Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-03-06


Monitor in the great civil war. The
Willmar Tribune therefore believes it
is timely to print a description Of this
memorable battle. To the older peo-
pie it will bring back memories from
the thrilling days of 1862, and to the
younger generation it will give a more
adequate idea of the battle than what
is received in the brief accounts of
school histories. This account is
from the pen Of James Laird Wilson,
contemporaneous writer and spec
ial correspondent for the New York
Herald:
The Menace of the Merrimac.
One of the great events of the ear
ly part of 1862, was the appearance
in Hampton Roads Of the Confeder-
ate ironclad man. f-war, which had
been reconstructed by the Confeder-
ate government and named Virginia.
When the Norfolk navy, yard was
abandoned by the Nationals, this YES
sci was scuttled and sunk. In her
original form she was a powerful
steam frigate of forty guns; and she
had cost the government, for build
ing and furnishing her, a sum not
less than a million and quarter dol
lars. The Confederates found little
difficulty in raising her. A plan was
furnished by Lieutenant John M.
Brooke, formerly of the National
navy; and, reconstructed, she became
one Of the strongest and most des-
tructive engines Of war which had
ever been seen floating on any waters.
When properly cut down, she was
covered with an iron roof projecting
into the water. At or below the wat
er line the mail extended the opposite
way, so that shot striking above
the water mark would glance down.
ward. Her great bulk enabled her
to carry formidable battery. She
was armed with a powerful steel beak
and carried eleven guns, with a one
hundred-pound rifed Armstrong at
each end. Such a monster might
we'll be a terror as we'll as surprise.
It was known that the vessel was un-
dergoing reconstruction, and that it
was intended to make her terrible
engine Of war; but strange rumors
were circulated to her disadvantage
by the Confederate authorities; and
it is probable that, until she was seen
at Hampton Roads, she was some
what despised by the officers Of the
National navy. The Southern news
papers artfully circulated that "the
Merrimac was a failure" and, the
wish being father to the thought, the
statement was too readily believed.
Destroys "Cumberland" and "Con-
gress."
About noon, on Satu1 day, the 8tf
Of March, observers at Fortress Mon
roe saw strange object, Hooking
like a submerged house, with the ROOT
only above water" moving down the
Elizabeth River toward Hampton
Roads. It was the dreadful Merri.
mac; and she was under the com.
mand of Franklin Buchanan, an Of
ficer who had abandoned the Nation
al navy. Signal guns were at once
fired from the Union batteries and b!
the ships Cumberland and Congress
lying off and blockading the jane
River, to give warning to the rest o
the National feet. The Congress,
sailing frigate, was commanded b.
Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith. TIL
sloop Of war, Cumberland, "a gun
and 367 men, was command d tenn
porarily by Lieutenant George Nor
ris. Pursuing the Congress, AMI Civ
ing and receiving a broadside, tn
Merrimac made straight for the Cum
berland. This vessel had been plac
ed across the channel so as to brin
her broadside to bear on her antag
onist; and as the Merrimac ap
preached sheNopened upon the monste
and poured forth rapid fire. It wa
no use. The heavy shot from tn
nine and ten inch guns Of the Cum
berland glanced from her rival
shield of iron, ''like so many peas.
The Merrimac seemed stunned for a
instant by the weight Of the shot; br
she quickly recovered; and having ir
creased her speed, she rushed agains
the Cumberland, striking her with hi
steel prov about midships, and iii
orally laying her OPEN" AS 81
struck, she opened her ports an
poured in on the unfortunate Gun
berland, now rapidly filing with wa
er, most destructive fire. The Gun
berland fought we'll; but the comb;
was unequal. Buchanan gradual
drew off the Merrimac; and aga:
opening his ports, he rushed his di!
abled antagonist, this time complete
ly crushing her side. It was now q
over with the Cumberland. Givir
a parting fire to the monster whit
was retiring from the ruin it hs
wrought, with apparent Indifferent
Morris ordered his men to jump o
erboard and save themselves. Tn