The National tribune., 1910-07-07

of the Passes to IL miles above New
Orleans"
Saved the Mahaski.
Peter Bauer Watseka, ILL.,. writes:
"In 1864 was fireman on the Mahas-
XII. She was lying in front of st. Marks,
Fla. One very hot day the Engineer
ordered one of his men to bring a can
of oil from the oil room. He opened
the door, but Immediately closed 1t
again. He seemed dazed. I was or
dered to go and see what was the mat
ter. On opening the door / found the
room filled with gas, and realizing the
danger, 1 took a long breath. and. leap
ing across the room, opened port hole
AS / turned to leave a flame of fire
came from pile of oil waste. The fire
was but few inches from large tank
of oil. 1 got hold of the burning waste,
dragged 1t out and threw it overheard,
and was almost overcome by the gas.
The Engineer told me that If l ever
needed help to call on him in Boston,
but never did, because 1 have been in
the West ever since"
Loss of the Ram Merrimac.
VIM. Simmons, Commander of the
Flying Squadron of Naval Veterans, U.
S. Navy, writes:
"The Merrimac was originally
steam screw frigate of 5000 tons Gao
guns), built at Charlestown, Mass, in
1855, her last service in the Navy being
in the Pacific Squadron, commanded by
Capt. Robert 3. Hitchcock. She was at
Norfolk, Va, when the war began and
when the Navy Yard there was evac-
uated. She was sunk in the Elizabeth
River on the night of April 20, 1851.
On April 25 her guns were removed
and sent to Sewell's Point for the de-
fense of Norfolk. The Confederates de-
cided to raise the vessel, and succeeded
in doing so on May 80, 1851. She was
then placed in the drydock, where the
work of transformation began under
the supervision of Engineer VIM. P.
Williamson and Naval Constructor John
l.. Porter.
1.-The Navy Yard was at that time
commanded by Capt. French Forrest,
who was authorized to extend every fa-
cility in his power to ironclad the Mer-
rimac and put her in serviceable condi-
tion at once. Mechanics and laborers
were employed on the vessel day and
night She was cut down to her berth
deck to within three and a half feet of
her water line. Then there was erect
ed at an angle of As degrees a roof of
pitch-pine and oak "a inches thick, ex-
tending from the water line to a hight
over the gundeck of seven feet.
THE iron plating which covered the
wood backing was rolled at the Trede-
two inches thick, put on in two layers.
The vessel was also protected by cast
iron Prov, which extended four feet
under the water. The pilot house was
forward of the smokestack, and covered
with the same thickness of iron as her
sides. Every effort was made by her
builders to hasten the completion of the
vessel
"She was ready for service and COM
missioned as the Virginia Feb. "a, 1862.
Her battery consisted of 10 guns, six
of which were nine-inch smoothbore
broadsides. Her crew consisted of about
900 men, selected with some difficulty
from a New Orleans regiment of Ma
gruder's Brigade, then at yorktown,
Va. The following is believed to be a
correct list of her officers: Capt. Frank
lin Buchanan. Lieut.. c. A. r. Jones.
Ordnance Officers C. c. Sims. r. d.
Minor, Hunter Davidson. ]. T. Wood, J.
/. Eggleston and Walter Butt; Midship-
men r. c. Foote, III. Maundicke, II. B.
Littlepage, w. C. Craig, J. C. Long, L.
NJ. Rootes; Paymaster James Sample,
Surg. d. Phillips; Engineers H. A. Ram
sey, w. lyman, Louden Campbell, c.
A. Jack. Robert Wright, Benjamin Her
ring; Gunner G. B. Oliver Carpenter
Hugh Lindsay and Captain of Marines
A. s. Gurrett.
Destroys the Cumberland and Congress.
March s, 1862, the Virginia left Nor
folk Navy Yard and steamed slowly
down the Elizabeth River, accompanied
by the tugboats Beaufort. and Raleigh.
On reaching Sewells Point Capt. Buch-
anan turned the Virginia and her es-
corts towards Newport News. where the
Congress and Cumberland were at
anchor. These two vessels were de-
stroyed b ythe Virginia in less than two
hours. The Virginia was taken to Nor
folk Navy Yord for some needed re-
pairs after that engagement. 1t was
found during the battle that her steer
ing gear was unreliable and her engines
very defective.
THE little Monitor, under Capt. John
l.. Worden, arrived from New York at
Hampton Roads on the night of March
s, and the next day, March 9, the Vir-
ginia returned to the scene of its pre-
vious days exploits. and an unexpected
adversary, the little Monitor, was en-
countered, and an engagement between
the two vessels resulted in the defeat of
the Virginia and her return to Norfolk
in a sinking condition. One man was
killed on the Virginia and Capt. Buch-
anan was seriously wounded The ves-
sci was put in drydock again, and her
Captain relieved of command. His sue
cessor, Josiah Tatnall, assumed COM
mand on March %. About May l, 1862
it was evident that the Union forces
wanted Norfolk and wanted it badly. so
a combined army and navy expedition
against it was determined upon. Rather
than submit to capture, the COnfeder-
ates, under Gen. Huger, decided to evac-
uate, which was done rather hastily.
THE disposition of the Virginia was
a problem. She was not able to go
anywhere, so by order of her new COM
mander, Josiah Tatnall, she was set on
fire and blown up May II. The destruc-
tion was great surprise to the South
ern people generally, and the Confed-
crate Navy Department appointed a
board to inquire into the cause of it's
loss This Court consisted of Capts
Forrest, Ingraham and Lynch, and it's
conclusions were not very compliment
tary to Capt. Tatnall. They declared
that the vessel should have been saved
Capt. Tatnall then demanded a court
martial, and his request was promptly
complied with, and he was exonerated
In the following language: The only
alternative was to abandon and burn
the ship then and there, which, in the
judgment of the Court, was deliberately
and wisely done by order of the ac-
cused.'
Capt Tatnall was sormely an officer
in the u. S. Navy, from which he re-
signed Feb. 1, 1861 Capt. John l..
Worden wss appointed Midshipman
Jan. IL, 1885, and his first service was
on board the sloop-of-war Erie, in the
Brazil Squadron, after which he served
at the Naval Observatory, then on the
Relief and Southampton in the Pacific
Squadron; commissioned Lieutenant
Nov. 80, 1916, he was on the Ohio, Cum
berland and Savannah in the order