Patrick Henry, |
Jamestown, and Teaser coming down the |
river. and vet these fleets knew nothing OF |
any other vessels Were they destroyed |
los the Merrimac? Page 205, Virginia His
toncal Collections. gives the following:
We had sank the Cumberland, burned |
TIC 'tlkiNH>, anu baNly NtAPlASN w ~N'A-
nesOta"
From the testimony of Captain Van
BUut Of the Minnesota. his ship was
grounded one and half miles east of New
port News. The Roanoke and st. Lawrence
were aground much 10 the eastward of the
Minnesota. The last two cannot be con-
Hdered as being in the action in any sense.
and al three subsequently did active ser
vice in the United States navy.
PERSONAL.
In my first communication of the 18th
instant depended solely upon my memo
~. Nv object was not to give an account
OF this battle, but simply 70. point out
some inaccuracies of date and fact in an
article published in your issue OF Sth IN
slant. Such is my purpose now. In
closing this hasty and very imperfect mar
Tation let me correct two errors made IN
ny previous letter of 18th instant Gates
by Ap. X. Jones, executive officer OF the
Merrimac. was the son OF General Roger
Jones. OF the United States army, and OF
Washington, ID. O., and not as stated the
Bon Of Catesby Ap. II. Jones, OF frede-
Among the killed appears the
names of Lieutenant Tayloe and Midship-
mar Iavloe. IL should be Lieutenant