Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-06
SAW THE COMBAT BETWEEN
MONITOR AND MERRlMAC.
Calvin Burrows of Poquonoc Watched
It from Parapet of Fortress Monroe.

1t from Parapet of Fortress Monroe.
Fifty years ago next Saturday,
March 9, 1852. Calvin Burrows of Po-
Quonoc, standing guard duty on the
parapet Of Fortress Monroe. with a
musket thrown over his right Shout
der, watched with intense interest the
combat between the Monitor and the
Merrimac in Hampton Roads, says the
New London Day. The 50th anniver-
sary of that famous naval enga cement
between the Monitor and the Merrimac
reminds many Of the civil war veter-
ans of the events connected with the
battle that revOlutionized the methods
of naval warfare
Although born in the town of Gro
ton. Calvin Burrows was in Wisconsin
at the outbreak of the war and when
Lincoln sent out a country wide call
for volunteers Mr.. Burrows enlisted in
the Fourth Wisconsin battery under
Capt. G. 3. Easterly. Their first ser
vice was at Fortress Monroe The
Fourth Wisconsin was doing garrison
duty at the fortress and while the
world-famOus battle between the iron
clad engine Of war on the confederate
side ana the Insignificant looking Mon
| it0r Of the north was taking place Mr..
Burrows with the rest of his comrades,
was watching with greatest interest.
Mr.. Burrows says that when he Mer-
rimac wrought so much damage to the
ships of the federal fieet-the Congress
/ and the Conference.-The, then Private
Burrows, was delegated as one Of the
gun squad to man the famous gun.
/ then known among the soldiers as the
union gun. The gun, which was a T.
inch, rifie-cut. had been set on the
beach, and from this position the men
first saw the Monitor at the break Of
! day on March 9.
Mr. Burrows, in speaking recently
of his experiences while fighting for
! the union, told of the Joy occasioned
/ in Fortress Monroe by the sight Of the
queer looking Monitor The soldiers
had lived il a state of apprehension
since the terrorizing Of the nearby
waters by the ship Merrimac. 1t then
| appeared to all as if the Merrimac's
/ destruction of the fleet the passing Of
| Fortress Monroe and the bOmhardmenJ
| of New York was only a matter Of
| time. But the appearance of the Mon
| itOT under Lieut.. John L. Worden drove
doubt away. Mr.. Burrows saws that
9 the Monitor had laid all night under
/ the lee of federal vessel When the
/ Merrimac bore down on the federal
/ batt'eship in the morning, with the
! evident intention of adding another
1 trophy to her list, the little Monitor
( appeared from under the stern Of the
/ federal craft and Immediately engaged
the confident Merrimac. Then ensued
/ the famous combat The battle finally
+ terminated in the withdrawal Of the
Merrimac from Hampton Roads and in
fact from active warfare. 1t is said
/ that the final shot Of the battle, the
! one which ended the blo0dsehd and
! destruction, was fired from the Monitor
! from such a position that the shell
: whistled through a portfolio of the
/ Merrimac and exploded within the ar
/ mored portion, killing many and ruin
! ing the machinery. With the with
| draWal of the crippled MerTimac came
| Wild and unbounded enthusiasm from
| the troops stationed at Fortress Mon
/ roe, says Mr.. Burrows. A great dem
/ 0nstration was made over the victory.
/ for the little craft which the confeder-
| ates had contemptuousIy dubbed the
/ cheesebox on a raft" had put the
! bullying Merrimac out of action.
/ Calvin Burrows was IS years old
! when he enlisted, on the first day of
/ October, 1861. 1t was on July 8. 1865.
( that he and his comrades were mus
! tered out Of service. Having gone
! through four years Of warfare, the lat
ter two being in a cavalry command
/ and doing much scouting. naturally
| Mr.. Burrows has seen considerable
service Providence has always peen
! with him, for he has never received a
| dangerous wound, although he has
| had many narrow escapes One incl
| dent which he recently recalled hap
| pened at the battle of Drury's Bluff
| He and a detachment Of cavalry had
! been securing the countryside all night
| and at the break Of day we're camping
| In a hollow Sounds of battle were
heard all about them As day broke
| an extremely thick fog set in From
the thick OF it an aide came dashing
| up on horseback and cried: For Gods
sake, captain, get your men out of here
as quick as God'H allow it," The bugie
| sounded and the detachment was off
But Mr.. Burrows in the confusion re-
| counts that his horse had strayed and
in the heavy fog he was delayed some
minutes in finding him. Then q loosen
ed girth retarded his progress and he
soon found himself alone. At that in
| slant the fog arose and Private Bur
| rows realized the extreme peril of his
| position, for he was entrapped between
the fire of the confederates and the
| union troops. He decided to make g
dash for it, which he did, and coult
hear the rebels yelling at each Other
to Kill the Yank!' He reached thu
/ unionists without mishap, however. an(
! since then was the participant in
score Of hair-breadth esca nes. Mr.
Burrows is member Of Williams post
G. A. r., in Mystic.