. The battles of the war for the union. The story of the great Civil War, from the election of Abraham Lincoln to the surrender at Appomatox, Impartially told . Mon-itor was so novel that, before she was launched, doubtswere entertained as to whether she would float at there she was in Hampton Roads; and,although she had encountered a heavy gale on herpassage, and had suffered not a little from the effects ofthe storm, she had proved herself seaworthy. What-ever the result of the morrows action, she would un-doubtedly fight; and the surprise in preparation for theMerrimac had
. The battles of the war for the union. The story of the great Civil War, from the election of Abraham Lincoln to the surrender at Appomatox, Impartially told . Mon-itor was so novel that, before she was launched, doubtswere entertained as to whether she would float at there she was in Hampton Roads; and,although she had encountered a heavy gale on herpassage, and had suffered not a little from the effects ofthe storm, she had proved herself seaworthy. What-ever the result of the morrows action, she would un-doubtedly fight; and the surprise in preparation for theMerrimac had a character that was truly dramatic. During the night the Monitor lay between the Minne-sota and Fortress Monroe ; so that when the Confederatevessel approached in the early morning, the presence ofthe new-comer was entirely concealed. The Merrimachad been a good deal damaged in the action of the pre-vious day. In men she had indeed lost only two killedand eight wounded, though among the latter was hercommander, Captain Buchanan ; but the vessel itselfwas much the worse for the encounter. Two of theguns were disabled ; the anchor and the flag-staff were. r26 THE BATTLES FOR THE UNION. shot away ; the smokestack and steam-pipes were rid-dled; the prow was twisted; the armor was battered,and the ram was wrenched. The officers, nevertheless,felt perfect confidence in the ability of their vessel todispose of all the Union ships which they expected tofight. At six oclock on the morning of the 9th, theironclad was observed rounding the point of land at themouth of the Elizabeth River, accompanied by two ofher satellites. It must have been with some astonish-ment that the crew of the Merrimac, shortly afterwards,saw emerging from the further side of the Minnesota asmall dark vessel, with an ironclad turret which rosealmost sheer out of the water. The two floating bat-teries approached one another, and the Monitor was thefirst to open fire, which she did at the distance of a hun-dred y
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherphila, bookyear1897
