The National tribune., 1897-11-04

THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC.
A subscriber in Norfolk, Va, sends
us the following from the Virginian in
that city:
The death of AdIpiral Worden, who was
the commander of the Monitor in the MEM
orable fight between that vessel and the Viz
ginia in Hampton Roads in 1862, has caused
certain Northern newspapers to indulge III all
sorts of statements concerning that engage
ment, and, strange to say, every one OF them
cling to the idea that the Monitor won the
battle
The Tirgiaidn goes on at some length
to insist that the Merrmac really whipped
the Monitor on that eventful day. 1t
holsters up its assertions with one from
the Charleston Ne,ps and Courier to the
effect
That the Confederate ram Virginia fought
the Monitor until the latter left the field
and aiterward vainly challenged it to renewed
combat, capturing one Federal vessel under
its nose, and driving n number of others out
to sea or to the shelter of the guns OF Fortress
Monroe, where the Monitor itself remained
through these proceedings.
The absolute, incontrovertible facts
of history are:
The Merrimac came down the first
day, and had it all her own way. The
avowed purpose of her movements was
to destroy or drive off the Union vessels
in Hampton Roads, and raise the block
AIDE of the mouth of the James River.
She sank one frigate and burned another,
and our finest shi p-the Minnesota-had
run aground in the course of the manu-
vers. The only other steam frigate on
the station was the Roanoke, which was
disabled by q broken shaft, and had
been for months, owing to there being
no forge in the country which could
make new shaft.
At o'clock in the evening of Sat
urday, March 8, 1862, it became too
dark for the Merrimac to continue her
work of destruction She was afraid Of
the tortuous channel, which had already
led all Of the three remaining Union
war ships on the station hard aground.
She withdrew to repair the injuries she
had received, and take in fresh supple. Of
ammunition for the morrow's work.
There was not the slightest doubt in the
minds of her officers that the next day
she would be able to dispose of the
Minnesota, St Lawrence, and Roanoke
as promptly as she already had the Con
gress and the Cumberland But the
Monitor arrived and cast anchor along
side the Roanoke at 8 O'Clock. Lieut..
Worden learned the distressing news,
and at once began preparing for battle.
He had received orders to proceed di-
rectly to Washington, but saw the neces-
sty of disobeying them. Before mid
night he had taken up his position
alongside the grounded Minnesota. AT
daylight the Merrimac came out to
renew her work Of destruction, and
headed directly for the Minnesota, but
the4Monitor intercepted her, and the
battle began. After two hours the
Monitor hauled of little to hoist more
shot into her tllrret, and then returned
to the battle. A little later a shot dis
placed the top OF the Monitors pilot
house. and severely injured Lieut..
Worden. This necessitated change
of station of al the officers. Lieut..
Green. who had been managing the
guns in the turret, had to come forward
and assume command of the vessel
Another officer had to take his place
All this took much time owing to the
imperfecions in the vessels construction
and the means Of communicating with
the turret.
But instead Of taking advantage of
this critical moment, and either pursuing
the Monitor or attacking the wooden
vessels, the Merrimac acted as if she
had gotten more than she wanted She
stopped firing altogether, turned around,
and steamed back to Norfolk. As she
did so the Monitor, which had been
again gotten under control, fired two or
three shots at her.
Now, the Merrimac had started out