The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-05
The First Ironclads.


written and many accounts of the bat
tie have been related, but in every case
| errors have crept In. AT last we have
a narrative which is probably the
nearest to accuracy of any that has
| proceeded from any source. 1t is from
| Norfolk, trained newspaper man, who
| was living in Norfolk at the time, and
| he says that with a few exceptions the
writer witnessed every movement that
is depicted" In addition to his per-
sonal knowledge, he has carefully
searched the official records, and sub
stimulates by them practically every
statement that he makes.
The booklet which he has published
is gotten up in the best style of the
printers art and contains number of
half-tone engravings, illustrating the
Virglnia's career, together with por-
traits of the Confederates who planned.
constructed and manned the Virginia.
We have no space to give even an
outline of the engagement as related
by Mr.. Fiveash but in order to set at
rest some important points in dispute,
we reproduce in full his description of
the Virginia. He says:
THE Virginia was 262 feet inches
long and she drew % feet when ready
for action. Her shield was l6I feet
inches in length. and was covered with
two layers OF iron that were rolled at
~. sV,.,, JrA kC In, IL
The plates were eight inches wide, two
inches thick and about twenty feet
long. Their capacity for resistance
was tested by Lieutenant John NJ.
Brooke, of the Ordnance Department.
at Richmond. The first layer ran fore
and aft and the top layer was placed
up and down. The timber backing was
twenty-five inches thick. and the iron
armor four inches. Her shutters
were of hammered iron, four inches,
thick, and her pilot houses We're of
cast iron twelve inches thlck,
with four holes each for observation.
They were placed at each end of her
shield. The pitch of the gun deck was
seven feet. and the iron grating above.
forming IA deck, was two inches thick
There were three hatchways in the top
of the grating, with pivot shutters. She
carried two seventeen rifled pivot
guns one at the bow and the other at
the stern, and eight nine-inch Dahlgren
guns. four on each side Two or the
latter were disabled during the first
davis fight by shell corning into she
port-holes. and they were replaced
later nv two six-inch rifled guns. me
port holes of her bow and stern guns
(six in all, three at each end OIL the
shield) were protected by shutters oh
the sth and 9th of March. Ihe otner
port-holes, eight in number were
not"
This clears up the popular error that
the Virginia was clad with raiiroad
iron IT Is a fact, however, that before
she went into the engagement her
plates were generously coated with
.al1ow, which caused the sholls merei-
,ess,v fired at her to glance off as they
struck
Mr.. Fiveash also establishes the faet
that after the Monitor had once met
The Virginia, she refused to accept the
yircinia's challenge for a second en-
pe s,cment He recalls that after the
hot,1e of March 9th the Virginia re-
turned to the navy-yard at Ports
mouth somewhat the worse for her eN-
| uerience, but by no means disabled.
ronairs we're made, after which she
was in far better condition than "hen
| she first went to war. On May sur,
after II had been decided to evacuate
Norfolk, a squadron, composed of the
iron c,ads Monitor and Saugatuck
Sunboats Seminole and Dakotah, and
stoops-of-war Susauchanna and san
.Jacinto. began to lombard the bat
teries at Sewell's Point. where the eX-
position is now being held. Tho Nir-
ginta at once started to Hampton
Roads to give battle. When sh'
cached Craney Island. where there !:
bend in the river. and came into
-yew of the six Federal vessels named
.they all took to their heels and ran tt
Old Point, where they nestled unde1
t the protection OF the fort, The his
/ ,orical accuracy of this statement, say
) 10 a Telegram, from Commodore Colds
/, borough TO President Lincoln, to tn
/ logs of the Federal vessels, to report
, of Captain John 2 ellis, OF the Semi
! mole, and Lieutenant Constable, of TIL
,teamer f. A, Evans, and TO other docrl
mentary evidence
He also recalls that few years ATTIC
Q the war Congress was asked to pa
/; prize money TO Captain Wordcn an
/, crew, Of the Mopitor, for their sci
: vices in destroying the Virginia" III
o whole subject of the Virginias opcrf
g lions was then carefully investigate
$ by the House Committee OH Naval A
g fairs, ard ON May 81, 1854, Mr., Ballel
Q tine, for the committee, submitted II
! port rejecting the claim, on the grouI
i that "au the evidence leads us clear
y tc the opinion that the Monitor, att
her engagement with the Merrim;
CNirginia) on the 9th of March, d
cilned again to engage her though o
) fered opportunity, and that so gre
10 apubt existed with the United Stat
l. naval and military authorities as
ST the power of the Monitor to success