Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-11-23
we onened fire with one Gun.

we opened fire with one gun.
''She replied to our fire. and then wei
closed in and fought each other until
after noon. Most of the time we We're
not more than 200 yards apart, and
through the portfolios as we were 60
ing to fire | caught glimpses of her
crew as they loaded their guns Find
ing she could not injure us with her
fire the Merrimac attempted to run
us down, but in doing so she swung
right alongside of US.
Il had carelessly placed my knee
| against the wall of the turret while
| leaning over for something, and when
a shot struck the outside l was flung
by the conclusion clean over both guns
to the floor of the turret. They picked
me up unconscious and took me below,
where it was fully an hour before
came to.
Lieut. Worden directed all the mr.
ing from the pilot house, through the
sight holes which had been made by
chipping out beveled spaces between the
iron logs of which the little structure
was built Our turret revolved so
much we could not tell which was bow
or stern. When a shell exploded out
side the pilot house powder was nung
through the sight holes into the com
mander's eyes, and this, together win
the fact that the ammunition in the
turret was all gone, and 1t was neces
sary to get the tower into certain
position in order to hoist more out Oh
the hold, caused us to Withdraw from
action When we were ready TO go at
it again the Merrimac was on her way
back to Norfolk.
"She came out six weeks later While
we were bombarding Sewelrs Point.
and defied the Union fleet, which I'M
mediately scattered back for fortress
Monroe, and remained constant
source of menace until President LIN
cola and Secretary Stanton came down
from Washington in the old revenue
cutter Miami formerly the Engllsh
Yacht Lady Marchand. They went over
to Lynnhaven bay and spent the oay'
and when they came back orders were
given that no boats should leave tof-
trass Monroe except under orders, but
that the Monitor must go up to Nor
folk.
THE officers of the Monitor, some
time before, had joined in petition 70
the President to be allowed to tind the
Merrimac and destroy her, but he had
replied that we had only one Monitor
and could not risk her. Norfolk, now
ever. had fallen in the meantime, ana
the Merrimac, thus without a base, still
remained in the Elizabeth river. IL
was on May 8 that we got orders TO
proceed to Norfolk early the next
morning. The Merrimac's officers, 1t
turned out, finding that Norfolk was
lost, had returned to make an eHort
to pass our fleet and go up the James
river to Richmond, and had lightened
their craft by throwing overheard all
ballast, spare stores and everything
movable but powder and shot.
Just after we had gotten under way
we made out the Merrimac passing
Sewell's Point. Nearly everybody that
could came on deck to watch her. Inn
mediately after we had caught sight OF
her it seemed as If the whole vessel
was suddenly lifted from the water,
and, bursting apart, scattered In every
direction. That was the end OF the
Merrimac. We captured two OF her
midshpmen later in the day and learn
ed that her commander, finding that,
with the westerly wind blowing, the
tide would go down so that he would
still be unable to get up the James
river, had determined to blow her up.
eve lay at Washington until Deem
Der, I think it was, when we sailed
under sealed orders for Hampton
Roads. On Dec. % the steamboat
Rhode Island took us in tow and we
got as far as Hatteras, when l left the
vessel in a considerable state of dis.
habille."
How was that"
well, 1 have seen weather just as
bad in those parts many times since
but it was blowing pretty hard from
the southwest and the Rhode Island.
being a powerful steamship, towed us
faster than our engines could keep UP
with, and the sea beating under our
ffteen-foot overhang at the bow, ripped
us apart, Notwithstanding Col. William
F. Church, who gives another reason
for the disaster that overlook us. The
Monitors upper part was separate
structure from the tower, to which il
was riveted, and the big seas body cut.
ting towline?" suggested Capt New.
comb. who was present at the inter
view.
well, that was nothing" was the re
ply. You see, l was pretty sure ]
was going down anyhow, so when Capt.
Bankhead, who was in command, sang
out that he wanted the towline cut !
decided minute or two wouldn't make
much difference, and, picking up a
Ratchet, made my way forward hold.
| ing on to the rail, followed by two