Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-08-08

come back in the morning to des
troy the Minnesota, the Roanoke
and the st. Lawrence, and he was
anxious to go at once to their de-
/ fense.
We'll, as soon as it was decided
that was to act as pilot went
down into the pilot-house and we at
once got under way. The pilot
house was little iron box just large
enough for four men to stand up
right within it. 1t was situated in
the fore part of the vessel some dis.
tance in front of the revolving tur-
ret, in which the guns were placed.
1t was half above and half below
the iron deck, and it was, in fact.
a square iron box, made Of iron logs
about nine inches thick, which were
bolted and dove-tailed at the corn
ers. There were little slits between
the upper set of logs and the one
below, through which we could peep
ont. The steering wheel was Sc
cured to one of the logs, and had
a wire connection with the engines,
which were under the deck, so that
by the ringing of bells / could give
the proper signals to the engineer.
The turret, behind us, so revolved
that the guns were every now and
then pointed directly at the pilot
house, and during the action the
officers had to be very careful that
they did not hit the house. 1t was
Saturday night that we sailed past
Fortress Monroe and came to an
Choir in front of the Minnesota. 4
darker night | don't think ever
came out of the heavens. You
could almost feel it, and it was only
by the light of the burning Con-
grcss that | was able to get my bear
ings. This made a fair light, and
| steered by it. The Minnesota
was afne vessel. She was frigate,
bearing >s4 guns, and she looked
very grand in comparison with the
little,Nontor as we sailed by her.
We cents cenispa pad to short distance in
/ Bran 10 soad then so, ~
n pushe, pushel iots' sL"e~- 4" a
AUBREY S. GARDINFs
Near Choor
waters like min pond. 1t was
beautiful Sunday, and you could
see for miles on each side of you.
AS the day broke the Yorktown and
the jamestown, two of the Confed-
crate ships, came out and started
for the Minnesota. We at once got
under way and sent a shot at them.
They left at once. They didn't
want to have anything to do with
the 'cheese-box on a raft, as they
called it. In the meantime the Mer-
rimac had reused up and came on
toward the Minnesota. The Moni-
tor rested a little in front of the
Minnesota and waited for her. The
officers were in the turret. Captain
Worden stood by my side and gave
the orders. The Merrimac first
fired at the Minnesota, and then
Captain Worden gave the order for
the Monitor to 60 for the Merrimac
and to begin firing. The Merri
mac was a mile of when we started
for her. The shots were at once
concentrated on the two ironciads.
We turned this way and that, firing
about every seven minutes. We
kept moving about the Merrimac
and getting in good shots at almost
every fire. The vessels were often
not more than 30 feet apart, and
the engagement was terrible. The
turret of the Monitor was made of
heavy plates of iron, so that ita
walls were about eight inches thick.
The shots of the Merrimac pounded
great dents in it, but they did not
| go through. Our guns tore the iron
fl IN the Merrimac, and had we un'
derst, I'd its construction, we might
have sunk her. We should have
aimed for 'er at the water line
Her iron plates lid not eH:end much
below this. have always t,cough'
that we did send one shot into her,
and think we would have surely
sunk her had we continued to fire in
this way.
Captain worden's Narrow Escape
when was Captain Worder
wounded:'
1T was some hours after the be
ginning of the engagement, a littl
after noon,' replied Lieutenan
Howard. 'He was standing at m