The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-31
MERRIMAC AND MONITOR.
Narrative of Another Eyewitness of the
Events of the Second Day.

Narrative of Another Eyewitness of the
Events of the Second Day.
NOTICED in the issue of Aug. 10 that
Comrade Linn reasserts the absolute
- correctness of his account of the fight
between the Merrimac and Monitor,
and that everyone else, even our own his
torians, are in error Let US look into the
matter. In his article of March Is he
claims that on the second day of the fight,
March 8, 1862, the jamestown captured one
of our vessels. l claim that the jamestown
capture was not made until the 18th of
April, more than month afterwards, at
which time there were three vessels taken.
Again, the comrade claims that there were
no foreign vessels present at the time the
jamestown made her capture, and that the
crew of the English vessel did not cheer her
as she went by with her prize. l claim
there were both English and French vessels
present, and On the 18th of April that the
jamestown was cheered by the English.
Comrade Linn calls anyone who asserts
that the Monitor ever failed to accept a
challenge to fight by the Merrimac very un-
pleasant names.
In regard to the first point would refer
the comrade to THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
of Oct. 6, 1892. In the Chronological
Record of the Rebellion, compiled from the
official records of the war, under the date of
April II, 1862, he will find
THE c. S. S. Virginia (Merrimac), Flag
Officer Josiah Tattnall, accompanied by the
gunboats jamestown, Patrick Henry, Beau
fort, Raleigh, and Teaser, steamed into
Hampton Roads, Va, from Norfolk. They
remained in the Roads the greater part of
the day, and captured three vessels of the
u. S. Quartermaster's Department"
No doubt COmrade Linn will have the
official records corrected.
AS to the second point, know that there
was one English and two French vessels
present on the 18th of April, for l saw them.
| did not hear the cheers of the English,
but it was so reported to us the next day,
and in the Century we have the testimony of
Col. John Taylor Wood, who was then on
the Merrimac, that such was the fact
AS to the third point | would say that
from our camp (Hamiton) we had full
view of the Hampton Roads, SewelPs Point,
the mouth of the Elizabeth River, the Rip
Raps and Fortress Monroe, and that what I
state is not from memory. On April Is, two
days after the occurrence, l wrote letter, in
which the facts in full are given. The letter
is now before me. The rebel feet appeared
at Sewell's Point in the early morning Our
Transports heo Pdoo ioitiooo niohhoo. Ouh
three vessels were captured by the James
town. Two of our gunboats went up near the
Segur residence and opened fire on the Merri-
mac at long range The Merrimac returned
the fire. None of the vessels were injured.
The rebels fired eight shots. At 3 p. III. the
Merrimac returned to Norfolk, accompanied
by the rest of the rebel feet All this time
the Monitor was lying at anchor just above
the Rip Raps; she kept in constant motion.
but did not leave her anchorage.
leave it with the reader to judge whether
the presence of the Merrimac all day in the
Roads was not challenge. 1t certainly was
not accepted by the Monitor.
In the issue of May Comrade Hawkins,
who was on the Minnesota during the fight,
corrects a number of Comrade Linn's errors.
&C. L. CRUIKsHANK, Sergeant, Co. A, 18th
Pa Cav, Addison, Iowa.