The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-05
First IroncIad Contest,


plication of armor to ships and its great
value was understood by Admiral Mac
kau, Louis Phillippe's minister Of marine
but was kept by him d profound secret
he intending to employ ii against England
should occasion arise. Ericsson about the
same date conceived the general idea OF
the monitor. In 1872 Stevens had com
menced in the United States a ship plated
! with four and one-haif inches of iron
! though the vessel was never launched
| In the Crimean war both England and
France built armored batteries Of indif-
ferent seaworthiness. These early Euro
pean ironclads were simply line Of battle
ships cut down, with one tier of guns
and amored on the water line and over
the battery. They were no radical depart
ure from the established types.
The really first effective ironclad was
the cruiser Merrimac. She had burned to
the waters edge and sunk. The confed-
| crates raised and rebuilt her. She was
covered with iron plates two inches thick
| and a bulwark was built and similarly
| covered. Attached to the bow and about
two feet under water was cast-iron ram
! projecting some distance beyond the wa
! ter. She was renamed the Virginia On
| March ?, 1852 the Merrimac steamed out
! of Norfolk harbor, and encountering the
! Cumberland, moved right under the muz-
zles of her thirty guns, the huge pro-
| jectiles hurled at her glancing harmless
| ly into the water. The Merrimac mean
while sent four shots into the wooden
ship. Then, wishing TO test her ram. Cap
tain Buchanan sailed steadily into the
Cumberland, and the iron plow struck the
union ship in the side. The shock was
hardly felt on the Merrimac, although she
Loft har lrr &c raIc ~,
Cumberland began TO sink. The guns OF
| the Merrimac did frightful havoc. More
than 100 of the crew were quickly killed,
while every one saw the ship sinking
The water drove the men from the lower
guns, but they rushed to the upper and
desperately fired their harmless shots at
the great mass of iron. With colors flying
the Cumberland sank
Having ended the Cumberland, the Mer-
rimac turned to the Congress, which had
been peppering at her. Three times she
raked her from stem to stern, and finally
secured a position about $50 yards distant,
where she could rake the Congress with
her entire broadside. The murderous
shells wrought terrible execution. But
the crew fought desperately and did not
surrender until the Congress- guns had
been dismounted.
Satisfaction that the destruction of two
of the finest ships in the United States
navy was a good days work, the Mer-
rimac retired for the night, intending to
continue the work Of humiliation upon
the morrow.
But there was a surprise in store for
the Merrimac, who the next day met her
match in the Monitor. 1t had been built
after design OF John Ericsson, who for
twenty years had been endeavoring to
secure its adoption. It was an iron-plated
raft 172 feet over all, Il feet beam, II 1-3
feet depth and with a revolving iron tur-
ret containing two guns. The target sur
face was reduced to a minimum, the hull
being less than two feet high and plated
with five inches of iron. The turret was
nine feet high and covered with eight
inches of iron. It was a floating for
tress. Impracticable it seemed at the
time, but in desperation the United States
was willing to try the experiment.
Every man on board the Monitor was
hero. They were on an experimental
craft and knew nothing of its power. Ma
val experts believed that the first shot
fired by her own guns would send her to
the bottom. The passage from New York
to Hampton Roads under the convoy of
two ships and towed by tug had been
uduSeTOuS, anu the men were OlSplrlLeu.
But they were willing to engage the Mer-
rimac.
The people who watched the naval bat
tie from the shore were astonished to see
the little craft leave her anchorage and
make for the Merrimac. The confeder-
ate cruiser had ten guns to the Monitors
two, and her crew was six times as nu-
merous.
The Monitor opened the attack and be- :
gan what has been called the most i'm
portant naval battle in the world. The
shot crashed against the sloping side of
the Merrimac, but fell harmlessly into
the water. The Merrimac returned with a
broadside, but although every shot struck
the revolving turret, none of them was
Of the least effect.
Captain Worden of the Monitor was en-
couraged, and sought his opponent at
closer range. The advantage was with
the Monitor. for the Merrimac could not
easily reach her enemy through the mar
row portfolios. but the Monitor with her
evolving turret, was able to fire from
any position. The Monitors size also led |
10 her being struck by comparatively few |
balls, and although the Merrimac fired |
vice as many shots, those of the Mont |
-or did the greatest execution.
Things were in bad condition on the |
Merrimac. The ship was working worse |
md worse. The smokestack was carried |
away and the steam went down. Twice |
'he grounded, while the Monitor. having |
out little more than half her draft, played |
around her" The shot from the big n
ie made no impression on the Monitor
( is recorded that Lieute nsnt Jones went
Q a part of the gun geek and finding
he men standing idle asked why they
we're not fighting.
why. our powder is very precious"
eplied the lieutenant land after two
iours ind that I can do her about as
much damage by swapping my thumb at
Ter every few minutes
1t was then decided to try and ram |
he Monitor and for an hour the confed-
rate maneuvered for position. but the
ionitor lodged her opponent and the
lancing blow of the Merrimac did no
amage, instead opening the Merrimac's
WI bow and making an alarming leak
While together the Monitor fred and
roke an armor plate. bulging in the
rood backing OF the Merrimac. /,
More shots were fired without effect un-
i the Merrimac directed her guns against I
be eneny's pilot-house and succeeded in
ljuring il seriously. The Monitor then / ,
18th drew, and the Merrimac. leaking | :
ably and supposing the fight over. also / !
'ithdrew. The battle was undecided but !
he purpose OF the Merrfmac was defeat I
J. In effect II was a victory for the I
Mon as the loss Of Norfolk compelled
he confederates TO fire the Merrimac to {
revent her from falling into the hands {
Z the north. The Monitor lived three '
0aths longer. She was wrecked of Cape / I
atteras while being towed to North Car s
ina &