The National tribune., 1907-08-15

ing. One Monitor or one Merrimac
could defeat, sink, destroy or drive off
all the hearts of oak" in the gigantic
British navy. Therefore the battle
produced the profoundest sensation ev-
erywhere. and its incidents were studied
with deep attention by naval men and
Statesmen.s
McClellan's Plans Deranged.
Gen. Mcclellan at once halted in his
plans for the Peninsular campaign, be-
gan providing for the safety of the
men and vessels already at Fort Mon
roe, and calling upon the navy to get
rid OF the Merrimac, so that he could
proceed with his operations.
Letter from the Monitors Crew.
The battle produced another effect
upon the combatants. 1t dissipated all
rsiiance on wooden ships on both sides
The Merrimac became the. only guard
against the Monitors retaking Norfolk
and ascending to Richmond. The Moni-
tor was the only obstacle to the Merri-
macs bombarding Washington and
laying the seacoast cities under con-
tribution. Therefore both sides became
exceedingly careful of their single IRON
clad, and neither was allowed to yen-
ture far from the supporting batteries
on shore. The Merrimac came out a
Little ways once, and captured a trans
port which had ventured too far up, but
the Monitor was not allowed to. engage.
her. The Southern papers made great
blow over this, which drew out the fol-
lowing touching letter signed by the
Monitors crew:
Hampton Roads, April oath 1852
U. S. Monitor
To our Dear and Honored Captain.
Dear Sir: These few lines is from your
own Crew of the Monitor with there
kinHnSt Love tn thara
Captain Hoping to God that they will
have the pleasure of Welcoming YOU
Back to US again Soon for we are all
Ready able and willing to meet Death
or any thing else only gives us Back
our own Captain again Dear Captain
We have got your Pilot house fixed and
all Ready for you when you get well
again and We all Sincerely hope that
soon we will have the pleasure of well
coming you Back to it again. for since
you left us we have had no pleasure on
Board of the Monitor we once was
happy on Board of our little Monitor.
But since we lost you we have Lost our
all that was Dear to us Sti1D we are
Waiting very Patiently to engage our
Antagonist If we could only get a
chance to do so the last time she came
out we all thought we would have the
Pleasure of Sinking her. But we all
got Disappointed for we did not fire one
Shot and the Norfolk papers Says we are
Coward in the Monitor and all we want
is chance to Shew them where it lies
with you for our Captain We can teach
them who is Cowards But there is a
great Deal that we would like to write
to you But We think you will soon
be with us again yourself. But we all
join in with our Kindest Love to you
hoping that God will Restore you to
us again and hoping that your Suffer-
| inSS IS at an end now and We are all so
glad to hear that your eye Sight will
be SPARED to you again, we would wish
TO write more to you if We have your
Permission to do so But at Present we
all conclude By rendering to you our
Kindest Love and affection to our Dear
and Honered Captain.
We remain until Death your Affec-
| tionate Crew
THE MONITORS BOYS.
1ndorSement)
This letter was addressed to me. on
the envelope which. covered it, at
washington, ID. c., and was received
two or three days after its date.
I JOHN L. WORDEN
ITO be continued