Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-27
ENGINEER OF MERRIMAC
TOLD OF HISTORIC FIGHT
Colonel H. Ashton Rnmsay, Who Died
in baltimore on saturday. Recently
wrote OF battle With Monitor.

BALTIMORE. MD, March Cool
onel II. Ashton Ramsay. chief engineer
OF the famous Confederate ironclad
Merrmac. vino died Yesterday morn
ing nt his home here. about three
months ago wrote the following ac-
count of the memorable battle between
the Monitor and Merrimac
In the frs, days fighting, was
ordered by Captain Buchanan u stand
near the entrance TO the ships hold
In my capacity as chief engineer.
was responsible for the regulation OF
the ships power In case the signal
wires leading To the engine room were
cut, WAS supposed 10 stand near, take
the captains orders and transmit them
by word of mouth
1T is q matter Of history that at the
end Of this days. lighting the United
states ship Cumberland had been
rammc6 and sank. tn. United states
ship Congress had been burned and
the United States ship Minnesota had
been pursued into shallow water and
was aground. II was in the attack on
the Congress that Captain Buchanan
was wounded.
las he was being taken below by his
men he ordered that hot shot he hurled
into the Congress until she caught fire.
We could not get close to the Mime
sofa, which was aground. on account
OF the water We drew. We then with
drew from the scene for the night
The next day the Mcrrimac steamed
down near the Minnesota, which was
aground between Old Point and New
port News. to engage in battle again
We did not see the Monitor at first. MS
that little ship was hiding III The pro-
lection OF aud under the side OF the
huge hulk of the Minnesota In man
cuvcring to reach the latter shin We
went aground The Monitor then OPEN
Ell upon us. We were at disad-
vantage, as we could not bring any
guns to bear upon tho enemy The
Monitor had taken up position just
out OF range OF any OF our guns and
was sending shells all about the Mcrrl-
mac.
when things were getting Just n
little hit too not for US managed
10 float our ship by extraordinary en-
ertions in the engine room. A shell
from one OF the eleven-inch guns Of
tho Monitor struck tho Merrinac on
what We called the knucklo This was
near the junction of the iron plate
and the wooden part of tho ship only
dent was made in the iron. but the
concussicn was so great that a huge
splinter was torn from the inside.
lieutenant Catesby Jones was now
acting captain OF the ship. as Captain
Buchanan had been taken ashore the
previous night. He ordered me 10 send
the ship ahead and we rammed the
Monitor. hitting her IL slancing blow
\ shot from the Mcrrimac shattered the
two iron logs which protected Captain
Worden and his assistant on the Mont
tor. Captain Wordea was blinded
This was the first time that a shot
fred by the Merrimac had taken ef-
feet.
The Monitor then steamed away in
the direction of Old Point, evidently at
tempting to draw the MerriInac under
the guns of the fort We followed a
short distance and then steamed back
10 Norfolk.
Captain Van Brunt, Of the Mime
sofa, in his report to the Navy lie.
partment. complained that the Muni-
tor escaped to Old Point and left his
ship nj the mercy of the Conredcrat cs -