The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-10-29

!or Virginia as she cali in the SOUTH,
March, 1862. -
1t will be remembered that the
frigate "Merrimac"s was sunk Mt
Norfolk early in the war by the Fed
eral forces. Subsequently, her hull
was raised by the Confederates and
covered over with railroad rails,
with a backing OF heavy oak. She
was then armed and equipped, and
on the morning of March sth she
put out OF Norfolk, steamed direct
ly for the Federal feet, then lying
off Newport News, and engaged the
Cumberland" sinking her in less
than thirty minutes. The command
,r Of the 'Co igressr beached his
ship to avoid the fate of the Cum
berland,' bat the "Merrimac's"
guns raked her fore and aft and
finally set her afire sAfter playing
havoc with few smaller gunboats,
the "Merrimac" attacked the "Nlin
nesota" The attack was resisted
stoutly until the "Nfiunesota' was
run aground while nanouyering in
shallow water to escape the ram OF
the "Merrimac," aud, tho engage
ment OF that day ceased, the "Mer.
rimac' steaming away to Norfolk
for the night. Thus the day closed
and the world was given another
evidence OF that wonderful inventive
genius for which the American is so
Justly renowned, and of that spirit
and indomitable will which subse
quently enabled the people of the
South to take the industrial. com
/ ma al al IL
them ut the close OF the war-barely
the, hull OF their former prosperity
and build upon it the magnificent
structure which we now behold.
The next morning tue ''MerriEac"
returned to the attack, but found a
most formidable aud strange little
foe awaiting her. Daring the
night the little Monitor" ms
reached the Roads from New York,
and, upon the appearance of the
Merrlmac," now came out from be-
hind the Minnesota" to do battle
for the Uuion. The
Battle OF the Mcrrimnc and the Mo.i,or
ensued. Never before had such
strange craft confronted each other
Each paused for some moments, as
If to guage the powe- II tho other,
Suddenly, ns thoug. At "a t.:veu sig
nal, the duel was begun, each craft
firing simultaneously. A battle
royal 1t was Tue conflict was
waged with iiercene ~, persistence
and heroism unequale1 in naval war.
fare. The crowds OF spectators who
had come odt from Portsmouth,
Norfolk, Fortress Monroe aud the
surrounding towns aud camps
watched the contest with the most
intense interest, uncertain Of the re-
suit 10 the last. The Monitor, using
her advantages of speed and free.
dom OF movement, circled around
her foe, firing as she moved, while
the "lIerrimGc' answered now with
n broadside aud again with one gun,
as the position. of the Monitor
would admit of. Again and again
the "Merrimac' attempted to crush
the little Monitor" with her ter
rible ram, but each time the greater
speed and the lighter draught of the
Monitor enabled her to evade the
attack. Such manouvers ut times
brought the antagonists so close to
gether that their guns almost
met" but there was no abatement
of the rain of shot and shell. For
four hours there was not moments
interval between the terrible thun.
ders Of the guns; then the "Meri.
mac" having sustained some dam.
age, withdrew from the fight aud re-
turned toward Norfolk the "Moni-
tor had demonstrated her power to
hold the "Merrimac" in check and
Washington was saved from tho de
struction which threatened her the
day before.
Leaving Newport News in the dis
tance, Hampton is soon described,
the dome of the National Soldiers
Home and towers of the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute
being plainly visible from tho steam
er's decks.
Yorktown,
which must ever be held in sacred
remembrance by every true Ameri-
can, as the scene of the surrender of
Cornwals to Washington October
10Th, l77l, is only few hours distant
from Old Point by g. and o. Ry aud
conveyance.
The pleasure of our stay here is
enhanced by those in authority Mt
the new Hotel Chamberlain, built by
that most liberal minded man, John
Chamberlain, who taught so many
men hcw TO live and only six weeks
ago learned how to die. 1t is great
in its capacity, providing every facil-
ity for indoor enjoyment and lux
urious living and contributes much
to the pleasure of the guests at this
favored annual resort.
G. w. w.