Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-15
THE MERRIMAC'S MEN
HOW THEY FOUGHT THE HAMPTON
ROADS BATTLE.
A Readable Narrative from the Pen Of mr.
virginius Newton. OF This
City.


TO DC Editor Of Dc Dispatch
In your issue Of March sth anniversary
Of the MerrimAo battles) you publish a
very readable and pleasantly written ar
,icle upon this memorable action. have
neither tho leisure nor the purpose TO write
an account OF this engagement, but az the
article referred 20 has previously been
priutcd both here and in Philadelphia, and
seeumes the cuise Of serious and ac-
fnrsac contribution TO the subject already
su.fccntly involved, propose, with your
consent, 20 elcminate from 10 some mac
ctMcics. some confusion of dates (in which
o..rrrences OF the day after and even of a
month subsequent are made 10 do duty in
.ele dsy), in perhaps the vain effort to
mako smooth the path of our coming his
I. & duo "a the writer of the article re-
f.cl Co 20 say that by her own admission
ls-Tlut Of observation was from three
r. fur miles distant from the battle
,-.u.1, which mnst account for some of
III, crr1Is 20 be referred TO.
rh-eo officers OF the late Confederate
:. .'rs navy who took a very close part in
f..- engagement are now living in Rich
fg.rl- Captain William Harwar Parker Of
tna eunboat Beaufort, tender 90 the
N.rfmac: Mr.. Charles II. Hasker, boat
..,.0 # the Mcrrimac, and the writer
Tho two first named can attest the accu-
rs, 20 the comments here made.
IfIs now twenty-nine years since the
"N!.rr.mac day.' and IL is therefore i'm
r-rart that your readers should bear IN
i-rl that the engagements of the Merri-
mac covered hro days, March Sth and
March g. fs62 The inaccuracy of previous
,r-.fcrs and the very realistic cvclOrama of
In, - % 80 azs NT,-tr u IL
H.. two days are merged INTO one, have
apparently hopelessly confused this
he errors wish 70 point out in the
vrrv craphic and pleasing contribution are
g. follows.
Isrst. The Monitor is twice referred to in
90. st.temeut-tirst as being in the Fede-
70. feet OF Fort Monroe on Marchs. 1862,
sad next as engaging the MerrImac about
sunset of he same day.
I.c Monitor did not get TO Fortress
y uroeuutii after midnight March 9Th and
could not therefore, have taken part in the
a.--.u az March sth. In fact she was hur-
rtl out OF New York harbor with such
haste tLGt her equipment was barely IN
condition 90 engage the Merrlmac on the
morning If the 9Th. when the first action
ok place between them.
second II Is stated that upon the Mer-
ruac nearing Newport News: Here
{. ere was a stir among the Federal vessels.
S.ysra, moved out into the stream, and the
Congress and Cumberland taking a more
advanced position than the rest. CON-
u.uced firing"
Inare were 10 Federal ships other than
the Congress and Cumberland at Newport
News. and as neither Of them had steam
power they could not take up an advanced
position short Of setting sail. This the
Cumberland never did, and the Congress,
tga.,l - hal
re' her foretop-sall in the vain hope TO head
around for Fortress Monroe, but imme-
dstely grounded head inshoTe, in which
PCS ton she remained until subsequently
t-ed and destroyed by our vessels. Both
en-, these friCates were fought at anchor in
J. siti0us they had held tor months.
10 Is true the Federal frigates Minnesota,
u auoke. and st. Lawrence. then at an
c.1r at Fortress Monroe, made some at
t.upt 10 give assistance TO their two
-ely-distressed consorts, but the Mime
e.ta early grounded q mile OF more to the
eastward Of Newport News, in which posi-
'al she could give no material aid, and
DID not come under the fire of the Nerri-
wgtuutu nightfall. The Roanoke and ST.
IlErence were also aground much to east
ward of the Minnesota. and took no Sc
Tal> part in the action. The brunt Of the
l.ft.e on the Sth was borne therefore by
t,e Congress and Cumberland ALONE.
Third. 1t is stated that the Merrimao in
y-~-ing the Congress to attack the Cum
l,and received broadside from the Con-
c--,s, which the Merrimac returned; =" that
lucdiately the United States flag was
lowered on the Congress and two white
figs were run up in token of surrender"
lie facts are that the Congress remained
action fully half an hour after the Cum
leland had been sunk, and that her
tied States flag was never lowered until
L l. - 9 aN ,fad 90
f--bost Beaufort, under command OF
Captain W. IL. Parker, and the United
safes flag Of the Congress was then
tll.ed down by MidshipmAn Ivey Fore
uan. Of North Carolina (actlng volunteer
% Captain Parker, and theown aboard
lie Beaufort.
Fourth. 1T is stated that "Catesby APP.
T. Jones, executive officer of the Merrl-
mac. and subsequently in command, Cap
tan buchanan having been wounded, IS
'.e son of Captain Pembroke Jones, late of
t-e United States navy" This rs incorrect
Lis father was Catesby APP. II. Jones, who
resided at ornear Fredericksburg, Va. and
Lot on the Peninsula.
Fifth. Ii is stated that, ION the morn
ia. after the battle (9th March, the Mer-
Tuac attended by her two tenders Tor
tarae DAYS challenged the Monitor 10 re-
lewal Of the fight in sight of British
uan-of-wsr then lying between Fortress
Monroe and Sewel's Point, from which
point she had witnessed the whole. en-
rasement-that the British man-of-war
Z 3ued her colors 10 the MerrimAc," dc.
Tae Merrlmac was locked in Norfolk by
fP. NJ OF the 9Th, and as she there re-
,a.ued for O full month she could not have
.Hesed gage of battle for three days after
O.. engagement of the Sth of March. The
facts are that on April IL, 1862, moro than
Gle month after the period OF the trst en-
C4gement, the Merrimac again VISITED the
fene Of her late exploits under Captain
1stuall and threw down the gage OF battle,
v-!ch the Monitor did not take up, AT
i.e same time in passing around the Eng
l-a man-of-war Rinaldo) then OF anchor
ia tL- Roads we did receive some mani:
stations Of goodwill in the waving OF
t.ts and handkerchiefs, but nothing more.
Had she dipped her flag three times 10
-.. ~ even once, her captain would nave
rldolhtedly involved his country IN an
irrational dispute and earned the GEN.
f..e " the British Government.
ACTION ON MARCH 9, 1852.
The action Of this day was the first and
US, meeting between the blerrlmac ana
Monitor. II lasted from about A, NJ. 10
1890 A. ~, and was mainly naval duel,
conducted az a distance of some 200 yards.
ills Laumering did little or no damage 70
tae srmature OF the Mernmac or 70 the
.-''rt oi tho Monitor. The tacucs OF eAcn
were then changed and the Merrimac
sought 20 run the Monitor down, the Moni-
'.- slug 20 disable the screw and ruQ-
t---l.4Iug OF the MerrIInRc. The herri-
,.- s-lz.ug favorable moment struck the
Monitor clancing blow which raised her
lef4bly out Of the water. exposing her
ia. at same time q shot from the bow
SUI e .he MeTrimac struck the pilot-house
o. ." Monitor and severely wounded
ftav fnaf
rty after the collision the Monitor
'aafew 20 the shoal water on Hampton
-. where the Merrimso could not get at
L.. AFTER the lapse Of three-quarters OF
o. hong, ~ al hour, the Monitor giving no
.'i- Of renewing the action, the Merrimac
proceeded % Norfolk for such repairs as
were needed the muzzles Of several OF her
f.-l-s.de guns having been knocked on
~ shot. and the ship making some water.