Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-01
EXPLOITS OF THE VIRGINIA.
How Her Guns Proclaimed the Birth
of New Navies.

WASHINGTON, u. c.. November 3d.
tspeeial.)-Captain II b. Lttlepage. now
OF the Naval War Records Office, but who
was nominated TO the Naval Academy be-
fore the war by Congressman Caskie, or
the Richmond District, recently delivered
Q most interesting and instructive lecture
90 the Confederate veterans OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia, on the subject OF the
virginia" more familiarly known as the
"Merrimac."
Captain Littlepage was one OF the Of
fcers of the Virginia, and was with her
from beginning 10 end. He said in part
that the Sth and 9th of March. 1862. mark
e. TWO OF the most important events in
the annals Of naval warfare. The Viz
ginla's guns, on the 9Th. sounded the
death-knell Of the then existing navies OF
the world, and announced that wooden
ships were no longer warsnips. Her guns
and the Monitors, on the 9th, proclaim
ed in tones OF thunder the birth OF new
navles. Large prizes were offered for I'M
penetrable armors and for irresistible pro-
jectues. There was hurrying everywhere
10 keep pace with the new conditions IL
Illustrated by the Virginia and the Moni-
tor, the hasty creations Of an extreme
necessity and of American ingenuity.
We have heard and seen II stated that
the monitor revolutionized naval warfare.
The Virginia created the monitor-L e.,
in the sense that necessity is the mother
of invention. The Virginia created the
necessity Work had been going on upon
the Virginia for more than six months,
and frequent reports had been sent North
as to the progress OF the work. and as to
the formdableness of her character, be-
fore Ericsson could induce the govern
IL 4v,V tfr1N
20 meet her. Therefore" said Captain
Iattlepage. Il claim that the Virginia re-
built and remodelled the navies Of the
world, beginning with the United States
navy.
EVOLUTION OF THE VIRGINIA.
When Norfolk was evacuated by the
Federal forces. on the nlght OF April 20
1861 they fired the houses in the navy
yard. undertook TO destroy the guns and
dry-dock, scuttled and burned ships, and
left with whatever had motive power 10
assist them in their flight. The Virginia
forces rushed in and saved from the
wreck and ruin what was left or me
United States frigate Merrimac, after she
had been scuttled and burned to the va
ters edge. Within one month she had
been raised and locked, and ten months
later became a fighting ship. renamed the
Virginia. She was almost launched into
battle, for before the christening wine
had fairly dried upon her bows she was
in one of the most terrific engagements
recorded in the annals of naval warfare.
Discharging her workmen as she passed
into the channel, she headed for the wa
tiers filled with her enemy's ships. with
her ten guns she was about to assail
some of the most powerful whrshirs in
the world, carrying altogether more than
30 heavy guns. No single ship had ever
before entered into such an ordeal yet
no crew could have more willingly man.
ned her for IT than did hers.
DUTY TO HISTORY.
Concluding the lecture Captain Little
page said: Comrades, let us ever regard
II sacred duty to transmit 10 posterity
the facts as 10 the war; let Us ever re-
member the sacrifices and suiferlnss OF
our fallen comrades and see thai justice
f. done TO them and their memories.
Those grand old heroes who followed
Robert T. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Frank
In Buchanan, and other great leaders 10
do and TO die for what they knew 10 be
their rights; we owe II TO them and 10
ourselves that imperishable history shall
relate the truth Of their cause and Of
their herolsm. The satisfaction of duty
well done, the abiding sense that though
all else was swallowed up by relentless
fate. honor remained. yields noble in
SEPARATION TO every American TO emulate
the pure, unselfsh patriotism of the Con-
federate soldier. AS we suffered martyr
dom for our country, 90 we VIII doubly
suffer IL for the sacred memories that
bind US TO it,"
The lecture occupied about two hours
In It's delivery, and gave detailed and
well-arranged history of the exploits or
the Virginia, one much more satisfactory
than that given In the volume OF the
Naval War Records.