Year: 1862

What Are We About.


The time has not SO long gone by that we
should be obliged to recall its every circum-
stance, and yet to people who persistently
sleep over volcano there is no remedy but
to cry continually aloud. With this view in
illustration We recur to that memorable day,
but q few months ago, when the iron-clad
Merrimac stealing forth from where she had
been allowed to be made invulnereble with
out interruption, spread havoc and death
around her, and for while threatened the
capital itself To an accident only, not through
foresight was it that bar was found to her
entire success in the Monitor whereby the
escape of such of our vessels as lay within her
reach, and of our soldiers encamped upon the
shore was secured. The destruction of two
frst-class frigates, and the slaughter and cap
ture of some hundreds of our men, ended the
tragedy, and built an everlasting monument
to attest the supineness Of those who could
and should have guarded against such catas-
trophe.


If to our feet before New Orleans the re-
suits were not similar, it must be put to the
account, not to our Navy Department, but to
some fortuitous circumstance preventing the
contractors for the rebel iron clads finishing
their work IN time. OF the ram Manassas
enough has been said and shown to convince
everybody that fer while she set the entire
Federal navy Al defiance, and would had she
been assisted by few more of the same SORT
perhaps have deferred or prevented the cap
ture of New Orleans There is no fisttery to
ourselves in these stern truths, and the sooner
they are impressed upon the minds of our
people the better for them.
Once more We have the same fearful game
upon the ives tern waters. An iron-clad ram
is constructed in some secret and sheltered
spot on the Yazoo river. The fact of her
progress is known to those in authority and
so familiar are they with her movements that
they are enabled to count almost to a moment
the time she will appear. Knowing this, they
! must also have known that they had no means
of contendlng with such an adversary. She
comes-the rebel iron-clad Arkansas--and our
wooden shells engage her. This is the result
| from an eyewitness:


1.-THE Carondelet's stern and after division


of starboard batteries kept up an incessant
/ fire, but the huge solid shot flew off like India


rubber balls. There was no vulnerable spot
| to be seen; and very small round hole, just


large enough TO admit the gum constituted her
ports, and on elevating or depressing the port
hole moved with the gun. Tho Winona ara
/ Wiasanickon engage her, but she passes their
/ Are unscathed, unharmed. Can nothing breach


the rebel monster2 A dubious shake of the
/ head was the only response, as ball after ball
drops from her sides in the water. Stea lily
but surely she keeps on her way, firing one


broadsids at the transports, and the other at
some other vessel on the other side"


The old story over again, one vessel, insig
| ni6eant in appearance, defying feet, and &C.
| c0mplshing her object in the face of ten times
| her apparent force. The reporter proceeds:


"This unparalleled audacity and boldness


elicits the unqualified admiration Of all. Such


thing never took place before, and will prob


ably never take place again. In broad daylight


in the very teeth of hundred guns, this Graf


slowly and deliberately made her way, select


ing her own victims, and hurting the glove o.
defiance at the combined fleet. 1t is an exam


pie of cool, daring courage unexampled, anc
the name of Catesby JONES' her commander


will be awarded by all men as deserving
: place among the list of those 'who know NJ
: tear


"Never took place before 2" Does tn
/ writer remember the Merrimac and Manas
sas


"Never take place again7n Does he know


what is now going on at Richmond?
5 A few words more on the YaEoo river affair
: and then for the last mentioned locality. Con
: tinues the witness:


, "The fact of her success is undoubtedly ow
3 ing to the circumstances under which sh
{ caught US. Our position, and everythin,
: worked against US. The Essex had discovers
0 burst boiler the day before and new on
| was being inserted at the time. The Louis
j vile was lying at the blacksmith boat repair
+ ing. The Sumter had her waste pipe out, ar,
: a new one being inserted. Everything worke
a in her favor. Those boats that were all read
q could not use their guns for fear of doing NOR
v damage to their friends than their foes"
: The old story again, everything worked il
It her favor" or in other words, notwithstanding
Z her existence and approach was known, n
!, measures were taken for defense or defeat, an
!, the dangerous craft ran the fleet and joine
; her friends, ready to do battle again, lesvin
= behind her this list of losses