. A brief history of the United States . ot unlike agreat house sunk in the water to the eaves. The Federals knew that the Merrimacwas fitting for battle, and her coming was eagerly expected. t As the Cumberland sank, the crew continued to work their guns until the ves-sel plunged beneath the sea. Her flag was never struck, but floated above the waterfrom the mast-head after she had gone down. i This Yankee cheese-box, as it was nicknamed at the time, was the inventionof Captain Ericsson. It was a hull, with the deck a fev< inches above the water, and 234 EPOCH V. [1862. tons burden, she pr
. A brief history of the United States . ot unlike agreat house sunk in the water to the eaves. The Federals knew that the Merrimacwas fitting for battle, and her coming was eagerly expected. t As the Cumberland sank, the crew continued to work their guns until the ves-sel plunged beneath the sea. Her flag was never struck, but floated above the waterfrom the mast-head after she had gone down. i This Yankee cheese-box, as it was nicknamed at the time, was the inventionof Captain Ericsson. It was a hull, with the deck a fev< inches above the water, and 234 EPOCH V. [1862. tons burden, she prepared to meet her adversary of fivethousand. Early in the morning the Merrimac appeared,moving toward the steam-frigate Minnesota. Suddenly, fromunder her lee, the Monitor darted out, and hurled at the mon-ster two one hundred and sixty-eight pound balls. Startledby the appearance of this unexpected and queer-lookingantagonist, the Merrimac poured in a broadside, such as thenight before had destroyed the Congress, but the balls rattled. NAVAL DUEL BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC. harmlessly o2 the Monitors turret, or broke and fell inpieces on the deck. Then began the battle of the iron was the first 6f the kind in the world. Close against eachother, iron rasping on iron, they exchanged their heaviestvolleys. Five times the Merrimac tried to run down theMonitor, but her huge beak only grated over the iron deck,while the Monitor glided out unharmed. Despairing of doinganything with her doughty little antagonist, the Merrimacnow steamed back to Norfolk. * in the centre a curious round tower made to revolve slowly by steam-power, thusturning In any direction the two guns it contained. The upper part of the hull, whichwas exposed to the enemys fire, projected several feet beyond the lower part, andwas made of thick white oak, covered with iron plating six inches thick on the sidesand two inches on deck.* ijs the Merrimac drew off she hurled a last shot, which, strikl
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