. The new eclectic history of the United States . ow of its steel beak that she sank, with her John Ericsson. . nag flying and with all her men on 517. The United States frigate Congress was next was run ashore, but the Merrimac poured into her such astorm of shot and shell that she was forced to surrender. Thenew sea-monster then retired to Norfolk, intending to completeits work of destruction the next day. Early in the morning itsteamed out again, and approached the steam-frigate Minnesota;but before it had fired a gun a new champion appeared uponthe scene. 518. It was t
. The new eclectic history of the United States . ow of its steel beak that she sank, with her John Ericsson. . nag flying and with all her men on 517. The United States frigate Congress was next was run ashore, but the Merrimac poured into her such astorm of shot and shell that she was forced to surrender. Thenew sea-monster then retired to Norfolk, intending to completeits work of destruction the next day. Early in the morning itsteamed out again, and approached the steam-frigate Minnesota;but before it had fired a gun a new champion appeared uponthe scene. 518. It was the iron-clad Monitor, built by John Ericsson,2which had arrived from New York during the night, just in timefor its first trial of strength. Its deck near the surface of thewater was protected by a heavy iron coating; above this was around iron tower, which, slowly revolving, turned its two enor-mous guns in every direction. The duel between these oddantagonists was not unlike David fighting Goliath, for the (310) THE MONITOR AND MEKRIMAC. 311. Monitor and Merrimac. Monitor was less than one fifth the size of theMerrimac. But the shot and shells of the latter rolled harm-lessly off the iron coat of her little opponent, while her hugebeak could not reach the tower. The Monitor glided nimblyaway from every charge, and found out every weak spot in theMerrimads armor, where a heavy ball from her guns couldmake a leak. 519. At length, unable either to silence her assailant or toengage any other vessel while she was present, the Merrimacwithdrew to Norfolk for repairs. She was blown up by theConfederates two months later, on the surrender of Norfolk tothe United States. The national government immediately con-tracted with Captain Ericsson for a fleet of Monitors, whicheffectually defended the coast, and made the United States fora time the greatest naval power in the world. 520. The movement toward Richmond by the Union forces wasattended with tremendous difficulties and losses, and
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