Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-02
TO CELEBRATE
GREAT SEA FIGHT
Fiftieth Anniversary of Moni-
tor and Merrimac Battle
Occurs March 8.
PLAN OF oBSERvANcES
Exercises nj Augustana Next Friday
Hight-Suggestion Made of
Tri-City Demonstration.

Next Saturday, March 8, a half cen
fury will have elapsed since that de-
cisive and historic battle between the
Monitor and the Merrimac was fought
at Hampton Roads.
II was a crucial moment, in this
nations history, and that this first con-
test between ironclads proved a most
decisive stroke for the preservation
Of the American union admits OF no de-
NAL.
At Chicago, in the presence Of the
president OF the United States, the
event will be celebrated with a mill
tary parade and a grand banquet under
the auspices OF the Swedish-American-
Republican League of Illinois.
At New York, Minneapolis, Omaha,
Portland, Ore, and in other cities the
semi-centenary will be commemorated,
citizens OF Swedish extraction joining
most heartily in doing honor to their
great countryman and compatriot.
PLAN LOCAL OBSERyANCEs.
At Augustana all the college societ-
ies will Join with the authorities in
general patriotic celebration in the
evening OF March S, TO take the place
Of their customary Friday evening pro
grams.
There is patriotic sentiment
astir among citizens Of the tri-
cities favoring some recognition of
this historic memory. II has been sug-
gested that this might possibly be &C
complished by means of an honorary
gun salute fired at the Rock Island
arsenal, Saturday morning, about the
hour the battle began. 1t has been
suggested that the government, which
bonored the inventor OF the Monitor
by officially conveying the remains Of
John Ericsson back TO his native land
in the United States cruiser Baltimore
might consent TO this and order the
proposed salute.
THE BATTLE AND CONSEQUENCES.
The battle OF Hampton Roads.
March 9. 1862, was one OF the decisive
events OF the civil war.
A part OF the Union fleet had been
destroyed, and the Merrimac was only
waiting for the dawn OF another day
to make short work of the remaining
battleships and open a way to Wash
ington and all the northern seaports
when in the nick of time John Erics.
sons little floating battery appeared
on the scene. and turned the partial
victory OF the Merrimac into defeat by
stopping it's further progress.
While the fight was apparently a
drawn battle, IL was most far-reaching
and decisive In its results. II ended
the career Of a most formidable en-
CINE OF war. invincible for a day. 1t in
spired new hope for the safety of the
government in the very moment wher
the mastery of the sea was beins
wrested from the union navy. 1
proved the merit of John Ericsson'i
monitor 80 conclusively, that within {
few days,Of the battle he was ordered
TO build aifieet Of vessels OF the SAM
type; and these monitors were mos
effectively engaged until the close o
the war.
Further than that. the first Monitor
constructed in 100 DAYS, appealed 8
forcibly to all naval engineers, tina
work was stopped on the great meI
of-war then under construction, an
monitors ordered instead by leadin
powers OF Europe. the skill and geniu
OF an American engineer thus revolt
tionizing the mode OF warfare with on
master stroke