Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-03

=" NC n protection.
Early In 1861 the Confederates planned
to break the federal blockade at fTamp-
ton Roads and thereby open the Eliza
beth river to Norfolk the James river
10 Richmond, Chesapeake Bay to Balti-
more and the Potomac river, to WASH
irgton. This resulted in the most i'm
portant ships duel in the history of the
world.
On the abandonment OF the Norfolk
navy yard the forty gun frigate Mer-
r'mac was burned and sunk at her moor
ings. Her hull and machinery were
net seriously injured, however, and for
the purpose Of raising the blockade at
Hampton Roads the Confederates raised
the Merrimac and placed her hull in
dock and decked her over just above the
water line. Upon this they built a
cnsenate or superstructure of solid oak
with sides twenty four inches in thick
ness and seven feet in height incining
at an angle of forty-ive degrees This
they covered with two thicknesses OF
two inch iron plate. She was provided
with ram and armed with six nine inch
Oahlgrens and four six inch rifles on
the Sth day Of May, 1862. she dropped
down the Eliza beth river to Hampton
Roads. accompanied by the gunboats
beaufort and Raleigh. At Newport
News at the mouth of the James river
lay the United States fifty gun frigate
Congress and the twenty-four gun sloop
Of war Cumberland. while further down
| or Fortress Monroe lay the sail fr,sate
81. Lawrence and the steam frigate Min
resota and Roanoal,e. sisters of the for
iner Merrmac. The Merrmac entered
Roads IN etc
rectly for the Cumhorl.n nd under a ter
rife FIRE poured from that ship falling
upon the i~onclad caScrate oe the Var-
illnac ana clauc'ny off like ha!lstnl es
TIC fire If th" Cumberland did not oven
retard the Merrirac which ram,nod the
Cumberland amdshins driving the ram
| through her hull with such force rs 10
break Il of and leave it sticking in the
'umberland's side. The wound vas NOR
tat and the Cumberland sank. carrying
'""n the wounded ana many Of tie
ere ",
Th" Mor-!01oc net a-sa'i"l the Con-
CESS which was bun 10 shore In the
nope nj saving her; but the Morrirnc
ret being able 10 roTch her on account
! or the depth II water. pounded har' rner-
o'lfssly until ST." SURRENDERED Being un-
B ]
News the M'rrlTHc YES unable to take
losseSS'"n Of The Conrross mi she tllere-
upon fired hot Shot into her hull until
she was set on fire and burned IN III,
waters edge. The Merrimac nrxt turned
her attention to the Minncsot, which had
started for the relief Of the Cumberland
and Congress but running aground
stuck, and as the Merrimac could not
/ IN he ,l,o lie
| night was coming on she withdrew TO
sewall's Point and waited FOR another
day
The news Of the victory of the Merri-
mac spread rapidly throughout the coun.
t,y carrying CONSERVATION through the
North and especially at Washington It
was apparent that no federal shin could
either destroy or stand up against her.
and that the blockade was at her mercy
The sail and steam frgates Of the old
navy were as clay IN the potter's hand"
Throughout the whole North the night
of May s. 1852. may easily he called the
Ga-kest night Of the war. But as evening
came on and the flames of the burning
Congress lirhted up the waters of Hanp-
tor Foods. new defender Of the flag
sroeared. Frail and nuny in appear
face OF the deris.on Of the old officers of
tie navy. the subject Of jib>s and coz
temptuous thrusts of the newspapers Of
the North. commonly called The Cheese
rub" tho little Monitor destined 10
rovolutionlze the navi>s of the word
silently steamed in between the Canes
of Liberty and tool; her MACE beside the
srounded Minnesota. How she accented
the challenge of the Merrnac OF the
next morning and the details of this
most famous snip dueI that followed ii is
unnecessary 10 Hesc9'he, bit at the end
~ tne engagement when - now gen"r-
any coAcedeo 70 nave peen ind'olSiVe
the Merritnac "'thdreW to Norfoik and
'eft the Monitor IN possession of the
heIh'
me blockade remained unbroken. the
Monitor soon foundsred at sea. the Mer-
rlmac was blown up by her own COM
nander: but that duel at Hampton
Reads rung the curtain down forever
nron the wooden ship Of the line and
decreed mat henceforth the turr"t and
the plated casemate should control the
raves OF the world
ire MISSISSIPPI was the great high
way ~ war. The South had been slow
as compared with the North IN the de-
"''opment Of rcchanical industries and
IVES corerspondinsly behind In the de-
Vfiopment OF railroads; and the Missis-
s!fpi river became the great artery Of
commerce. Tho Con:eterates early real
'zed its importance in extending their
territory westward and the more hope
fully looked forward to the time when