The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
FIGHT OF THE MONITOR.
NEW LIGHT ON THE FAMOUS EN-
GdGBMENT IN HAMPTON ROADS.
Major Jauies G. Long or Tiskiiwa. H.. who
Fought on tho Merrimac. Says There Are
Some Misapprehensions About the FlEht-It
was Not N eiodrnmatic and ..Was q Draws

Some Interpretations About the FlEht-It
Was Not Meiodrnmatic and WA q Draw"
From the Chicago Record.
TIsKILwA, ILL.,, Feb. 27.-On the morning Of
March 8. 1862, hearts OF the nation, North and
South. stood still while the Monitor fought the
Merrimac to a draw in Hampton Roads. Or
either crew there are few survivors. Tho death
Of Admiral Worden recently removed the last
officer, and the last man but one Of the Monitor
while OF the $40 men on the Merrimac that day,
not more than a corporal's guard are living now.
One of these men is Major James c. Long of It's.
kilwa. He Is only 50 years old, and SO was only
10 when he went through this historic battle
that rcvolutionizcd the naval architecture of
the world. But his recollection of the eventful
day is very clear and distinct.
Major Long was born at Chattanooga, Tenn.
From her doorway his mother was able to see
by day and night most Of the famous battle of
Lookout Mountain. At an carly age he entered
Annapolis Naval Academy and upon the out
break OF the war he followed the lead OF the Off.
GERS who sided with the South and was placed
in a midshipman's berth. In this capacity he
served on the Merrimac. A large proportion of
the officers at Annapolis refused to fight the old
nag, though some Of them were men of Southern
birth; but most of the Southerners there es-
poused the cause of the Confederacy.
The Merrimac was the old United States frig.
nte Of that name rebuilt. She was remodelled
so that she was, really only a floating battery,
declares Major Long. She was armored to the
water line. but not below 1t. She drew twenty
three feet of water, but she had such a load on
her upper works In the armor that she carried
ina she was topheavy and could never have
course. but inclined to be unwieldy and slow and
awkward in the handling.
of " Sa9 d aEsw Nc! s enjSy N Ihs unlimited panH eSradenes
AFRAID she might get a ram or a shot below the
Onr npR nI aGnn M NrnnlH n n atNNnl UA nI1rll
have had no moro chance of making land than had
the crew OF the Cumberland, which we sunk the
Nag up, her guns firing ut us and hcr crew cheer.
iSg to the last. II the Monitor had rammed us
10 land a shot or two there. 1t would have been
no drawn battle.
about the ficht." saws S Iiaiic Lonpgp' "ft Is .
general belief that these two ships st teamed
about in Hampton. Roads. each man9uvrlnR TO
md the other at disadvantage. sometimes Crap
ping. almost, and firing all the time; that. in
iact' their guns kept up a continuous roar. This
The Monitor arrived in Hampton Roads on
the night OF March 3. On that day the Mcrri-
ships at her pleasure. She was proof against
their projectiles. and could shatter them with
Cumberland, burned the Congress and left the
minnesota aground. a picked prey for the fol-
the next morning she found herself opposed by
the Monitor and tho battle ensued; the wooden
ships. The helpless victims Of the day before.
The fight lasted six hours, but it was not
melodramatic cannonading. In the six hours
Merrimac only f~orty.six. a total of eighty.seven.
The Monitor carried two guns, the Mcrrimao
seven shots each. There were TINES when i6ss sew.
eral reports came within the space OF u few min
utes: but this did not often happen.
We had orders to dre whenever we could
oring a gun TO bear, regardless OF other circum-
s Wss tSat t hes sb only bs9 %% oIifsrHd n Of +, this .so order
possible range; Much time was. consumed in
man9uyring the ships. each trying to get as
much advantage as possible while allowing the
least TO Its adversary. The Monitors two guns
were placed side by side. but were never fired
tunity. The Merrimac'se eleven guns were placed
four on a side, two at the bow and one oom.
sides. but never did during the whole engage
ment, principally because the, Monitor was Sd
be brought 10 be bear on her at once.
"Provitence, or fate or blind luck or mans
aaek OF foresight, SO arranged the ammunition
could win on that day. The Monitor had two
smooth6ore shell guns. not adapted 10 the high
which, possibly. would have been dangerous il
solid hot were used. unless the powder charge
ordnance, department not to exceed fifteen
pcuR!s q powder. but she used solid shot.
calibrc rifles. and could burn any amount of
powder IN them, but she had not expected ID do
far more effective against wooden ships t az
were solid shot, she carried nothing else.
Inc result OF thoSe lnadaptatiOns was a sim
gulHr ineficiency in both ships. The Monitor
could peg solid shot AT the Merrimac, but at
only anont half the proper velocity. Some OF
these shot started our seams and we had some
bent arnior plates, but none of these Injuries |
were serious. IT. happened that none OF the
Monitors lightning struck us twice In the same
place. On the other hand. the Merrimac, while
able TO. load powder enough to give
her shells the higher muzzle velocity.
could not strike a telling blow with them |
against tho Monitors smooth iron turret, be.
cause they, were deficient in weight. They hit |
the mark, but they shattered as harmlessly as
snowballs would break against u barn, They
were percussion shells aud broke on contact.
Inc one that burst outside The grated port
throuEh which Commander Worden was looking |
was the only one that inflicted damage OF con.
sequence, and u hurt the man. not the Monitor.
IL the Merrimac hnd used solid shot, as did
the Monitor, there is little reason to doubt thar
she would, have won. The Monitors turret
gould hardly have stood the hammering. II Inc
Monitor. on the other hand. had carried guns
equal 70 those we had. SO that she could have