USA > Virginia > City of Portsmouth > City of Portsmouth > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 37
USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 37
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
When the iron-clads became engaged the Confederate wooden vessels retired from the contest to await the result of the battle. For several hours, part of which the two ships were almost touch- ing each other, they continned pouring broadside after broadside into each other without any apparent effect. The Monitor fired both solid shot and shell, while the Virginia had nothing but shell. These were not heavy enough to penetrate the Monitor's armor, while the heavy projectiles from that vessel glanced harm- lessly from the Virginia's inclined sides. Both seemed to be in- vulnerable. At one time during the action the Virginia got aground, and the Monitor took up a favorable position for attack, but she soon floated again and attempted to run down the Moni- tor ; the latter, however, partially avoided the blow, which glanced from her side. It has been claimed by Confederate authority that, but for a mistake made at this time on the part of the Vir- ginia, she would have forced the Monitor under water. It is said that while her bow was pressing against the Monitor's side that vessel was being badly careened, and that a few more forward turns of the Virginia's propeller would have forced her under the water, but the Virginia's engines were reversed and the two ves- sels separated. Finally a shell from the Virginia struck the pilot house of the Monitor and disabled her commander, Lieutenant John L. Worden, who had taken up his position there. The Monitor then withdrew from the fight and steamed away towards Fortress Monroe. The Virginia again turned towards the Min- nesota as if to complete her destruction, and Captain Van Brunt was considering the propriety of setting her on fire to prevent her falling into the hands of the Confederates when, very much to his surprise, as well as to his delight, the Virginia changed her course and steamed for Seawell's Point, whence she continued on to the Navy Yard. No satisfactory reason has been given why the Virginia left the Roads without first destroying the Minne- sota. The Monitor had withdrawn from the fight and the Min- nesota lay there a helpless prey, unable to move. The reported leak on the Virginia's bow, caused by the breaking off of her beak when she rammed the Cumberland, was an insignificant affair at best, and had been stopped by Mr. Hasker, the boatswain. The machinery of the vessel was working very well, the tide did not
363
THE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS.
necessitate her return, for she remained in the Roads until dark the day before, and there was no necessity for her innediate re- turn to the Navy Yard. The only inconvenience which resulted from the action was the perforation of her smokestack with nu- merous shot holes, but the withdrawal of the Monitor left the Virginia in a position to have had those stopped up temporarily, and with little loss of time. As it was, her returning to the Navy Yard without first destroying the Minnesota has enabled the Northern historians to lay elaim to a victory for the Monitor. Captain Van Brunt, commander of the Minnesota, in his official report of the action, says the Monitor was the first to withdraw. He says :
"The Merrimac, finding that she could make nothing of the Monitor, turned her attention once more to me, and now, on her second approach, I opened upon her with all my broadside guns and ten-inch pivot gun, a broadside which would have blown out of the water any timber-built ship in the world. She returned my fire with her rifled bow gun with a shell which passed through the chief engineer's state room, through the engineers' mess room amidships, and burst in the boatswain's room, tearing four rooms into one, in its passage exploding two charges of powder, which set the ship on fire, but it was promptly extinguished by a party headed by my First Lieutenant. Her second went through the boiler of the tugboat Dragon, exploding it and cansing some con- sternation on board my ship for the moment until the matter was explained. This time I had concentrated upon her an incessant fire from my gun deek, spar deck and forecastle pivot guns, and was informed by my marine officer, who was stationed on the poop, that at least fifty solid shot struck her on her slanting side without producing any apparent effect. By the time she had fired her third shell the little Monitor had come down upon her, placing herself between us, and compelled her to change her po- sition, in doing which she grounded, and I again poured into her all the guns which could be brought to bear upon her. As soon as she got off she stood down the bay, the little battery chasing her with all speed, when suddenly the Merrimac turned around and ran full speed into her antagonist. * The Rebels concentrated their whole battery upon the tower and pilot house of the Monitor, and soon after the latter stood down for Fortress Monroe, and we thought it probable she had exhausted her sup- ply of ammunition or sustained some injury. Soon after the Merrimac and the two other steamers headed for my ship, and I then felt to the fullest extent my condition. I was hard and im- movably aground, and they could take position under my stern and rake me. *
* * After consulting my officers, I ordered every preparation to be made to destroy the ship after all hope was gone to save her. On ascending my poop deck I ascertained
364
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
that the enemy's vessels had changed their course and were head- ing for Craney Island."
Thus it is apparent that, had the Virginia remained ten minutes longer in Hampton Roads, the Minnesota would have been de- stroyed by her own crew.
The Virginia returned to the Navy Yard and was docked. A new and stronger prow was put on her, and a course of two-inch iron, extending four feet down from the knuckle, was placed all around her, wrought iron shutters were fitted to her four quarter ports and solid shot were east for her guns. The holes in her smokestack were patched and a half a dozen pieces of armor plate were removed and replaced by new ones. These alterations con- sumed nearly a month's time, and it was the Sth of April before she came out of the dry-dock. Commodore Tatnall had in the meantime, succeeded Captain Buchanan as her commander, and on the 11th of April, accompanied by the Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Raleigh, Beaufort, Teazer and a wooden tug or tender from the Navy Yard, he steamed down to Hampton Roads pre- pared to engage and capture the Monitor. Each of the small steamers was manned with a boarding party. There were three divisions on each boat, and it was expected that some of them would be sunk by the Monitor before reaching her, but if any one boat succeeded in boarding her the enterprise promised to be successful. One division was directed to cover the pilot house with tarpaulins to prevent the wheelsman from seeing ; another was to drive iron wedges between the turret and deck to prevent it from revolving, and the third was to ignite combustibles, such as turpentine, &e., and throw them down the funnel into the tur- ret, and then eover the turret over with tarpaulins to smother the crew. The Virginia found the Monitor under the guns of For- tress Monroe, and Commodore Tatnall, apprehending torpedoes and shoal water, approached her as elose as he thought advisable and then lay to, challenging her to come out and fight. The chal- lenge was not accepted, and, noticing two brigs and a schooner anchored off Hampton bar, Commodore Tatnall ordered the Thomas Jefferson to capture them. The capture was effected without any resistance, and, hoisting their flags with the Union down, to tempt the Monitor to come to their rescue, the Jefferson took them in tow and carried them to Craney Island, whence they were taken to the Navy Yard. The brigs were the Marcus, of Stockton, New Jersey, and the Sabout, of Providence, Rhode Island, and were loaded with hay for the United States army. The schooner was the Catherine T. Dix, of Aecomac county, Vir- ginia, and was in ballast. Finding the Monitor would not fight, the Virginia returned to Seawell's Point and anchored. This af- fair was witnessed by a couple of English and French men-of-war which were anchored in the Roads, and which, expecting a fight, moved up towards Newport News, to give the combatants room.
365
THE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS.
It is more than probable that, had the Monitor come out to fight the Virginia, she would have been captured.
She had another opportunity to fight the Virginia on the 8th of May, but again declined. On that day, a little before noon, the Federal fleet, consisting of the Monitor, Naugatuck, Minne- sota, Dacotah, Seminole and San Jacinto, moved over to Sea- well's Point and began bombarding the Confederate batteries. The Virginia was at the Navy Yard, and steamed down to the assistance of the batteries. As she turned Lambert's Point she came within sight of the Federal fleet about six or seven miles lower down the river, and the entire fleet retired to Fortress Mon- roe. Commodore Tatnall pursued until he reached the vicinity of the Rip Raps, when he returned to Seawell's Point.
On the first of May the order came to evacuate Norfolk and Portsmouth, and the proper disposition to be made of the Vir- ginia became a question of considerable moment. Commodore Tatnall requested Naval Constructor Porter to have a set of wooden port-bucklers made for her, to keep the water from com- ing in her port holes. He said he knew a port in Georgia where there was sufficient depth of water for her, and he intended tak- ing her there. The bueklers were make, but were never taken out of the carpenter shop at the Navy Yard. The fear of torpe- does at Fortress Monroe and the fact that the Virginia was not a safe sea boat in stormy weather, when the waves would be liable to wash over her, induced Commodore Tatnall to change his mind about taking her to Georgia, and he commeneed lightening her, for the purpose of carrying her up James river. The pilots in- formed him that they could carry eighteen feet over the principal bar in the river, and he desired to lighten her to seventeen feet. Paymaster Semple inquired of Naval Constructor Porter if the vessel would have stability on a draft of seventeen feet, but did not volunteer any information as to the object of his inquiry. Mr. Porter replied that she would. To have lightened her to that draft, however, would have necessitated the removal of almost everything in her, even to a part of her machinery. But the Commodore began on the morning of the 10th to throw overboard everything moveable, and, having brought her hull out of water, and not having succeeded in reducing her depth sufficiently to have carried her over the bar, and having no means of again set- tling her in the water, he determined to set her on fire and de- stroy her. Accordingly the match was applied and about day- break on the morning of the 11th she was blown up, the fire hav- ing reached her magazine. Thus perished by the hands of her own commander this famous vessel, which the most powerful en- gines of war in the possession of her enemies were unable to in- jure. How much more glorious would have been her end, and how much higher her name would have stood in history, had her commander, instead of setting her on fire, ran past Fortress Mon-
366
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
roe and destroyed or dispersed Mcclellan's fleet of war ships and transports which were lying outside the fort and in York river. The guns of Fortress Monroe were as powerless to injure her as were those of the Monitor, Minnesota, Cumberland and Congress. The enemy gained everything and lost nothing by her destruc- tion, and her late antagonists, who were kept at bay by the terror of her name, steamed boldly up to the twin cities which she had so thoroughly guarded. Her crew marched to Suffolk and took part in the defence of Drury's Bluff later that month.
Whether or not Commodore Tatnall was justifiable in destroy- ing the Virginia will remain a matter of discussion. A naval court of inquiry exonerated him from all blame, but his defence of himself was marred by an attempt to blacken the good name of the Virginia pilots and to fasten upon them the imputation of being deficient in personal conrage.
The Federal Government had a wholesome fear of the Virginia and offered rewards and promotion to any one who would destroy her. The Navy Department ordered the Potomac river to be blocked with vessels loaded with stone, to prevent her coming to Washington. These preparations were kept up for several weeks, until it was ascertained that her draft of water was too great to enable her to ascend the river. General Wool was authorized by a dispatch from Washington, dated March 9th, at 1 p. m. (after the Monitor had retired from the fight), to evacuate Newport News, but to hold Fortress Monroe at all hazards. President Lincoln issued orders that the Monitor be not too much exposed ; he was afraid to risk the consequences of another battle with the Virginia, and on the 14th day of March, five days after the bat- tle between the two iron-clads, Quartermaster General M. C. Meigs of the United States army, wrote to Captain Dahlgren, commanding the Washington Navy Yard, as follows :
" Your telegram relative to barges received. I have ordered eight more sent down. I have seen nothing yet to satisfy me that in the next engagement the Monitor will not be sunk."
These barges were to block np the Potomac river, and General Meigs was correct. Had the Monitor come out to fight on the 11th of April, when the Virginia was prepared for her, she would have been sunk or captured. General Wool, commanding the department at Fortress Monroe, in a letter of the 14th of March to Secretary of War Stanton, expressed the fear that the Monitor would be overcome in the next engagement and that Newport News would have to be abandoned, and on the 15th, the Secre- tary, having no faith in the ability of the Monitor to successfully contend against the Virginia, proposed to make a contract with Mr. C. Vanderbilt to destroy her, but what the utmost exertions of the United States Government were powerless to do was done by her own commander, and the first and most famous of iron- clads passed out of existence.
Mahoneyville Distilling Company, ALEXANDRIA, VA.,
Main Office, Nos. 11 and 13 High Street, . PORTSMOUTH, VA. DISTILLERS OF Arlington Pure Rye and Cameron Springs Whiskey AND RYE MALT GIN. ALSO J. & E. MAHONEY,
RECTIFIERS AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN
Foreign and Domestic Wines and Liquors.
PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO ALL ORDERS.
PORTSMOUTH BARGAIN HOUSE,
B. F. HOWELL,
Dealer in Furniture, Carpets, Dry-Goods, Notions, Clothing, Trunks, Stoves, Boots, Shoes, Glass, Crockery and Tinware.
Cor. High & Washington Streets, Portsmouth, Va.
Carrying the line of goods that I do, enables me to beat all competition. The Cheapest Goods in this Section. Goods sold on installments.
JNO. N. HART.
WM. F. HART. JNO. N. HART & BRO.,
Lumber, Shingles and Laths, Cor. High and Chestnut Streets,
Adjoining Godwin's Factory. Portsmouth, Va.
R. B. DAUGHERTY
DEALER IN IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC
Canned Goods & Groceries
508 CRAWFORD STREET,
PORTSMOUTHI, - - VIRGINIA.
JOS. F, WEAVER, -DEALER IN-
DRUGS, MEDICINES, Chemicals, Patent Medicine, Perfumery Fancy and Toilet Articles,
518 SOUTH STREET, - - - PORTSMOUTH, VA.
·
Prescriptions Carefully Compounded.
NIEMEYER & CO.,
115 & 117 HIGH ST., PORTSMOUTH, VA.
Coal, Lime, Cement and Building Material,
AND COMMISSION MERCHANTS.
CITY STOVE HOUSE.
ALEXADER & PØWELL, -DEALERS IN-
Cooking & Heating Stoves Ranges, &c., Tinware and House Furnishing Goods, Gas Fitting and Plumbing.
517 and 519 CRAWFORD ST., - PORTSMOUTH, VA.
Established 1865. -
W. C. NASH, -DEALER IN ---
Dry Goods and Notions, CLOAKS, CASSIMERES, OILCLOTHS, MATTINGS, LADIES' UNDERWEAR, &c KIRN BUILDING, 229 High St., Portsmouth, Va.
OWENS BROS., Wholesale .. Fancy .. Grocers 119 AND 121 HIGH STREET, PORTSMOUTH, VA. -DEALERS IN- Fruits, Vegetables, Candies, Cakes, Crackers, Cigars, Tobacco, &c.
Agents for Price & Lucas' Cider and Vinegar and Skillman's Fancy Cakes.
WILLIAM H. STEWART, ATTORNEY AT LAW.
COMMISSIONER IN CHANCERY
For the Court of Hustings for the City of Portsmouth and for the Circuit Court of the County of Norfolk.
Office, No. 407 Court Street.
Residence, No. 517 North Street.
W. B. JOHNSON.
Funeral Director and Embalmer.
Office,
502 County Street.
Residence, -
-
700 County Street.
PORTSMOUTH, 1 - - VIRGINIA.
The Bank of Portsmouth,
PORTSMOUTH, VA. ORGANIZED FEB. 9TH, 1867. The Oldest Bank in Portsmouth or Norfolk. Capital paid in, $100,000; surplus and undivided profits, $31,500. LEGH R. WATTS, President; J. L. BILISOLY, Cashier. DIRECTORS.
LEGH R. WATTS, President, General Counsel Seaboard Air Line. O. V. SMITH, Viee Pres't., Traffic Manager Seaboard Air Line. JOHN M. ROBINSON, President Seaboard Air Line, Old Do- minion Steamship Co., Bay Line, ete., etc. JOHN H. HUME, of R. G. Hume & Bro. W. V. H. WILLIAMS, Secretary and Treas. of Portsmouth Ins. Co. E. N. WILCOX, of Hume & Bro. THOMAS SCOTT, Furniture Dealer. EDWARD MAHONEY, Retired Capitalist. GEO. L. NEVILLE, Contractor.
CORRESPONDENTS.
Chicago, Continental National Bank; Boston, National Revere Bank; New York, Importers and Traders National Bank; Richmond, State Bank of Virginia; Baltimore, Merchants' National Bank; Washington, National Metropolitan Bank ; Philadelphia, First National Bank, Independence Na- tional Bank, Corn Exchange National Bank.
Our connections North, East, West and in Virginia and North Carolina enable us to offer the best facilities for collections, which we make at reason- able rates.
JOHN T. GRIFFIN, President. 1 J. H. TOOMER, Cashier.
CITY DEPOSITARY. Merchants and Farmers Bank
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Virginia. Com- menced business December 1st, 1885.
Capital Stock, $51,500; Surplus and undivided profits, $35,000. Transacts a general banking business. Accounts of farmers, merchants and others solicited.
W. V. H. WILLIAMS, Secretary.
O. V. SMITH, President.
Portsmouth
Insurance
Co.,
INCORPORATED 1852 .: The Only Home and the Oldest Fire Insurance Of- fice in Eastern Virginia.
Represents the Liverpool and London and Globe, Imperial, of London ; Mutual Life, of New York ; Travelers, of Hartford. The Leading Life and Accident Companies of the World. Union Agency for sale of Railroad and Steamboat Tickets. Office: Company's Building, 217 High St., Portsmouth, Va,
R. C. HUME & BRO.,
224 HIGH STREET, PORTSMOUTH.
BOOKS, .. STATIONERY. SCHOOL SUPPLIES OF ALL KINDS.
State Agency Weber, Wheelock Pianos, Wilcox & White, Needham Organs
JOHN R. NEELY. (Successor to R. J. Neely & Co.) WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALER IN
DOORS, SASH, BLINDS,
Mouldings, Brackets. Wood and Slate Mantles, Paints, Oils, Varnish, and Builders' Hard- ware, White Pine, Walnut, Ash and Oak Lumber, Hot-bed Sash, &c. COR. QUEEN AND WATER STS., -
- PORTSMOUTH, VA.
JOHN C. EMMERSON, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALER IN
LUMBER, SHINGLES and LATHS, White Pine and Poplar a Specialty. @ STEAMBOATS SUPPLIED WITH WATER. DI MAIN OFFICE, S. W. COR. LONDON & WATER STREETS, PORTSMOUTH, - VIRGINIA.
THOMAS SCOTT. 317 HIGH STREET, PORTSMOUTH, VA. The Oldest Furniture House IN EASTERN VIRGINIA. Beautiful Lines of Furniture, Carpets, Mattings, Oilcloths, Rugs, Mattresses, &c., always in stock. Will be pleased to wait on his friends.
J. S. CRAWFORD, Furniture, Carpets, &c.,
Desks, Pictures, Oil Cloth and Matting, Feathers, Springs, Mattresses and Pillows, Lace Curtains, Portiers and Wall Paper. Country Orders Solicited. Northern Prices Duplicated. Largest Furniture and Carpet House in the City.
Crawford Building,
221, 223 High Street,
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
G. M. REYNOLDS & CO., Insurance, Real Estate & Rental Agents, AUCTIONEERS.
335 and 337 HIGH STREET, - - PORTSMOUTH, VA.
ESTABLISHED IN 1881. W. J. BRENT,
General Contractor and Builder, 1309 and 1311 GREEN STREET.
Improved Facilities for Conducting the Business in all its Branches. Estimates furnished on application. All work promptly attended to.
H. B. WILKINS,
- -) DEALER IN (- COAL & WOOD.
1213 Washington St., Portsmouth, Va.
Has always on hand a full stock of First Class Pine and Hard Wood, also the Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal.
Delivered to any part of city or county.
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