The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-13
HISTORIC WATERS OF va.
fla Gallant Dshncs Made BY The Fort
Il Dftyrs Blt6.
fnE DARING EXPLOITS OF 4 LAD.
He Fired One of the vssstls of the Fs"er"l
fleet Ia Jamss kiver-The Csmps'g"
on the virgioin Psnipsul".

River, on the afternoon oil 8prh s'"' '"'
career OF the Virginia, as a FACTOR III '"e
struggle. practically came TO an e"d'
Tne enemy stu apprehended. and TOOK
rr~caut,ous aRatnst another irruption oil
sbe lanes River squadron, and the uh-
initiated Southern public stu cluhS "
the faith OF TURNER exploits 10y the ue
s,royer or the Congress ana the 'uI"o
,and Eut the naval officers OF the
1,onfcdcracy took another and wiser we"
of the csse--one which was Vinu'oa ~
consequently In sli the com"t'S De
tween vessels OF the model OF inc VT
EIn!a and Monitor respectively, va. O
the Mississippi. the Red ana Inc Nor'n
..aroI,ua rivers and In Mobile Bay-and
the southern ship, although promptly re-
oatrcd. took the hazard OF no iurthef
trial OF strength with Ericssohs IRON
clad
Indeed. before the date OF the final ca
tastrophc. several other arnored SHIPS
were added to the Federal feet in hamp-
snn Roads. so that night. II provoked
nv the Virginia, could not have been
mad on equal terms. or with single al
ycrsary OF her own class. Her fate. II
hazarded. would. in all probability. have
been that which overlook the Manassas
nj New Orleans, the Tennessee al Mo-
bNe, and the Albemarle In the Roanoke
bun IL was an open secret In army CIR
Giles In Norfolk that Commodore Tdtnau
lacked the trust IN the Virginia when
Buchanan and Jones had shown. Nheth
or frofn that cause. or another. she lay
idle AT the navy yard while Mcclellan
Transporter his Potomac army 10 For
tress Sk,~roe I'm a fleet which. in point
of numbers. cast the inyineible Armada
into the shade, but which would have
been bit as cnsn before the prowess OF
the Virginia, but for the protecting pres
ence OF the Monitor and her iurreted
consorts.
The navicablc waters of tho Old Do
ninion were now to pass almost wholly
into possession of the Federels. The
evacuation br General Johnston OF the
lines at Manassas necessiiatcd abandon
,nent of the heavy batteries on the lower
Potomac. which had hitherto rendered
the navigation OF that stream precarious
10 Union shipping. Early in April Cen
eral Mcclellan arrived at Old Poir and
commenced his campaign against Rich
mond. via the Peninsula. This move
ment. combined with BurnsiGe's contest
OF the rear approaches, compelled the
evacuation Of Norfolk. May 10th Gen
eral Huger marched out Of the city with
his troops. having previously erected
partial destruction OF the navy yard.
No. on the mouth OF James River. with
out an attempt TO reach the waters she
had already navigated. on the ground
that TO tighten her sufficiently 10 pass
Mulberry Island would raise her wood
work above the water line and thus
make her an easy prey 10 the eneny's
guns. The torch was applied TO her with
in gunshot of the spot where her incen-
diary shell had given the coup-de-grace
TO the Congress. and the skeletons of
victor and vanquished are washed BY
the same tranquil tides. So, too, the Ma
nassas was annihilated at Vicksburg by
Confederate hands. in mere anticipation
of Federal ability to destroy her There
are those who yet think that her clos
Ing DAYS might have been made glorious
~ effective. but regret and criticism are
alike Vaavaiiin5 now, though TO die by
the suicidal torch was surely an ignoble
tate for the progenitor of our navy.
Three days earlier the Federal COM
mander. Rogers. proceeded up James river
With the Gaiena. and three other gun
boats. the Monitor and Stevens remain
Ing I'm Hampton Roads. to watch the Con-
iederate fleet. Rogers felt his way eau
uousiy up the stream, dreadng all the
aime 10 near that the Virginia had been
transferred TO the James and anchored
in the path Of his return. On the nth
he was notified of the extinction of that
danger. ana took heart OF grace 10 de-
Neiop greater speed. though he still had
wholesome dread of toIpedoes, and
kept boats ahead of his ships. fishing for
these diaboiicai and unciviized appli-
aDces OF war" Magrudcrs antecedent
retreat, signalized by the battle of VIII
liamsburs, in which Longstreet and Han
COCK won their spurs, had ensured an
open way for Rogers up TO within eight
miles OF the Confederate Capital.
Here. at Drewrys Bluff, on the south
bank of the stream. AN unfinished fort
with incomplete armament formed the
sole defence of Richmond against an at
tack by water. II was, however, gal
lantiy manned, and the guns, though few
In number. were OF heavy calibre, and
commanded a plunging fire of long range
on the narrow channel. Considered as
the sole barrier, 1t seemed d very in
SUFFICIENT one, but IL sufiiccd. Federal
historians say that universal panic ruled
IN Richmond at this period that the
neads of government shipped the archives
20 Inland points and made other prep
arations for flight. and that the popu-
lace apprehended speedy bombardnient.
III so. the signs OF fright were remark
ably well concealed. 1 was in Richmond
on the 18th, when the attack had be-
come a certainty, ana saw no such evil
dences OF excitement as had ruled be-
fore, when the rumo-ed approach of the
I'awree mad thrown Eastern Virginia as
lar up-country as rarmviiie into iudi-
crous state OF excitement. So great are
the differences in effect between real.
measurable dangers, and those which are
the creatures OF Imagination, and there
fore illimiiaDle. Rational precautions
were taken. no doubt. but the result
MA nj IL.
out OF proportion 10 the means of resist
ance at hand.
On the morning OF the 18th the brigade
20 which ] was attached. then lying In
camp on Dunn's Till, at Petersburg, was
ordered TO take the cars for Halfway
station. on the Richmond railroad. Dis
smbarking there we passed the night in
bivouac on the adjacent fields. and early
on the morning OF the 18th marched 10 a
position southeast OF Drcwry's. so as TO
repel any troops that might he landed
Tor flank movement upon the fort. so
II was my good fortune, having witnessed
already the two former. TO be an observer
OF the third and last engagement In Vir-
ginia IN which the navy of either eide
took active part.
we we're still marching. under guidance
OF a staN officer. towards the ground ies-
ignated for occupation. when booming
gun from the fort announced the opel-
ing OF the action. A stunning report.
an II In echo. came from the leading gun
beat shortly follow ed by the noisy rush
ana putting Gas OF distant locomotive
iAboring up grade). through the upper air
OF an immense shell. which exploded far
above the battery. and sent its fragments
away TO the rear. Such, indeed. was
the course OF most Of the enemy's pom
derous missiles; for so great was the
elevation necessary 10 bring the ships
pieces 10 bear upon the bluff that accu-
~