The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30
The Newport News batteries until she

the Newport News batteries until She
grounded.
Securing . position where she coul.i
rake the Congress-, the v~irglnia's fire
proved so destructive soon two whitG
nngs signallcd her, surrender. Buchnn-
AN ct once ceased firing and ordered
tho gunbonts Raleigh, under command
or Lieutenant W. IL. Parker and the
Beaufort. under Lieutenant J. w. Alex
Hndcr. to proceed alongside. retain the
officers. but allow the enlisted men
10 make their way ashore.
Trehcherously, fire was opened upon
the ConfedcratrY from the shore and
Ms some assert. from the Congress-.
Lieutenant Minor and several of his
men were wounded. while Captain
buchanan also was shot in the leg. dis
Aiding him.
The gunboats were recalled and the
Virginia then hinpc ~incendinry shells
! and hot shot into the Congress, which
soon Set her on fire. her magazine en-
llodirg near midnight. The loss or
the Congress was also III men and
officers.
In the Roads also were the United
states fri8ates Minnesota. Roanoke and
st. Lawrence. These wero lower down
neur Fortress Monroe. bus when the
action with the Cumberland and Con
gree5 began started up the Roads to
jointly engage this fearful Confederate
monster.
Those ships got around and the Vir
sinin engaged them ut long range. The
Roanoke and st. Lawrence succeeded
getting off the shoals and proceeded
back to Fortress Monroe. The Mime
sofa, however. was hopelessly aground,
! but ct such a distance from tho Vir-
ginia her ariiiIcry practice Was not
very effective.
Darkness dropping ncr curtain Of
night upon tho exciting scene. the .Nir-
" ~ IL, l. H r1I la ora
sunboata steamed back into Norfolk
3 harbor.
F; That night there arrived in the Roads
Ia nondescript nghtinE machine, des-
tined 10 give to the world tho new
idea Of maritime warfare. In the
"cheese-box OIL a raft'-Join Errick-
: sons Monitor-Tthe principles OF which
have been absorbed by all the mari
time powers and to-day constitute the
1 offensive and defensive naval archi-
lecture OF all the nations of the world.
This anomaly reported to Commodore
Faulding.i The Washington %nuthori-
Ties advised OF the result OF the vVir.
ginia's encounter with the wooden ves-
sells OF tho United States Navy, ordered
ithe Monitor to proceed 1T once up the
Potomac to guard ut the river and pro-
tect tho water approach to Washington
This order was dIsrcgardcd and the
Monitor proceeded TO where the Minnc-
sofa had grounded.
The successes of the Sth gave tho
o%Hicors and crew OF the Virginia as
surance of mastery of the Roads, and
on tho 9th tho dreaded monster steam
ed slowly out OF the Elizabeth River
intent on completing the destruction
of all the Federal vessels that could
be reached. 4 q
As the Virginia proceeded to take
the best and ncnrcst approach IL could
reach. by which TO open fire upon the
E II n n M n ISL ia. 90 - On n mn 49, "a - - E.1-.
under the cover OF the wooden frigatc.
nrinE as 1t advanced.
At first the Virginia d~isresardei her
fire. but soon the heavy 11-inch shots
OF the Monitor compelled attention,
and then-the W crafts boca me engag-
cd at close quarters.
At times these strange crafts were
in actual contact. and for four hours
rained shot and shell upon their re-
spectlve armored sides.
Once the Virginia grounded; then
tho light draft Yankee nondcscript cir
cled the grounded Confederate mon
ster three times trying to ind a weak
spot In her armor. Thon the Virginia
got OFF the shoal and q shot from
one of her rifle guns crashed against
the pilot house Of the Monitor. Com
mander WOrden and his chief engineer
We're at the coming crevicc, scanning
80 NV HAt itGiA III GltHi-
neer discovered one of tho rifle guns
trained upon tho pilot house and warn
ed Worden TO drop from tho crevice.
But too lato came tho warning. ~ rifle
shell crashed against the btaunch ten
b~y-seven solid iron logs. and the CON
cussion and spllntors blinded and
wounded Worden. Lieutenant Green
was hastily from the turrct
to assume command.
Many Northern writer's and so-called
historians have credited the Monitor
with victory In this great battle. For
four hours had these novel antagonists
battered each other, each intent on the
destruction of the other.
No Confederate authority acknow-
ledEsc defeat OF the Virginia. but insist
that Victory inid her crown of i'm
Virginia.
In the recent autobiography OF Cen
eral Nelson ~. Miles. III serial sketches
in the Cosmopolitan Magazine. that OK
officer has this tn say: After the
waters OF the Chesapeake had been
! made safe by tho decisive victory of tho
Monitor In the battle with the Con-
federate ironclad Mcrrimac. In Hamp-
ton Roads. tho Army Of the Potomac
was moved down the Potomac and up
tho James and York rivers"
General Miles ought to be considered
pretty good authority, but he has not
consulted facts in this case. have
stated. no Confederate authority adj
mits tho defeat OF tho Virginia. We
will introduce two witnesses Of Cen
eral Miles W to controvcrt or rcbut
his testimony.
Captain q. !. Van Brunt, commanding
the grounded frigate Minnesota. OIL the
10th of March. tho day after the combat
between the Virginia and the Monitor,
made his formal report of tic part IN
which, his ship figured. Quoting from
that report. referring 10 the time when
tho Virginia had run aground: aAs
soon as she got off she stood down the
hay, tho little buttory (thn Monitor)
chasing her with all speed. when sud
denly the Merrlmac turned around and
ran full speed into her antagonist
For n moment I, was anxious, hut n
stantly I saw n shot flung into tho iron
roof Of tho Merrimac. which surely