The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-07

er and was capable Of making four
miles nm hour. She possessed little
buoancy, the waves washing upon her
sides like upon tho beach. But II was
with great expectations that the people
of Norfolk and the naval officers
watched her proceed to completion. an
expectation that was amply fulfilled.
AT Norfolk. on March Z. 1862, under
command of Commodore Franklin
Buchanan. a Marylander. was the Mer-
rlmnc, her name changed to the Virgin
la. with ten guns, the Raleigh and
Beaufort. each one gun. the remnants
of Lynch's fleet of seven small vessels.
all OF which were sunk and destroyed
In the fight at Roanoke Island. Lying
In the James River off Mulberry Point
were the Patrick Henry, ten guns: the
jamestown, two guns; and the Tcaser.
one gun. All wooden ships and part VI
Buchanans command. Captain John
r. Tucker commanding the Patrick
Henry. Captain Barney the jamestown.
and Lieutenant West. the Teaser while
Lieutenant Alexander commanded the
Raleigh, and Lieutenant Parker tile
Beaufort.
were the United States sailing frigate
Congress. fifty guns: the sailing sloop
G 6, twenty four guns; or
were the steam frigates minnesota
and Roanoke. fifty guns each; sailing
frigates st. Lawrence and Brandywine.
each fifty guns. and ten or twelve
smaller gunhoats. carrying from one
to five guns each. In fact, the masts
and spars were so thick that 1t re-
minded one OF forest OF dead trees.
As the writer was attached to the
Patrick Henry. he gives the evidence
March 18th the James River fleet had
dropped down from Mulberry Point to
Days Point. which latter place WAS
about five miles above Newport News.
AT Newport News lay the Congress
and Cumberland. and on shore the
enemy had a chain of three batteries.
forty guns in all The channel at this
point is about 500 yards wide running
across into shore. With this descrip-
ton of surroundings. we proceed to
tell of the naval battle that changed
the nayies OF the world.
When our little fleet dropped down
TO Days Point. we juniors knew that
there was something in the air. We
knew that the Virginia was about COM
pleted. and that when she came out we
were to join her. SO we We're all ey-
pectation, and when morning dawned
ever and anon some midshipman would
climb to the crosstrees. glass in hand
and scan Hampton Roads, only to re-
turn to the deck with no news The
dinner NOnr was i
o'clock. and we had just finished our
meal and began discussing the proba-
billty of another day of expectation.
when Midshipman Dyke. on watch.
rushed down into the steerage, scream
ing like n mailman: She's coming
She's comlng!" grasped his sword and
pistol. and rushed back to his post. We
had hardly time to realize what he
had said when the drum beat the long
roll and each of us. armed, proceeded
10 an Ncy 49, Il.
the boatswain's whistle sounded, and
he sang out in that key known only
aboard ship: "All hands up anchor
ahoy" Never did men work with more
zeal, and with measured tread they
walked the capstan. until 1t seemed in
credible when the midship shipman Of
the forecastle reported anchor aweigh.
The first lieutenant replied cat and
fish it. and the big iron hook was soon
slowed to its place.
While we were getting under way, sig
nails had warned the other two vessels.
and it was not long before the three
vessels of the James River fleet We're
blowing the waters of the James at the
glory or destruction. Reader. did you
ever attend game of baseball, and
when one of the favorites made a run,
listen to the applause he got? Yet this
was not the feeling we had on that
memorable Sth OF March. 1852: 1t was
more of the natHre of the lover who
doubtful OF his lady's affections, pro-
poses and Is accepted. IT was pure
unalloyed joy. We were going into
our first action. We could IL we sur
vived, tell Of the fact that we had
smelt Eunpowder. The war might end
now: we We're of the fortunate few
that had actually been in battle. So
you see we shared our politicians
views. Onward we steamed, the vir-
GINA from Norfolk, we from James
River, and every lip. man and officer
had smile, yet in silence We stood at
our guns. Never in my experience
have I ever seen men more anxious for
a fray than were those on the Patrick
Henry, and the same may truthfully
be said of that whole little Confederate
fleet.
Elevate your guns for 500 yards!"
rang out from the trumpet in the