The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01

world to understand that the spirit or
the Confederate soldier, like the prea.l
of the Holy Man, died not win inc
prophet, but survived him. ,,-
= n. n, PAGE NJ. BAKER
Editor New Orleans imes-Defflocrat'
"Sinking The 5Merrimac."
Many are the Misrepresentation when
have appeared in Northern looks, papers 'a
md magazines about the battle between
tho Monitor ana the Virginia, or "Mer-
rmac," as she is generally known. some .
of these have been inspired by hate, ana
come by ignorance, while pension
money" to those aboard the Monitor mas
doubtless had much to do with 1t. me
greater the deeds performed on that
vessel, the greater the pension money, eS,
pecially to one whose eyes were da'lii ~ =.
while in the turret during the iisha ms te
latter claim Of damage done BY ana 70
tho widely known officer in question IS
a matter OF record.
One Of the greatest misstatements ABOUT
this matter that has recently appeared
was in an Associated Press dispatch rom
New York which appeared in q great
many papers yesterday morning, the al
vcrtiser included. f3l -
The statement in question Is found IN
4 :
Claude De Lorraine, OF whom it is said
he was chief engineer.of the Monitor
when that vessel sank the Merrimac dur
ing the Civil War.''# SO Mt last the teach
ings Of Northern histories, especially
school histories. have borne fruit-the
t"Monltor sank the Merrimac!' Mirablle
dictu, wouldn't there have been great
oodles' Of prize money for those aboard
the Monitor if 1t had only been known
4 O. nl< the Mcr-
rimac?" Oh, but wouldn't there though?
It is pitiable to think Of those poor fel-
lows on the Monitor gohg to their graves
with nothing but pension money, whereas
they might have had great chests full or
prize money rs well. for sinking that
terrible Merrimac5 GVirginla)
TO read accounts eranating from a
certain section, one might fancy that the
virginia Casually known still as the Mer-
.rlmac) was destroyed, or iust about de-
stroyed, by the Monitor, but was such
the case? It was after the sinking Of
the Cumberland by the Virginia and the
destruction of the Congress, which, tier
running UP two white flags to half-mast
as a token of surrender, after receiving
the terrible fire Of the Virginia, fired
upon boats sent to her. and scattering
CONSERVATION on all sides among the Fed
erals, that the battle between her and
as an undecided battle may be correct,
but be it undecided by the boys Of the
South TINT it was the Monitor which first
withdrew, In the ending Of that battle,
getting into shallow water, where the
Virginia could not follow, and that the
Virginia did not retire until after tho
Monitor had done so, and then slowly,
after falling to coax the Monitor again
to combat There was some damage
Sc Vlrp1rto hnt the
records show that this was done during
her previous combat with the vessels of
the Federal fleet, and not with tho Moni-
tor. 1t was q wooden vessel Of the Fed
eral fleet which did that damage and not
the IRON clad.
Another fact which one is not apt to
find in Northern histories Is that after
this combat tho Virginia stood forth for
several days, challenging the Monitor to
another trial for strength-whlch the lat
ter did not accept. and never did accept.
Sho seemed to find the guns Of Fortress
Monroe, under which she took refuge.
much moro pleasant companions than
those on the Virginia. SO she stayed out
there If the Virginia was so badly in
jured, why did not the Monitor follow
up the work when she had such excellent
Those In command found
that 1t was much easier to "claim" than
to demonstrate.
Tho Virginia at q later date (upon the
evacuation of Norfolk) was blown up, but
1t was done by Confederate hands to pre-
vent her from becoming q trophy OF
war. No alien hand took part in her de-
struction Anyone desiring fuller jnfor-
nation upon these matters will find the
document In 1.-THE Confederate States
Navy" by ]. r. Scharf. and also some
thing about the evacuation Of Richmond,
and the blowing up of tho Confederate
vessels, in Admiral Semmes' thrilling
book, memoirs of Service Afloat."
There havd really been three ''sinklngs
of the Nferrimac." Tho first was the
sinking of the war vessel of that name |
by the Federals to keep her from falling
into the hands Of the Confederates. These
latter gentlemen, who by the way, were
very enterpristng and Industrious, and
have about revolutionized modern naval
warfare in giving ironclads. torpedoes in
their present efficiency and submarine
mac, remodeled her and gave her tho
name Virginia, though the old name Is
best known. The second sinking of the
Merrmac'' was done by them. Tho
third sinking of tho Mcrrimac WAS done
at Santiago, Cuba, in recent years, by
Alabamas splendid and chivalric son.
Richmond +, Hobson.
IL is SlBnllIchlll Oh u Te-uIlllct country
that in the new warship Alabama, now
in Alabama waters. will be found COM
bined the form of nrmor In both tho Yir-
gnia and the Monitor. Anyone observe
Ing the picture OF the vessel will SEQ
there carried out the idea of the de-
fcnsive armor ns found upon the sides OF
the Virginia and also the turrets of tho
Monitor type Of vessel, Each was ef-
fective, Combined. may they ever be
mors so In her case.
1t IS a revelation Of the passage OF time
when we remember that the "Alabnma"
and the ''Kearsarge,' namesukes of tho
combatants in the fierce naval duel or
ChcrbouIg llarbor in lSGA, are now sister
ships In the United States Navy and It
may not be without further Interest to
| some to mention the fact that the char.
lain, Rev, W. q, lsaacs. upon the 'Isear-
sarge Is member in active service OF
the" Alabama Conference, NJ. Il. Church
South Truly time brings strange things
10 pass, and may unity OF heart and pur-
pose ever 'ncrease.-M Montgomery, Ala.
Advertiser.
Not in Accord With Discipline,
| An old G. A. r. veteran was IN remi-
| nlscent mood the other day, ana told the
| following story which ehop,s IN. 49,.