Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-12

At the organization OF the Franklin
Buchanan Camp. United Confederate
Veterans, In Baltimore, the other night,
in speaking of the achievements OF Ad-
miraI buchanan and OF the Merrimac
(Virginia), Colonel Ramsay said
without wishing TO say anything that
would diminish the glory of the gallant
Worden. who commanded the Monitor. 1t
must be particularly noted that Buchanan
first led the way and showed that the
Monitor was, or ought to have been. In
vincible against anything the Confede-
rates could bring against her. AS she
was armored with nine inches OF iron
against the Merrimac's four inches, Lad
l1-inch guns against the Merrimac's g.
and finch guns, and arriving In Hampton
Roads the night after the Merrimac had
sunk the Cumberland, burned the Con-
gress, and made a wreck OF the Mime
sofa, could abe have done less than fought
the Merrimac. when the latter vessel was
known TO be inferior to her In every
respect? And yet that gallant Virginian,
Captain Catesby ap Z. Jones, fought TIE
Monitor the next day, not under the pro-
lection OF any fort or battery, but In the
middle OF Hampton Roads, for fve long
hours. and finally compelled her 10 retire,
but. to the praise OF her gallant COM
mander, not until after he had been in
capacitated by the battering In OF the
pilot-house.
FIGHTING UNDER DISADVANTAGES.
Captain Jones. soon after engaging the
Monitor, discovered that his shot on the
turret was having no appreciabie effect.
and. with his usual foresight, he directed
his lieutenants to concentrate their fire
on the mob OF iron projecting from the
deck, which he soon recognized as her
coming tower. In this fight with the
Monitor the Merrinlac had but four ef-
fective guns which could IRE solid SHOT.
Two Of her guns had been disabled the
day before by having their muzzles shot
away, and four others were chambered
guns, intended 70 fire hot shot into the
wooden vessels, and solid shot, the only
projectlle that would have been at all
effective. could not be fired from them,
MASTER OF THE ROADS.
I'm the engagement between these two
vessels, strange to say, the Merrimac did
not lose q man or have any one wounded,
nor receive any further injury than the
indentation and fracture Of the outer
course Of iron I'm q few places. Owing
to her great drausht Of water she got
aground. and for a considerable time the
Monitor. drawing SO much less water,
could play around us. changing her posi-
ton. and we could not bring q gun to
bear on her. II was al this time she
drew upon us. but presently we got of
the shoal. and struck her giancing blow
with our bow. at the same time delivering
the fatal shot that stove In the coming
tower and damaged Commodore Worden's
eyes. Then II was that the Monitor with
drew under tho protection OF the guns
OF Fort Monroe. leaving the Merrimac
master Of the Roads, q position she re-
tanned for two months. covering the
James and Elizabeth rivers during thu
evacuation Of Norfolk. but finally had 70
be destroyed BY her own people.
FINAL DESTRUCTION.
"HayinE been ordered to procecd up the
James riyar. after receiving signal
notifying ~ that General Huxer had
withdrawn his army. stores etc. from
Norfolk, ~ llghteped ~ Chg 70 3 polnt