The National tribune., 1893-03-16

On Tuesday, March II. the monster ocean
steamers began their work again with bright
hopes of hauling the Minnesota into deep
water. On the ramparts of the fort, over the
main entrance, were assembled all of the Min
nesota's crew on shore. and in their midst
stood the white haired Chaplain, all watching
the efforts to float their salt-sea prde-their
dear old frigate. Ship aaoati" "Ship
afloat !" rang out the glad shouts of hundreds
of voices. Tears ran down the brouzed cheeks
of men that knew not such tender feelings
since boyhood The white-haired old Chaplain
raised his hands, and in loud voice ex-
claimed Let US pray" The burden of his
prayer was in returning thanks to the Al
mighty for the safety of so many of the crew
and the grand old frigate. Many of the old
salts had knet down. 1t was a scene / shall
never forget. The Minnesota suffered little or
no damage from her resting spell on the bot
tom, but the Merrimac had bored her through
in several places, knocking several rooms into
one and doing other damage, but altogether
nothing very serious. The timely arrival of
the Monitor saved the Minnesota.
The next day after the Monitor fight the
beach at Fort Monroe, north was literally
covered with dead fish, killed by the concBs-
sion of the gun discharges from the ironclads
so close to the water The second day
AFTER THE CONGRESS BLEW UP
/ found part of leg and piece of trunk OF
a man lying on the beach among the dead fish.
Empty ammunition boxes were also numerous,
having been washed ashore. so / used one for a
coffin for the remains of two brave sailors and
buried the box far from "low-water mark, +"
but which was afterwards buried in regular
form In the rough sands near the sea, just
north of the old water battery and near the
spot where / stood on that tight so full of his
tory when challenged Lieut.. Wordens hoat.
1t is claimed in the Century. on rebel author
ity, that the Merrimac, after being repaired,
came out into the Roads below SewelPs Point,
but never found an opportunity to engage the
Monitor, because she was always down under
the guns of the fort.
The man who makes such a statement for
truth and a part of history deliberately lies,
and those who were at Fort Monroe from the
9th day of March to the 9Th day of May, as
was, know full well that the Merrimac could
have had battle any day she wanted it.
The anchorage of the Monitor was at least
one mile and half south of the fort, and very
near where she had the famous battle with the
Merrimac. This is fact which hundreds who
must yet be alive can testify to. / remember
one day in particular when the Nerrimac came
out and took position within at least one mile
of her antagonist
1t was beautiful, calm, warm day in April.
There was scarcely a ripple on the water.
remember the scence very distinctly, because
/ saw men walking about the deck of the
Monitor, as we'll as on the roof of the Merri-
mac Commodore Goldsborough had given
strict orders that the Monitor should not bring
on all engagement, but he could give no such
orders to the Merrimac. The rebel claim tha {
the Monitor was never in position where the
Merrimac could engage her away from the
guns of the feet or the fort is
FALSE IN EVERY PARTICULAR.
On the afternoon of May 8, 1862 my regi-
ment, the 10th n. Y. Zouaves, Col. John E.
Bendix commanding; the goth N. Y (all Ger.
mans). Col. Max Webber commanding; one
company of militia from Boston, and other de-
tachments and organizations to the number of
5000 were embarked on steamboats, and started
for the mouth of the James River for the pur-
pose of deceving the rebels.
After dark the transports turned about and
made direct for Lynn Haven Bay, directly east
of Fort Monroe, where the troops were landed
and began a rapid march for Norfolk the
morning of May 8. The heat was terrible and
the dust worse At Tanners Creek lively
skirmish ensued, but the fleet was moving with
us, and the rebels could not hold their ground.
We occupied the rebel intrenched camp late
that afternoon, and discovered not over a mile
distant the nce-powerful Merrimac on f re and
deserted. / watched her burn until near mid
night, and then lay down under 32-pounder
for Sleep Soon after she blew up with roar
that brought ME to my feet in an instant The
very sky seemed filled with fire for moment
or two, and then darkness. She blew up within
a very short distance of the place I first saw
her on the eventful Sth of March two months
previous We took possession of Norfolk,
Portsmouth, and the Gosport Magyar the
next morning, May 10, 1862.
There are many facts in the foregoing sketch
that belong to the history of that celebrated
naval contest, but have never yet appeared in
print, besides the several corrections, all of
which we think ought to go on record.
l. Lieut. Worden came on shore before going
to the relief of the Minnesota.
2. The Monitor opened the battle.
8. The Merrimsc retreated first, because she
was badly crippled.
A. Only one schooner was cut out, instead of
three, and this is explained.
5. The Monitor never refused to give battle
to the Merrimac.
6. The Merrimac never showed q desire to
renew the conflict.
T. The Monitor never fell back when the
Merrimac came out or sought protection under
the guns of the fort and the fleet.
8. The editors of the Century are not respon-
sible for the inaccuracies and misstatements
published in their war sketches but the authors
of the same ought to have had some regard for
truth when they were trying to make history.
/ have only written about that which / saw
and when / see with my own eyes / am GER
tainly not relating what some one else has told
me.