The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
and dismounted our guns, killed our men and
wrecked our machinery. But mono Of these

and dismounted our guns, killed our men and
wrecked our machinery. But mono OF these
things were to be.
This was ono OF the worlds great naval bat
ties in which both sides wore the same uniform.
The men on the Merrimac were largely from the
Another reason for retaining this color was the
fact that 1t alone seemed to stand tho action OF
salt water: at least no satisfactory substitute
i, The e similarity Of uniforms complicated our
and taking her by hand.to.hand asht. as we OK.
pected to do. In such a mix.up there would be
little chance to distinguish friond from foe. We
selves by tying on white sashes or white cloths
around our left arms, wore a sash. Once we
we made a feeble effort to ram her and failed.
our commander fearing the effect Of q hard
against the Monitor with a gentle bump that
hurt no one. We slid apart, firing q shot or
two. but there was no rammine and NO
During the progress Of the fight we learned
to get our bodies out OF the way ofthe Monitors
t%entions. and could tell when a shot was com
ing and about where It was likely to hit us. We
cleared ony re- one our r, ports w ChnIn,y m .n she was US. about +, e
smokestack. however, couldn't dodge. and 1t
was riddled with shot. large and smaii-in add.
the day before-till It was mostly holes. This
interfered with our. furnace draught considers.
Il was out on deck but once. Our pilothouse.
we'll forward on our low freeboard, had been
tahcu away as u needless ana CumDrOu6 anatr,
and tho commander occupied q hatchway where
1t had stood. thrusting his head above the deck
now and then to keep a survey of the scene. 1
crept out of a port and carried word of some
KIND to him. A Yankee gunner on ono OF the
ships came near saving me the trouble Of a re-
turn 70 my station. missing me not over four
feet with a small piece at good long range. /
had been feeling very brave, but I lost no time
getting under cover.
1t is another erroneous impression that the
Monitor was all that saved Washington and
New York and the other Federal seaports from
the Merrimac. The Merrimac could never have
reached any'of them. She dared not try tho short
besides, which she must have eventually sue
cumbed to the pounding she would have got
from the Federal feet. She could never have
lived through the punishment of the gums of
Fortress Monroe IL she had tried to go to WASH
ington. and the shallow Potomac would never
In the same manner to reach New York.
she could not even have defended the Con-
iederate capital against the Monitor IL the Mon
iitor had chosen to go there. Tho Monitors
light draught would have permitted her to pro-
coed up the James River and to shell Richmond
brace this chance. and in the meantime the
Confcderates blocked the river with obstruc-
lions and torpedoes, and that movement there
after became impossible. The Merrimac was a
terror to wooden ships, but she was not q ship
herself In the full sense of the ~term-nothinE
Major Long was In the blockade running ser
vice or the Confederacy and did duty in its navy
In other capacity-part of the time In engineer
Ing Work-,till he was captured, near tho close of
tho war. Soon after his release at tho close of
hostilities he got a place In the engineer corps
now assistant engineer in charge Of the east.
ern section of the Hennepin Canal