MONITOR AND MERRIMAC. The contract for the construction of the Monitor was entered into by the Navy Department in the hope that she could be completed before the Merrimac, then building by the Confeder ates at the Norfolk navy yard, could be finished, and that the Monitor would be able to cope with this formidable ironclad. The Merrimac, called by the Confederates the Vir ginia, was being reconstructed upon the hull of the United States frigate Merrimac, of 3,200 tons, which had been sunk, when the Norfolk navy yard was abandoned, by the Union forces, and was subsequently raised by the Confederates. Her armament was two 7-inch rifles, two 6-inch rifles and six 9-inch smooth-bores.
Each side was aware of the effort of the other to be first ready for active service. The Confederates won by a day. At noon 8 March 1862, the Merrimac, attended by two gunboats, Raleigh and Beaufort, each one gun, was dis covered coming out of the Elizabeth River into Hampton Roads (q.v.) and standing toward the Union fleet off Newport News and Fort Mon roe, composed of the steam-frigates Minnesota, Roanoke and Congress, each 50 guns; the sail ing-frigate Saint Lawrence, 12 guns, and the sloop Cumberland, 24 guns. Their armament was mainly 8-inch and 9-inch guns, with several ICI-inch pivot guns. These vessels had the heaviest batteries which the government had been able to assemble to watch the Merrimac. The latter bore down directly upon the Con gress and Cumberland. At less than a quarter of a mile the Congress delivered her broadside, her heaviest shot making no impression. The return-fire of shells crashed through her sides with terrible effect. Passing the Congress at 300 yards, the Merrimac received the fire of the heaviest guns of the Cumberland without the slightest harm resulting, and without replying she drove her iron prow through the side of the Union frigate, crushing it, and at the same time pouring in a fire of shells. Leaving the Cumberland rapidly sinking, the ironclad steered for the Congress, which had been run ashore, and from a point 150 yards astern raked her decks with shells which caused general destruction and set the ship afire. The Congress was obliged to surrender. The Cumberland fired a broadside as the water reached the gun deck, and went down with her flag flying. As she sank, the Confederate steamers Patrick Henry, 12 guns, and the Jamestown, two came out of the James River and joined the mac. The Minnesota had grounded where the Merrimac could not approach within a mile, and her firing was so bad that only one shot struck the frigate. The other Confederate ves sels were finally driven off after inflicting much damage with their rifled guns. After several, hours' ineffectual attempts to reach the Minne sota, the Merrimac and attending gunboats re turned to Norfolk. Several shore-batteries which had attempted to help proved as useless as the batteries of the frigates had been. The Congress continued to burn, and finally blew up. Over half the crew of the Cumberland were lost. The crew of the Congress were made prisoners, but, with the exception of the officers, were released. The total loss was some 250, the Confederate loss was nominal. The battle of an afternoon had ended the day of wooden navies.
The reports of the destruction by the Merri mac caused consternation at Washington, and in the coast cities and, indeed, throughout the North. Secretary Stanton ordered all prepara tions made for obstructing the channel of the Potomac far below the capital, and warned those in charge of coast-defenses to use every means that could he devised for protection.
Meantime the Monitor, in command of Lieut. John L. Worden, had left New York and after a rough voyage entered Hampton Roads at 9 o'clock the night after the battle. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 9th she had anchored alongside the Minnesota. At 6 o'clock the Mer rimac appeared bearing down on them, but at first passed by, gained the channel in which the Minnesota lay, and then steamed directly toward her. The Monitor swept in between the two and steered for the Merrimac. At close quarters the latter brought her bow-guns to bear and missed. There was little to fire at except the low turret with a cross-section of 20 feet. The first reply of the Monitor was a solid 11-inch shot which shook the Merrimac from stem to stern. The answer was a broad side, some of the shot of which struck the tur ret, either glancing or falling as harmless as the shot of the frigates the day before had proved against the Merrimac. Then followed broadside after broadside without producing the slightest effect on this on a raft,' as spectators described it. At every opportunity of maneuver the Monitor closed in and smote with her 11-inch solid shot, bending the heavy armor and straining the timbers of her ad versary. Finally the Merrimac left the Monitor and crowded steam for the Minnesota. Upon reaching point-blank range she received a full broadside, and a shot from a 10-inch pivot gun, without suffering the slightest damage. In reply she raked the Minnesota with a shell, set her afire, blew up a tug alongside, and but for the Monitor, which had followed under full steam, and now swept in between the two, the Minnesota would have shared the fate of the Congress and Cumberland. In changing position to meet the Monitor the Merrimac grounded, and the Monitor continued her ham mering with 11-inch shot. As soon as the Mer rimac was floated she started rapidly down the bay, pursued by the Monitor. Suddenly she turned and attempted to run the Monitor down. The blow she struck with her prow glanced, and the Monitor was unharmed. The Merri mac then started for the Minnesota for the purpose of ramming her; but when within easy range the Merrimac, with all the Confederate ships, changed course at noon headed for Nor folk. Her officers subsequently gave as a reason that in attempting to ram the Monitor her iron prow was broken, and their vessel was leaking. The armor was reported dam aged, the stem twisted, the muzzles of two guns shot away and the steam-pipe and smokestack riddled. The casualties were only two killed and 19 wounded. The consternation of the day before at Washington and the North was transferred to Richmond and the South. Prepa rations were hastily made by the Confederates for blocking the channels in the Elizabeth and Nansemond rivers, and to obstruct the channel of the James.
The Merrimac did not again engage the Monitor, and after the evacuation of which occurred 9 May, she was destroyed by the Confederates.
The Monitor had hurried direct from her shipyard to Fort Monroe and fought without a previous trial-trip, and before she had been accepted by the government. Her five hours' battle settled many questions, and once again in American history had been fired a heard round the