with lee in virginia-第31章

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her　slow　and　steady　course　toward　them。　　She　first　approached　the

Congress；　and　as　she　did　so　a　puff　of　smoke　burst　from　the　forward

end　of　her　pent…house；　and　the　water　round　the　Congress　was

churned　up　by　a　hail　of　grape…shot。　　As　they　passed　each　other　both

vessels　fired　a　broadside。　　The　officers　in　the　fort；　provided　with

glasses；　could　see　the　effect　of　the　Merrimac's　fire　in　the　light

patches　that　showed　on　the　side　of　the　Congress；　but　the　Merrimac

appeared　entirely　uninjured。　　She　now　approached　the

Cumberland；　which　poured　several　broadsides　into　her；　but

altogether　without　effect。　　The　Merrimac；　without　replying；

steamed　straight　on　and　struck　the　Cumberland　with　great　force；

knocking　a　large　hole　in　her　side；　near　the　water…line。　　Then

backing　off　she　opened　fire　upon　her。



For　half　an　hour　the　crew　of　the　Cumberland　fought　with　great

bravery。　　The　ships　lay　about　three　hundred　yards　apart；　and　every

shot　from　the　Merrimac　told　on　the　wooden　vessel。　　The　water　was

pouring　in　through　the　breach。　　The　shells　of　the　Merrimac　crushed

through　her　side；　and　at　one　time　set　her　on　fire；　but　the　crew

worked　their　guns　until　the　vessel　sank　beneath　their　feet。　　Some

men　succeeded　in　swimming　to　land；　which　was　not　far　distant；

others　were　saved　by　small　boats　from　the　shore；　but　nearly　half　of

the　crew　of　400　men　were　either　killed　in　action　or　drowned。



The　Merrimac　now　turned　her　attention　to　the　Congress；　which

was　left　to　fight　the　battle　alone；　us　the　Minnesota　had　got

aground；　and　the　Roanoake　and　St。　Lawrence　could　not　approach

near　enough　to　render　them　assistance　from　their　draught　of　water。　

The　Merrimac　poured　broadside　after　broadside　into　her；　until　the

officer　in　command　and　many　of　the　crew　were　killed。　　The

lieutenant　who　succeeded　to　the　command；　seeing　there　was　no

prospect　of　help；　and　that　resistance　was　hopeless；　hauled　down

the　flag。　　A　gunboat　was　sent　alongside；　with　orders　that　the　crew

should　leave　the　Congress　and　come　on　board；　as　the　ship　was　to

be　burned。　　But　the　troops　and　artillery　lining　the　shore　now

opened　fire　on　the　little　gunboat；　which　consequently　hauled　off。　

The　Merrimac；　after　firing　several　more　shells　into　the　Congress；

moved　away　to　attack　the　Minnesota；　and　the　survivors　of　the　200

men　who　composed　the　crew　of　the　Congress　were　conveyed　to

shore　in　small　boats。　　The　vessel　was　set　on　fire　either　by　her　own

crew　or　the　shells　of　the　Merrimac；　and　by　midnight　blew　up。



Owing　to　the　shallowness　of　the　water　the　Merriruac　could　not　get

near　enough　to　the　Minnesota　to　use　her　own　small　guns　to

advantage；　and　the　gunboat　was　driven　off　by　the　heavy　ten…inch

gun　of　the　Federal　frigate；　and　therefore　at　seven　o'clock　the

Merrimac　and　her　consorts　returned　to　Norfolk。　　The　greatest

delight　was　felt　on　shore　at　the　success　of　the　engagement；　and　on

riding　back　to　Norfolk　Vincent　learned　that　the　ram　would　go　out

again　next　morning　to　engage　the　rest　of　the　Federal　fleet。



She　herself　had　suffered　somewhat　in　the　fight。　　Her　loss　in　men

was　only　two　killed　and　eight　wounded；　but　two　of　her　guns　had

the　muzzles　shot　off；　the　armor　was　damaged　in　some　places；　and

most　serious　of　all　she　had　badly　twisted　her　ram　in　running　into

the　Cumberland。　Still　it　appeared　that　she　was　more　than　a　match

for　the　rest　of　the　Federal　fleet；　and　that　these　must　either　fly　or　be

destroyed。



As　the　general　had　given　him　three　days'　leave；　Vincent　was　able

to　stay　to　see　the　close　of　the　affair；　and　early　next　morning　again

rode　down　to　Sewell's　Point；　as　the　Merrimac　was　to　start　at

daybreak。　　At　six　o'clock　the　ironclad　came　out　from　the　river　and

made　for　the　Minnesota；　which　was　still　aground。　　The　latter　was

seen　to　run　up　a　signal；　and　the　spectators　saw　an　object　which

they　had　not　before　perceived　coming　out　as　if　to　meet　the　ram。

The　glasses　were　directed　toward　it；　and　a　general　exclamation　of

surprise　was　heard。



〃What　is　the　thing？　It　looks　like　a　raft　with　two　round　turrets　upon

it；　and　a　funnel。〃　A　moment's　consideration；　and　the　truth　burst

upon　them。　　It　was　the　ship　they　had　heard　of　as　building　at　New

York；　and　which　had　been　launched　six　weeks　before。　　It　was

indeed　the　Monitor；　which　had　arrived　during　the　night；　just　in

time　to　save　the　rest　of　the　Federal　fleet。　　She　was　the　first　regular

ironclad　ever　built。　　She　was　a　turret　ship；　carrying　two　very　heavy

guns；　and　showing　only　between　two　and　three　feet　above　the

water。



The　excitement　upon　both　shores　as　these　adversaries　approached

each　other　was　intense。　　They　moved　slowly；　and　not　until　they

were　within　a　hundred　yards　distance　did　the　Monitor　open　fire；

the　Merrimac　replying　at　once。　The　fire　for　a　time　was　heavy　and

rapid；　the　distance　between　the　combatants　varying　from　fifty　to

two　hundred　yards。　　The　Monitor　had　by　far　the　greatest　speed；　and

was　much　more　easily　turned　than　the　Confederate　ram；　and　her

guns　were　very　much　heavier；　and　the　Merrimac　while　still

keeping　up　the　fight　made　toward　the　mouth　of　the　river。



Suddenly　she　turned　and　steamed　directly　at　the　Monitor；　and

before　the　latter　could　get　out　of　her　way　struck　her　on　the　side；

but　the　ram　was　bent　and　her　weak　engines　were　insufficient　to

propel　her　with　the　necessary　force。　　Consequently　she　inflicted　no

damage　on　the　Monitor；　and　the　action　continued；　the　turret…ship

directing　her　fire　at　the　iron　roof　of　the　ram；　while　the　latter

pointed　her　guns　especially　at　the　turret　and　pilot…house　of　the

Monitor。　　At　length；　after　a　battle　which　had　lasted　six　hours；　the

Monitor　withdrew；　one　of　the　plates　of　her　pilot…house　being

seriously　damaged　and　her　commander　injured　in　the　eyes。



When　her　foe　drew　off　the　Merrimac　steamed　back　to　Norfolk。　

There　were　no　men　killed　in　either　battle；　and　each　side　claimed　a

victory；　the　Federals　upon　the　ground　that　they　had　driven　off　the

Merrimac；　the　Confederates　because　the　Monitor　had　retreated

from　the　fight。　　Each　vessel　however　held　the　strength　of　the　other

in　respect；　the　Monitor　remaining　as　sentinel　over　the　ships　and

transports　at　Fortress　Monroe；　while　the　Merrimac　at　Norfolk

continued　to　guard　the　entrance　into　the　James　River。



As　soon　as　the　fight　was　over　Vincent　Wingfield；　greatly　pleased

that　he　had　witnessed　so　strange　and　interesting　a　combat；　rode

back　to　Norfolk；　and　the　same　evening　reached　Richmond；　where

his　description　of　the　fight　was　received　with　the　greatest　interest

and　excitement。



OHAPTER　VIIL　M'CLELLAN'S　ADVANCE。



IT　WAS　not　until　three　weeks　after　the　fight　between　the　ironclads

that　the　great　army　under　General　McClellan　arrived　off　Fortress

Monroe；　the　greater　portion　of　the　troops　coming　down　the

Potomac　in　steam　transports。　Vast　quantities　of　stores　had　been

accumulated　in　and　around　the　fortress。　　Guns　of　a　size　never

before　used　in　war　were　lying　on　the　wharfs　in　readiness　…to　be

placed　in　batteries；　while　Hampton　Roads　were　crowded　with

transports　and　store　vessels　watched　over　by　the　Monitor　and　the

other　war　ships。　　McClellan's　army　was　a　large　one；　but　not　so

strong　a　force　as　he　had　intended　to　have　taken　with　him；　and　as

soon　as　he　arrived　at　Fortress　Monroe　he　learned　that　he　would　not

be　able　to　expect　much　assistance　from　the　fleet。　　The　Merrimac

completly　closed　the　James　River；　and　were　the　more　powerful

vessels　of　the　fleet　to　move　up　the　York　River；　she　would　be　able

to　sally　out　and　destroy　the　rest　of　the　fleet　and　the　transports。



As　it　was　most　important　to　clear　the　peninsula　between　the　two

rivers　before　Magruder　should　receive　strong　reinforcements；　a

portion　of　the　troops　were　at　once　landed；　and　on　the　4th　of　April

56；000　men　and　100　guns　disembarked　and　started　on　their　march

against　Yorktown。　As　soon　as　the　news　of　the　arrival　of　the

Northern　army　at　Fortress　Monroe　reached　Richmond　fresh　steps

were　taken　for　the　defense　of　the　city。　　Magruder　soon　found　that