The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30

little incident In Hampton Itoa,ls took
pIuce. In his charming war history.
Field, Fort and Fleet" after giving
an intensely interesting detail OF tho
combat. has this to say: Every Fed
eral historian closes his account of
this engagement hy having tho Merri-
mac turn and retreat. Outside of the
Indignant denial OF her crew. scores II
Norfolk,s citizens. as we'll as 1t French
sea captain who anw every movement.
claim the Monitor ceased lighting If
ter Worden was blinded and started
for tho cover OF tho shore guns. 1t liz
: certain the Aierrimac had suffered no
ioss, her crew was full or light. and
/; there MAS no reason why sic should
have cried quits
Lieutenant Cutesby Zones. com
mandtng the Nirginlu in this cDmbnt,
: agrees. in his report. with CuptaintNan
Brunt; yet in the face OF evidence
produced from both sides there are
partisans who pose as historians who
repeat the SANDER and call such the
facts OF history.
SUPPOSE we supplement the story OF
the Hampton Roads battle or March 8
Win some subsequent data. Such Will
nave some bearing on the facts of
history" u
On the return OF the virginia TO
Norfolk she was placed III thc dry dock
and repaired, her bow stincncd anu
PROV replaced, her damaged armor
plntes replaced und i3e new platcs
OF 2Sf tons added 10 her armor. The
Two damaged rifles replaced. improved
solid shot added TO her ammunition
and her steering gcor improved. The
ahip was placed under the commau !
Of Admiral Josiah liattnnll. of Georgia.
and OH April IL The ship again passed
out OF the Elizabeth River into Hamp-
ton Roads and offered battle. The
virginia steamed down not fnr FROM
Fortress Monroe oni the RoprnpB and
sent her wooocn consorts In, which
cut out three vessels from under tho
guns Of Fort Monroe and towcd them
as captures back to Norfolk.
Here was tho gauge OF battle thrown
down, but the Monitor. with 6team ny,
remained at anchor. II she had driven
The Virginia from the field on March 0
there should have been confidence In
hcr ability to again do so. hut no
movement was made hy tho Monitor
toward another test Of guns and armor.
FOR the next four weeks tho Vir-
Sinia ~alternatcd between Norfolk har-
Dor and Hampton Roads, hut tho Moni-
tor carefully refraiMed from any hos
tile movement. Matters werc now draw
Ing 10 . crisis in the career OF tho
virginia. Furnishes operations on tho
North Carolina coast put the t.onfed-
crate possession of Norfolk in Jeopardy.
McClcllan was preparing to descend
the Potomac with his army. Orders
were Issued to transfer as much ord
nance and stores as possible from Nor
folk, aud preparations made to eva
ciatc the city.
May $ Captain James Bytrs OF the
tug J. b. White was instructor 70 prn-
ceed carly that morning 10 Scwolls
Foint to tow back TO Norfolk n vessel
containing the most valuable gun at
that placc-an I1-inch Columbiad.
Captain Eycrs steamed past the poirt
and putting on all speed for Fort Nom
roc, deserted to the enemy. and gave
ocnsral Wood fun information of the
condition OF affairs ut Norfolk.
Promptly General Wood disputchcd
the " ironclads, Monitor and Narsa-
tuck, the sloops-of-war Susuuchannn
and San J%ncinto. with the Gunboats
Seminole and ncikotah, to lombard The
Confederate batteries at Sewell's Point.
These batteries We're being d%ismantlcd
preparatory to tho evacuation of Nor
folk and were therefore illv prcpnrsd
for tho attack.
Tho Virginia was taking on stores at
the navy yard ut the timo the bonn
oardment began, and as soon as steam
could no gotten up the ship u out for
the scene of conflict. As the Virginia
rounded the point tho six vessels en-
gaged in bombardmcnt. tho last ono OF
them. abandoned the attack and sought
cover under the guns OF Fortress Mou-
roe.
Tho evacuation OF Norfolk brought
the brief career OF tho ironclad Vir-
ginia TO a tragic end. Admiral Tart
nall ltghtencd her as much as possi-
bic In order to get her mp tho James,
even TO the point OF exposing the hull
below her nrmor belt. -