The Monitor and the Merrimac in Action

COMPANIONS: I will tell you what I saw at Newport News when the "Merrimac" destroyed the "Congress" and the "Cumberland," and fought with the "Monitor." It was a drama in three acts, and twelve hours will elapse between the second and third acts.

"Let us begin at the beginning"—1861. The North Atlantic squadron is at Hampton Roads, except the frigate "Congress" and the razee "Cumberland"; they are anchored at Newport News, blockading the James River and Norfolk The "Merrimac," the Rebel ram, is in the dry dock of the Norfolk navy yard….

The "Monitor" is building in New York City…. It is determined to keep the "Merrimac" in the dry dock, wait the arrival of the "Monitor," send her out to meet her, and in the action it is positive that an opportunity will offer to pierce and sink her. The ram is a terror, and both sides say, "When the ’Merrimac’ comes out!" The last of February, 1862, the "Monitor" is ready for sea; she will sail for Hampton Roads in charge of a steamer. There is a rumor that she has broken her steering gear before reaching Sandy Hook. She will be towed to Washington for repairs. The rebel spies report her a failure—steering defective, turret revolves with difficulty, and when the smoke of her guns in action is added to the defects of ventilation, it will be impossible for human beings to live aboard of her. No "Monitor" to fight, the Southern press and people grumble; they pitch into the "Merrimac." Why does she lie idle? Send her out to destroy the "Congress" and the "Cumberland," that have so long bullied Norfolk, then sweep away the fleet at Hampton Roads, starve out Fortress Monroe, go north to Baltimore and New York and Boston, and destroy and plunder; and the voice of the people, not always an inspiration, prevails, and the ram is floated and manned and armed, and March 8th is bright and sunny when she steams down the Elizabeth River to carry out the first part of her program. And all Norfolk and Portsmouth ride and run to the bank of the James, to have a picnic, and assist at a naval battle and victory. The cry of "wolf!" has so often been heard aboard the ships that the "Merrimac" has lost much of her terrors. They argue: "If she is a success, why don’t she come out and destroy us?" And when seen this morning at the mouth of the river: "It is only a trial trip or a demonstration." But she creeps along the opposite shore, and both ships beat to quarters and get ready for action. The boats of the "Cumberland" are lowered, made fast to each other in line, anchored between the ship and the shore, about an eighth of a mile distant.

Here are two large sailing frigates, on a calm day, at slack water, anchored in a narrow channel, impossible to get under way and maneuver, and must lie and hammer, and be hammered, so long as they hold together, or until they sink at their anchors. To help them is a tug, the "Zouave," once used in the basin at Albany to tow canal boats under the grain elevator. The "Congress" is the senior ship; the tug makes fast to her. The "Congress" slips her cable and tries to get under way. The tug does her best and breaks her engine. The "Congress goes aground in line with the shore. The "Zouave" floats down the river, firing her popguns at the "Merrimac" as she drifts by her. The captain of the "Congress" was detached on the 7th. He is waiting a chance to go North. He serves as a volunteer in the action, refusing to resume command and deprive the first lieutenant of a chance for glory. The captain of the "Cumberland" has been absent since the 3d. He is president of a court-martial at this moment in session on board the "Roanoke" at Hampton Roads, so the command of both the ships devolves on the first lieutenants. On board the "Cumberland" all hands are allowed to remain on deck, watching the slow approach of the "Merrimac," and she comes on so slowly, the pilot declares she has missed the channel; she draws too much water to use her ram. She continues to advance, and two gunboats, the "Yorktown" and the "Teaser," accompany her. Again they beat to quarters, and every one goes to his station.

There is a platform on the roof of the "Merrimac." Her captain is standing on it. When she is near enough, he hails, "Do you surrender?" "Never!" is the reply. The order to fire is given; the shot of the starboard battery rattles on the iron roof of the "Merrimac." She answers with a shell; it sweeps the forward pivot gun, it kills and wounds ten of the gun’s crew. A second slaughters the marines at the after pivot gun. The "Yorktown" and the "Teaser" keep up a constant fire. She bears down on the "Cumberland." She rams her just aft the starboard bow. The ram goes into the sides of the ship as a knife goes into a cheese. The "Merrimac" tries to back out; the tide is making; it catches against her great length at a right angle with the "Cumberland"; it slews her around; the weakened, lengthened ram breaks off; she leaves it in the "Cumberland." The battle rages, broadside answers broadside, and the sanded deck is red and slippery with the blood of the wounded and dying; they are dragged amidships out of the way of the guns; there is no one and no time to take them below. Delirium seizes the crew; they strip to their trousers, tie their handkerchiefs round their heads, kick off their shoes, fight and yell like demons, load and fire at will, keep it up for the rest of the forty-two minutes the ship is sinking, and fire a last gun as the water rushes into her ports….

The "Merrimac" turns to the "Congress." She is aground, but she fires her guns till the red-hot shot from the enemy sets her on fire, and the flames drive the men away from the battery. She has forty years of seasoning; she burns like a torch. Her commanding officer is killed, and her deck strewn with killed and wounded. The wind is off shore; they drag the wounded under the windward bulwark, where all hands take refuge from the flames. The sharpshooters on shore drive away a tug from the enemy. The crew and wounded of the "Congress are safely landed. She burns the rest of the afternoon and evening, discharging her loaded guns over the camp. At midnight the fire has reached her magazines—the "Congress" disappears.

When it is signaled to the fleet at Hampton Roads that the "Merrimac" has come out, the "Minnesota" leaves her anchorage and hastens to join the battle. Her pilot puts her aground off the Elizabeth River, and she lies there helpless. The "Merrimac" has turned back for Norfolk. She has suffered from the shot of the "Congress" and the "Cumberland," or she would stop and destroy the "Minnesota"; instead, with the "Yorktown" and "Teazer," she goes back into the river. Sunday morning, March 9th, the "Merrimac" is coming out to finish her work. She will destroy the "Minnesota." As she nears her, the "Monitor" appears from behind the helpless ship; she has slipped in during the night, and so quietly, her presence is unknown in the camp. And David goes out to meet Goliath, and every man who can walk to the beach sits down there, spectators of the first iron-clad battle in the world.

The day is calm, the smoke hangs thick on the water, the low vessels are hidden by the smoke. They are so sure of their invulnerability, they fight at arms’ length. They fight so near the shore, the flash of their guns is seen, and the noise is heard of the heavy shot pounding the armor. They haul out for breath, and again disappear in the smoke. The "Merrimac" stops firing, the smoke lifts, she is running down the "Monitor," but she has left her ram in the "Cumberland." The "Monitor" slips away, turns, and renews the action. One P. M.—they have fought since 8:30 A. M.: The crews of both ships are suffocating under the armor. The frames supporting the iron roof of the "Merrimac are sprung and shattered. The turret of the "Monitor" is dented with shot, and is revolved with difficulty. The captain of the "Merrimac" is wounded in the leg; the captain of the "Monitor" is blinded with powder. It is a drawn game. The "Merrimac," leaking badly, goes back to Norfolk; the "Monitor" returns to Hampton Roads.