Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-05

diately aroused the country and fam
ned the passions Of both north and
south into the flame Of war.
Monitor and Merrimac.
Having determined to obtain IRON
clad steam vessels the Federal govern
ment In August, 1861, accepted the Of
fer of Ericsson to construct a vessel
which would destroy the Confederate
squadron. Commenced in October, the
iron-clad built under Ericsson's de-
signs was launched on Jan. 30, 1852.
and completed in February Of the
same year. The hull was designed to
water and with fiat bottom. The
draught was six feet. The sides were
protected with four-inch plates. In
the centre Of the deck was built cir
cular turret, revolving on a central
spindle and protected with eight
inches Of iron. Inside the turret were
mounted two eleven inch smooth-bore
guns, pointing through portfolios.
These could be fired in any direction
without bringing the vessel about. The
ship was christened the Monitor.
While the Federal government was
bringing to completion the first IRON
clad 1t was known that the rebel gov
ernment, not to be outdone, was also
making great exertions in the same d.
rection. Ironclads were building at
New Orleans, Charleston and at other
points when the Merrimac wos finish
ed. At Norfolk the Merrimac, an old
frigate was rooted over with railroad
iron placed in a sloping position on
her sides 80 as to defect the fire Of
her enemy. Fast as the Mon OF had
been built, the builders Of thL Merri-
mac were quicker by one day, and in
thoN nf ha frnnn1od
sank the sloop-of-war Cumberland
with her twenty-four guns and crew
Of 800 men. of which 1T were drown
ed and killed; destroyed the Congress,
a fifty-gun frigate. and ran her on
shore, where the flames kindied by the
hot shot of the Merrimac set her afire,
and destroyed the Roanoke and Min
nesota, steam frigates of forty guns
each the pride Of the navy. Had not
the Monitor fortunately arrived the
capture and destruction of the entire
Federal fleet at Hampton Roads would
certainly have occurred. The story OF
the first battle between the two IRON
clad vessels cannot be better told than
in the language of an eyewitness.
AT half-past five in the morning all
hands were called and the ship was
Immediately cleared Of her sea. rig and
forces were got ready for battle. At
half-pas seven o'clock a long line Of
black smoke was seen, preceded by the
steamers, Jamestown, Patrick Henry
and Teazer. It was the sional for bat
| tie. The crews Of the different ves-
sells stood by their guns, fuses in
hands. The Monitor steamed slowly
from beneath the bows Of the Minis:-
sofa, where she had been partly con-
cealed, to meet the challenger In an
open field. 1t was alike an astonish-
ment to the rebels and our own peo-
pie; neither having seen her when she
arrived, and many were the conjec-
lures Of what 1t could be. Some said
huge water tank; others an internal
machine; none that she had guns, and
not till they saw steam rise from her
deck did they think she had power to
move herself. The Merrimac stopped
her engines, as II to survey and Won
der at the audacity Of the nondescript
The Monitor was approaching on her
star board bow. Then, as IL seized
with impulsive rage, and as II a huge
breath would watt her enemy away,
the Merrimac poured a broadside OF
solid shot at her. For an instant she
was enveloped in smoke and people
who were looking on held their breath
in doubt of seeing the Monitor again.
| It was q moment Of great suspense.
Then, as a gentle breeze swept over
the scene, the Monitor appeared. At
this instant the flash Of her own guns
was seen and then their report, loud
er than any cannon that had ever been
heard, thundered across the sea- 1t
seemed to jar the very earth and the
iron scales Of the invincible crumbled
and cracked from their fastening. One
on board the Merrimac at this time
k1ll t6at of
tirely confident of victory, consterna-
ton took hold of them all.
Damn it, said one, the thing Is
full Of guns!' The enthusiasm at this
moment among the thousand civilians
and soldiers, who lined the shore to
witness the fight, was beyond descrip-
tion and their own control Such
spontaneous burst Of cheers was never
before heard. Men were frantic with
| Joy. The Monitor continued her ap-
proach, reserving fire that every shot
might take effect, until she came par
allel with the Merrimac, but heading
In the opposite direction. In this way
they passed slowly within few yards
of each other, both delivering and re-
lceiving the others fire. Capt. Worden
headed again toward the Merrimac
with renewed confidence and engaged
her at close quarters. Again they
joined in close combat, the Monitor
lying bow on, at times touching, both
delivering their fire as rapidly
possible. At the same time the marines
on the Merrimac poured an incessant
fire Of musketry at the peepholes
about the pilot house and turret. The
speed of the two vessels was about
equal, but the light draught of the
Monitor gave her an advantage. The
rebels, finding that they could make
nothing of the invulnerable cheese box
as they called her, and foiled and
maddened at the loss Of their coveted
prize, turned toward the Minnesota,
determined, If possible, to destroy her.
"The Merrimac went head on and
received a full broadside Of the Min
nesota. Fifty solid nine-inch shot
struck square. Any wooden vessel that
ever floated would have gone to pieces
under such a fire. The Merrimac was
unharmed. She returned the fire with
her forward rife guns. One shell
passed through four rooms, tearing
away partitions and setting the ship
on fire. Another passed through the
boiler Of the steamer Dragon, which
lay alongside blowing her up and kill
ing and wounding seventeen men. Be
fore a third was fired the Monitor in
terposed, compelling the Merrimac to
change her position. The two comba-
tants then made a complete circle In
their endeavors to get favorable po-
sition, each seeking to discharge a
broadside into some vital spot. The
Merrimac then turned sharp and made
la plunge toward the Minnesota, but
Worden was vigilant, and crossed the
stern of the Merrimac, sending two
solid shot. into her. To get back again
between her and the Minnesota the
Monitor had almost to cross her bow.
1.-The Merrimac steamed up quickly.
and finding that the Monitor would b.
struck with her Prov Worden sheered
toward the enemy's stern, avoiding q
direct blow, and as they came into
collision each vessel delivered a broad
side into the other. At this point a
shell from the Merrimac struck the pi-
lot house exactly over the peephole
through which Capt. Worden was
looking. The shell exploding filled his
face and eyes with powder and frag-
ments of iron, utterly binding him
and for time rendering him uncon-
scious. Lieut.. Greene, who had been
in charge of the turret division, imme-
diately left the guns and spent full
thirty minutes nursing the wounded
commander during which time the
gunners shotted the guns, and as the
f,,,- inc