Page 53 - NS-2 Textbook

46 MARITIME HISTORY

Stephen MaIlOlY, the Confederate secretary of the navy, THE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS
directed the plan. Mallory believed the vessel to be the
best means of driving the Union blockaders from the In early March, the North and South appeared to be in an
mouth of the Chesapeake and reopening Norfolk as a unstable balance in the east, though things had begun to
cotton port. go badly for the Confederacy in the west. President
The ship could make only 4 knots and drew too Lincoln finally persuaded General George McClellan to
much water for safe navigation in the rivers, but she was plan a move on Richmond from the south, landing his
something entirely new and a real danger to any forces at Fortress Monroe and moving up the peninsula
wooden vessel. Her main deck 'vas overlaid ·with a case- to the Confederate capital. Only the tlu'eat of the CSS
mate framed with hventy-inch pine beams, four-inch Virginia htmg over the optimistic expectations of the
oak planks, and two layers of iron plates. The sloping Union commander. If the Virginia got loose in Hampton
sides of the casemate were to be smeared with tallo,v so Roads, it would not only doom the wooden blockade
solid shot would bounce off harmlessly. Recommis- vessels but also destroy his 'ivhole plan to move on
sioned as the CSS Vilginia, she mounted three 9-inch Riclunond.
Dahlgren guns, two 6-inch rifles in broadside, and two 7- On 8 March the Virginia steamed out from the Norfolk
inch rifled pivot guns. A heavy iron ram was fitted on Navy Yard and headed down the Elizabeth River toward
her bow. the anchored Union blockade ships, the USS ClImberiand
When the work was nearly completed, Commander and the USS Congress. As the Firginia moved toward the
Franklin Buchanan, a former U. S. naval officer who had two ships, the ClImberiand began firing, but the shots
been the first superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, merely bounced off the sloping iron sides. Buchanan fired
was named commanding officer of the Virginia. He mus- a few shots, but his intent was to ram. The Filgillia plowed
tered a crew of about 350 men. If the ship could get under into the side of the ClIlIlberlalld, then backed off. The Union
way in time, the five wooden Union Navy ships blockad- sloop sank quickly, taking with her more than a third of
ing Norfolk and the lower Chesapeake could be smashed the crew. The ship's crew fought gallantly right to the end.
to matchwood, and the Union troops in Newport News The Filgillia suffered only two casualties but lost her ram
and Fortress Monroe in Hampton Roads would have to when backing off the sinking ship.
evacuate. Buchanan then turned on the COllgress, which had
Work continued from May 1861 to the end of Febru- run aground while trying to escape to the protection of
ary 1862, the project slowed by the lack of iron plate and Union shore batteries. TI1e ironclad slowly and carefully
other metal parts. In early March, the Vilgillia was finally placed herself in position to rake the Union ship. Finally,
ready to fight. at a range of only 150 yards, she threw one rifled shell
In August 1861 spies brought word to Lincoln that after another into the trapped ship. The COllgress became
the Confederates had raised the Merrimack and were a flaming wreck, with many of her crew killed and
working to build an ironclad ram. Navy secretary Welles \votmded. Her corrunanding officer was killed, and his
appointed an Ironclad Board, and Congress was per- successor ordered the colors struck to end the slaughter.
suaded to appropriate $1.5 million for construction of Buchanan ordered Confederate boats to accept the sur-
ironclad steamships. The Navy itself was slow to accept render and take off the cre'w as prisoners. In this opera-
the idea, however, because most of its older officers held tion, hmvevel~ some Confederate sailors 'were killed by
the highest positions. Nevertheless, Welles pushed the Union troops on shore. In retaliation Buchanan ordered
project through. Jolm Ericsson, a Swedish-born builder the Congress bombarded with red-hot shot. While topside
in Brooklyn, Ne\y York, ,vas mvarded the contract to to observe this, Buchanan 'was hit in the leg by a Union
build the vessel after President Lincoln commented fa- Minie ball and had to be relieved in command by Lieu-
vorably on his sketches. tenant Catesby Jones.
Ericsson ·worked feverishly on his design, incorpo- Jones now hrrned his attention to the USS Millnesota,
rating in it as many as forty new patents. The craft had another blockader run aground. But this ship was too far
only a foot or so of freeboard, so as to present a very into the shoal waters to be accurately fired upon. TI1e
small target. Her battery was two Dahlgren 11-inch guns Min1lesota ""vas hit several times by the Virginia and some
in a heavily armored turret. The deck was armor plated small Confederate ships from the James River squadron
also, and an overhang protected the screw and rudder. fhat had joined the fight since they were no longer block-
Through steam power, the fourteen-ton turret could be aded. After Huee hours of trying to get closet; the Firgill;a
rotated 360 degrees. The Monitor was commissioned on broke off and retired to an anchorage under Sewell's
25 February 1862, with Lieutenant Jolm L. Worden, USN, Point in Norfolk. She had suffered only minor damage,
as commanding officer. After a brief testing, the ship was and she was ready for action again the next day.
ordered to Hampton Roads, near the entrance to Norfolk TI1e MOllitor, meanwhile, had been laboring in heavy
Harbor. seas toward Hampton Roads. She arrived the night of 8