The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-16
what extensively by Marston, you must
Judge. Worden drew this up after
hearing NJ claim. Preserve It. Yours,
&c, v. FOX"

&c. v. FOX"
Admiral Worden's Statement.
Memoranda In reference to the move
ments of the Monitor in February and
March, 1862, and the orders under
(which) she acted prior to her leaving
New York for Hampton Roads.
On February Il / received the follow
Ing order from the navy department,
viz:
Sir: Proceed with the United States
steamer Monitor, under your command,
TO Hampton Roads, Va, and on your
arrival there report by letter to the de-
partment. .Ta, n : NJ
Commodore Pauldlng has been In
structed to charter vessel to accom-
pany the Monitor, provided none OF our
vessels are going south about the time
she sails.
Transmit to the department a muster
roll OF the crew and n separate list of
the officers OF the Monitor before SAIL
Ing from New York. ~
am. very respectfully, your obedient
servant, GIDEON WELLES. :
To Lieut.. John l.. Worden, command
ing. &c, &c. lFH
On February 81, in obedience TO the
above order. left the navy yard. New
YORK, bound for Hampton Roads, but In
going down the East river u serious de-
fect In her steering apparatus was de-
reloped, and her movements could not
be controlled. l therefore returned with
her to the yard. TO have the defect rem
edied. ~. 'fs h - y
On March 4, the Encouragement OF her
steering gear having been completed,
and a satisfactory trial OF 1t been made,
l received the following order:
Navy Yard. New York, March. a, 1862.
Lieut.. Commanding John L. Worden,
United States steamer Monitor:
Sir: When the weather permits, you
Will proceed with the Monitor under
your command to Hampton Roads. and
on your arrival report to the senior M :
val officer there
have hired the steamer James Free
born to tow the Monitor, and have d.
rected the propellers Sachem and Curri-
tuck to attend you to the mouth of the
Chesapeake. If 1t should be necessary
to retain them longer, you are author
lied to do So
When you have no further use or &C.
cas!on for the Freedom. be pleased to
give the captain a certificate, with d.
rections to return to New York. and
Immediately on his arrival report to me.
Wishing You n safe and successful pas
sage. l am, respectfully, your obedient
servant.
II. PAULDING, Commandment.
Under this order l left the navy yard
on the morning of March 8. and reached
Hampton Roads about Q p. m. of March
S, and Immediately reported In person
to Captain Marston. commanding the
Roanoke. the senior officer there. In
chnrf ipt = ii
was said by him as to any orders he
had received from the navy department
to send the Monitor up the Potomac, and
left his ship with the verbal under
standing tina, I was to go to the assist
ance of the Minnesota then aground off
Newport News, which I did Immediate
ly on my return to my ship
JOHN l.. WORDEN.
Rear Admiral United States Navy.
Washington. D. c., Feb. 2. 1882.
Captain FoS's statement that Mars
ton nor any one else had any confidence
in the Monitor after the fight" was
strengthened by his verbal description
to me Of the Decentralization OF the OFF,
Gals at Hampton Roads incident to the
advent of the Merrimac. This demon
alization was by no means surprising.
The appearance Of the ironclad was the
known element. the consequences OF
which could not be foreseen. Her ap-
parent invulnerability and her destruc-
tive powers. demonstrated at so fearful
a cost to us the day before led every
one who witnessed that demonstration
TO fear the worst. 1t was believed that
the monster portentous rumors Of
which had long been rife. could ascend
the Potomac and destroy Washington.
or even shell New York. and lay the
metropolis under contribution to her
guns. General Wood. in command at
Fort Monroe. had telegraphed 10 the
government that it was thought the
Merrimac would pass the fort that
night. Captain Marston had himself
just returned from the unequal COM
bat. leaving behind him the bones of the
Cumberland and the Minnesota, with
the Minnesota fast aground. awaiting
n similar fate with the coming OF day
light. To him. the arrival of the inslg-
niticant-looking Monitor. the Yankee
! cheese-boN on a plank" as the Confed-
crates derisvely called her could
scarcely bring much hope for the NOR
row. The testimony is that everybody
was disappointed when she came into
the Reads. for no one who had not cX-
amined her internal structure could
know anything OF her strength. and il
|. does not appear that Captain Marston
went on board of her All he did was
to give Worden verbal orders TO go to
the assistance of the Minnesota" orders
which Worden obeyed at once that
very night. Worden's action on the
next day. in leaving the Minnesota and
going out to meet the Merrimac was
on his own responsibility. for he alone
| had confidence enough In the Monitor
| 10 pit her against so formidable an an
tagonist: and TO him. together with Err
| lesson. who contrived the Monitor, his
! tory should give the credit of our de-
| liverance from one OF the greatest per-
lis that ever threatened a nation. II
was not only the safety OF few ships
| and possibly n few cities that was as
sured on thai memorable morning.
The question Of the perpetuity OF the
Union was then settled or 1t showed the
nations that would have welcomed our
| division that we We're possessed of an
arm that could defy their navies and
could defend our coasts against the
| world.
DIPHTHERIA relieved In twenty
minutes. Almost miraculous" DR..
Thomas Electric OIL. At any drug
store.