History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 13

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 13

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After cruising about in challenge for bat- tle, without having it accepted, the Commo- dore ordered a gun fired to the windward, re- turned to the buoy off Sewell's Point, and an- chored for the night. The next day we came to Norfolk for repairs to the boiler. A few days thereafter, completing our repairs, we heard heavy firing and received orders to go the help of our batteries at Sewell's Point that were being bombarded by the "Monitor" and other ships. We were soon under way and steered directly for the "Monitor" and other Federal ships then shelling at that point ; but as we approached they ceased firing and re- treated below the forts, wo following until we exchanged several shots with the Rip Raps. With considerable disappointment Commo- clore Tatnall ordered the ship back to her buoy at Sewell's Point. The next day. I think, or

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

soon thereafter, we noticed our batteries were not flying our flag and upon inquiring the cause we learned that Norfolk was being evac- uated, thus ending the necessity for holding our present position.

The next thing to do was either to go out to sea, which all agreed to do if permitted, or to go up the James River. Orders were re- ceived to go up to Richmond. Upon consul- tation with the pilots we learned that if we could lighten the ship enough to let her draw four or five feet less we could get over the bar. This action was agreed upon and all were set to work throwing over the ballast and other articles in order to bring her up to 18 feet draught. We were informed, however, by 12 o'clock Saturday night that we could not get up the river for some reason and now being exposed by having some two feet of the wooden hull out of the water, nothing was left but to destroy the ship in order to keep her from falling into the hands of the enemy. She was then run aground above Craney Isl- and and the work of destruction commenced. We had but few boats with which to land our large crew safely on shore; consequently we had to leave all our personal effects on board the steamer.

I was one of IO selected to destroy the ship and held the light for . Mr. Oliver, the gunner, to uncap the powder in the magazine to insure a quick explosion and, necessarily, was among the last to leave her decks. A more beautiful sight I never beheld than that great ship on fire; the flames issuing from the port-holes, through the grating and smoke- stack. That conflagration was a sight ever to be remembered.

Thus closed the life -- Saturday night. May 12, 1862-of our gallant ship. Our crew landing Sunday morning, possibly about 4 o'clock, we had to walk to Suffolk, arriving there that night, having been without food since Saturday noon. We took the train and reached Richmond the next day and were or- dered to Drury's Bluff. There we kept the enemy from Richmond-stopped the progress

of the entire fleet, including the "Monitor,"' that had refused to meet the same men when on the decks of the "Virginia." With consid- erable loss to them, and but little to us, we drove the entire Federal fleet back down the river.

E. V. WHITE, of Georgia, (now a resident of Portsmouth. Va.) Ass't Engineer Str. "Virginia," C. S. Navy.

In writing the above recollections I think it pertinent to state my position during those trying times of the memorable "Virginia."

I was stationed on the gun deck in charge of the gong and speaking tube leading to the engine room and directly under the command- ing officer of the ship for conveying his orders to that department for starting, backing and stopping the engines and bringing hot shot to the guns from the fire-room-having five port-holes on bow and sides through which to witness all that was occurring during those days.

E. V. W. The commander of the "Gassendi," a French man-of-war, who witnessed the com- bat. made a report to his government from which the following are extracts :

"On the morning of the Sth, light breeze from the N. N. W .: very fine weather ; slight ebb tide. About 12:40, a mass. having the appearance of a barrack's roof surmounted by a large funnel, appeared at the entrance of Elizabeth River, a little inside of Sewell's Point. Every one recognized the 'Merrimac' immediately, which, accompanied by two gun- boats, the 'Beaufort' and the 'Raleigh,' ad- vanced slowly toward the channel of Hamp- ton Roads. After several evolutions, executed doubtless to assure lierself of the good work- ing of her machinery, the 'Merrimac' seemed for an instant to turn back toward Norfolk : but in a short after she boldly started again on hier course at an apparent speed of six knots, standing for the Federal sailing frigates 'Cumberland' and 'Congress,' anchored at the entrance of the James River. The two gun-

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boats remained at the entrance of the Elizabeth River to watch the movement of the Federal vessels anchored off Fortress Monroe.

"The Federal naval force at the anchorage consisted of the screw frigate 'Minnesota,' for more than a month cleared for action, with steam up: of the screw frigate 'Roanoke.' also cleared for action, but which an inexplicable negligence had allowed to remain for four months with her main shaft broken, and which tried to deceive the enemy by a useless blowing off of steam: of the sailing frigate 'St. Law- rence,' which had arrived the day before to replace the 'Cumberland' at Newport News, and which had anchored at quite a distance outside: of two three-masted ships. each armed with six cannon. There were besides four gunboats. paddle-wheel or screw; haif a dozen tugboats (each carrying a 30-pounder Parrott), and an equal number of ferry boats. Not one of these vessels appeared to notice the arrival of their formidable enemy in the Roads and it was more than a quarter of an hour after her appearance that a shot fired by one of the gunboats announced that she was in siglıt.

"At about 1:30 the 'Minnesota' hoisted her jib and started at moderate speed, aided by a tugboat towing by the starboard side. The 'Roanoke,' towed by two tugboats, followed her more slowly still. Having arrived near the Rip Raps the 'Minnesota' stopped and ran out lines as though to take the 'Roanoke' in tow: but she soon appeared to relinquish that and about 2 o'clock she at length started at a speed of seven or eight knots standing toward Newport News, where the engagement took place. Her tugboat (the 'Dragon'), then went to the aid of the 'Roanoke,' which con- tinued to advance slowly, her three tugs be- ing unable without great difficulty to make her stem the current.

"The paddle-wheel gunboat. 'Whitehall.' and the screw gunboat . 'Mystic.' bore off toward Newport News also, but they took a very minor part in the fight. As these vessels come abreast of Sewell's Point battery that

battery opened fire on them. They replied to it; but this fire at long range (about 2,500 meters), to which was added that of the Rip Raps, could but produce an insignificant effect.

"About 2:30 the 'Minnesota' ran aground on the shoals north of Hampton Middle Ground, a mile from Newport News. The Southern batteries and gunboats fired upon her at long range. The 'Roanoke' fearing, doubt- less, to take ground also, which her want of speed rendered imminent. then changed her course and, spreading her sails, came back to the anchorage off the Fortress, where she ar- rived about 4 o'clock. The tugs went to the aid of the "Minnesota.' The 'Mystic' came back to thel anchorage also about the same hour, and the frigate, 'St. Lawrence,' which up to that time had steadily proceeded toward the scene of the engagement, imitated likewise the maneuver of the 'Roanoke' and 'Mystic.'

"The 'Merrimac,' however, had continued to direct her course toward the frigates which she wished to destroy. The two gunboats had rejoined her and at 2 o'clock she was at the eu- trance of the James River. She was immedi- ately greeted by a violent cannonade from the two frigates and from the batteries of New- port News. The Confederate battery at Pig Point replied. The fight was then hidden from us in a great measure by the point, which allowed us to see only the masts of the frig- ates : but we were able to estimate the force of the fire, which during a quarter of an hour, particularly, was of the hottest. We could see the entrance of the river constantly swept in all directions by the shot that ricochetted and the strength of the detonations indicate:1 to us that they were guns of the heaviest cali- bre, which were testing the armor of the 'Mer- rimac.' This vessel, after having delivered a broadside at the 'Congress,' the nearest of the two frigates, advanced toward the 'Cumber- land.' whose formidable battery might well be dreaded, and struck her amidships at a speed of four or five knots, partially breaking her ram. After drawing off two ships' lengths, and having delivered a second broadside at

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

the 'Congress,' the 'Merrimac' a second time rammed the 'Cumberland,' which sank almost immediately. It was then about 2:30. It would seem that this second blow was unnec- essarv.

"The two steamers, 'Yorktown' and 'Jamestown,' which, having descended the James River, awaited a little higher up the moment of attack, after having opened fire upon the 'Congress' in passing, appeared in Hampton Roads and engaged in a very sharp fight with the two Federal gunboats and the stranded 'Minnesota.'

"The 'Merrimac' reappeared also outside the point, fired alternately at the 'Congress' and the batteries of Newport News, while the Southern gunboats did likewise. Toward 3 o'clock that frigate hoisted her jib, sheeted home her topsails, ran forward a ship's length and grounded immediately on the sand banks south of the entrance of the river. Almost at the same instant she struck her colors, which she replaced by a white flag and a little later she hoisted another at the mainmast.

"It was at this time that the following inci- dent occurred, of which the Southern papers complain :

"So soon as the white flag had announced to the Confederates the surrender of the frig- ate, they ceased firing and one of their gun- boats, the 'Raleigh,' approached her and ran alongside of her on the starboard side to take off the officers and to tell the crew to go ashore in their boats ; but at the moment that the gun- boat in good faith came alongside the frigate guns fired by the Federals hid in the edge of the woods and some also from the 'Congress,' killed and wounded many officers and sailors of the 'Raleigh.' Some men, even on the 'Con- gress,' were struck by balls coming from the land. This incident, of which the Confeder- ates have bitterly complained, has been copied by the majority of the Northern newspapers ; not one has contradicted it. One of them (the New York Herald, of the 14th) has, on the contrary confirmed it.

"The 'Merrimac' continued to fire at the

batteries of Newport News up to the moment that the 'Raleigh' drew off from the 'Congress' (about 4 o'clock). All of them drew near to the 'Minnesota' which, still aground and slightly inclined to starboard and surrounded by three or four gunboats, exchanged shots at long range with the 'Yorktown' and 'James- town.' The 'Roanoke' was already en route for the anchorage. The 'St. Lawrence,' which arrived on the scene of action, took part but for a short time and everything looked as though the resistance of the 'Minnesota' could not be prolonged.

"However, the shoalness of the water did not permit the 'Merrimac' to draw near to the frigate and the other vessels were of too slight a build to expose themselves near her power- ful battery.

"The combatants appeared, besides, ex- hausted by the emotions and fatigue of a con- tinued struggle of more than three hours. Per- haps the Confederates, almost sure of taking the frigate on the morrow, did not wish to damage the hull nor the machinery too much. However it may be, the fire slackened a great deal. About 6 o'clock it had entirely ceased and the vessels disappeared little by little in the fog which obscured the horizon. At 7:30 the 'Congress' was on fire and blew up at midnight with a tremendous report. The Con- federates had succeeded, besides, in cutting out in the James River and taking to Norfolk the water tank 'Reindeer.' , which alone supplied the fort and vessels with water.

"Everything seemed desperate on the even- ing of the 8th and a general panic appeared to take possession of everyone. The terrible engine of war, so often announced, had at length appeared and in an hour at most had destroyed two of the strongest ships of the Union, silenced two powerful land batteries and seen the rest of the naval force, which the clay before blockaded the two rivers, retreat before her. Several vessels changed their an- chorage and all held themselves in readiness to stand out to sea at the first movement of the enemy. Everything was in confusion at

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Fortress Monroe : ferry boats, gunboats and tugboats were coming and going in all direc- tions : drums and bugles beat and soundel with unusual spirit. Fortress Monroe and the battery of the Rip Raps exchanged night signals without intermission. In spite of the assistance of half a dozen steamers, the 'Min- nesta' could not succeed in getting afloat again and I learned that a council of war held on the subject even entertained for a moment the thought of burning her. Already seven or eight guns had been thrown overboard and some others spiked, when about 8:40 the "Monitor' ( Ericsson battery) arrived, which was to save the 'Minnesota' and the rest of the vessels at the anchorage.

"The sending of this new auxiliary restored the shaken confidence. She immediately direct- ed her course toward the place where the frig- ate was stranded and anchored beside her. The Confederate vessels had taken their posi- tion under Sewell's Point, and the night passed without incident, each one awaiting with im- patience the results of the trial of the morrow. "On the morning of the 9th, slight breeze from the east: very fine weather: light fog. " At daylight, at the entrance of the Eliz- abeth River, the Confederate vessels were seen under steam, the 'Minnesota' still unmovable. and to the left of her, scarcely visible, a small black mass, surmounted by a curl of smoke.

"At 8 o'clock the fog completely dispersed. The 'Merrimac,' preceded by the 'Jamestown' and 'Yorktown,' stood for the Federal frigate. The lighter vessels commenced the attack, but the little black mass had put itself in motion and soon a cloud of smoke and the noise of two loud reports apprised the gunboats with whom they had to deal. They were then seen to abandon the attack and retire under the bat- teries of Sewell's ( Point), leaving the 'Merri- mac' to defend alone the honor of their young flag. The 'Minnesota,' occupied in efforts to get herself afloat, only took part in the fight at long intervals, and the action resolved it- self into a veritable duel between two batteries. They engaged in the fight at first at long

range, but the two enemies were not slow in coming together, each one striving to find the weak spot in the armor of her adversary. In this contest of naval tactics entirely in a nar- row channel of little depth. the 'Monitor.' whose draft is not half that of the 'Merrimac.' had an enormous advantage over the latter. Sure of her workings she could run at full speed. approach or retire, as she judged best, without fear of running aground. The Con- federate battery, on the contrary, could not move nor perform any evolutions except with the greatest precaution, in spite of the evi- dent great skill of her pilot.

"At the commencement of the action she grounded and remained immovable for a quar- ter of an hour. However, the fight continued with an equal ardor. Several times in their evolutions the two adversaries fired upon each other at a distance of a few meters, and in spite of their powerful batteries the projectiles bounded off perfectly harmless. apparently.

"Once the 'Merrimac' ran into the 'Moni- tor,' but whether her ram had been completely broken the day before or whether it was placed too high, she struck her enemy at the water- line and produced only a slight depression on the powerful armor plating which protected that part. Shortly after. the flagstaff of the 'Merrimac' was shot away by a ball and the tops in the Roads, as well as the ramparts of the fortress, saluted this accident with frantic hurrahs as a victory. But soon a sailor ap- peared on the gratings showing at the end of a staff the flag which had for an instant dis- appeared.

"Two or three times the Ericsson battery drew near to the 'Minnesota' and stopped fir- ing to cool her guns. The frigate then fired a broadside at the 'Merrimac.' which replied with energy, and one of her balls struck the boiler of the tugboat 'Dragon,' which moored alongside of the stranded vessel held herself in readiness to take her in tow. The boiler exploded, causing the 'Dragon' to sink, scald- ing and wounding several men.

"At length, about 12:30, after four hours

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

of fighting, the 'Merrimac' started for Sewell's Point.

"The 'Monitor' came up to the 'Minnesota and a little while after all the Confederate flo- tilla returned to Norfolk.

"During the following night the stranded frigate was gotten afloat, and at 2 A. M. of the Ioth, one of the gunboats which had taken part in the fight, the 'Whitehall,' took fire and blew up at two cable lengths from the 'Gassendi.' At daylight the 'Minnesota' and the 'Monitor' anchored in the Roads.

"The 'Merrimac' appeared to me to have received 50 or 60 shot. The funnel was literally riddled, and the flagstaff shot away. None of the shot had made a very serious im- pression. The first iron plate of the armor, sometimes the second, was broken, but no- where was the armor penetrated. Owing to the slope of the sides. even when the iron would break under the blow, there was no in- ternal bending of the entire structure, as near- ly always happened to the Ericsson battery. The unbroken plate remained almost intact. However, from the concussion caused by two shots, one at the edge, the other below the water-line. a piece of wood flew off inside. but the vessel did not make water in either case. The sloping arrangement of the sep- arate and not very wide plates, fastened on the inside by nut-bolts, allowed the 'Merrimac' to be promptly repaired.

"During the morning of the 9th a ball from the 'Monitor' parted her ('Merrimac's') chain a little below the hawse hole, the anchor dropped and the chain, violently driven in- ward, seriously wounded a man. A gun was broken at the muzzle. They, nevertheless, con- tinued to fire it without accident.

"It is asserted that at the time of the ram- ming of the 'Cumberland' a part of her crew leaped on the roofing of the 'Merrimac,' but they slid off the incline plane and the greater part were drowned. It is doubtless to this incident that the disappearance of 200 men from that ship is due.

"The 'Monitor' was hit by 23 projectiles.

Some shells were thrown by the 'Minnesota at the 'Merrimac,' and they produced no more effect than a blow of a hammer. The balls from the 'Merrimac,' especially those fired al- most muzzle to muzzle, produced some re- stilts. Three cylindro-conical balls fired from the rifle guns made an indentation nearly four inches deep on the armor plating. Two of them made an equally deep indentation on the inside of the turret, and a man leaning against the inside walls at the place receiving the blow was thrown forward and wounded. A third projectile struck one of the iron plates of the pilot-house and made such a depression that iron splinters were violently thrown off and blinded the captain, who at that moment was leaning his head against the plate. The other shots which reached the 'Monitor, and were for the most part round did not appear to me to have produced a very great effect, those es- pecially which struck the sides perpendicular- ly : two, however, struck the side at the edge of the deck, lifting and tearing it, causing the iron plates to give way and breaking three of them. The others only produced insignificant effects."

The above minute detail of the great com- bat by a foreigner and disinterested witness should put at rest forever the oft repeated as- sertion that the 'Monitor' defeated the 'Vir- ginia.' The French ship was at anchor be- tween Sewell's Point and the Rip Raps; and her commander had a good view of all that transpired, and his plain statements conclui- sively prove that the "Monitor" did not obtain a victory over the "Virginia."

Surgeon D. B. Phillips of the "Virginia" reported the casualties of the 8th as follows :

"Flag-officer F. Buchanan wounded in the left thigh, a minie-ball having passed entirely through the fleshy portion, grazing femoral artery and inflicting a serious wound. Lieut. R. D. Minor wounded in the left side. Mid- shipman Marmaduke, slight wound on the arm. Killed, Charles Dunbar, and - Wal- deck. Wounded, William Burkes, seaman ; John Capps, Company E, 4Ist Regiment; A.

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J. Dalton, Company E. 41st Regiment ; Em- erson Ivas, seaman ; and John Leonard, sea- man." The Federal loss in the battles of the Sth and 9th of March was 201 killed and 108 wounded-the Confederate loss, 7 killed and 17 wounded.

On the Sth and 9th of March, 1862, the Confederate States fleet successfully encoun- tered, defied and beat a force equal to 2,960 men and 220 guns as follows :

"Congress," burned, 480 men. 50 guns.

"Cumberland." sunk. 360 men, 22 guns.

"Minnesota." riddled, 550 men. 40 guns.

"Roanoke," driven off, 550 men, 40 guns.

"St. Lawrence." driven off. 550 men, 40 guns. Two or three gunboats, disabled, 120 men, 6 guns. "Monitor," iron-clad, disabled and driven off to shoal water, 150 men, 2 guns.

Forts at Newport News silenced, 200 men. 20 guns.

OFFICERS OF THE "VIRGINIA."

Commodore Franklin Buchanan, of Maryland.

Lieutenant Catesby Ap. R. Jones, of Virginia.

Lieutenant Charles C. Simms. of Virginia.

Lieutenant Robert D. Minor, of Virginia.

Lieutenant Hunter Davidson, of Virginia.

Lieutenant John Taylor Wood, of Louisiana.

Lieutenant J. R. Eggleston. of Mississippi.

Lieutenant Walter R. Butt, of Portsmouth, Vir- ginia. Midshipman R. C. Foute, of Tennessee.

Midshipman H. H. Marmaduke, of Missouri.

Midshipman H. B. Littlepage, of Virginia. Midshipman W. J. Craig. of Kentucky. Midshipman J. C. Long. of Tennessee. Midshipman L. M. Roots, of Virginia. Paymaster. James Semple, of Virginia. Surgeon. D. B. Phillips, of Virginia. Assistant Surgeon. A. S. Garnett, of Virginia. Captain of Marines. R. T. Thom, of Alabama.

Chief Engineer, H. Ashton Ramsey, of Virginia. Assistant Engineer, John W. Tynan. of Virginia. Assistant Engineer, Louden Campbell. of Virginia. Assistant Engineer. Benjamin Herring, of North Carolina.

Assistant Engineer, E. V. White, of Georgia, now of Portsmouth. Va.

Assistant Engineer, E. A. Jaek, of Virginia. Assistant Engineer. Robert Wright, of Virginia. Boatswain. Charles H. Hasker. Gunner, Hugh Lindsay. Clerk. Arthur Sinclair. Jr.

Volunteer Aid, Douglas F. Forrest. Captain. Thomas Kevill, United Artillery. Pilot. William Parrish. Pilot. William Clarke.

Pilot, Hezekiah Williams.

Pilot, George W'right. Sergeant Tabb, Signal Corps.

Commodore Josiah Tatnall relieved .Ad- miral Buchanan in command. On the IIth of April he took the "Virginia" and steamed down to Hampton Roads, expecting to have a desperate encounter with the "Monitor." In vain did the "Virginia" endeavor to prevail on the "Monitor" to leave her place of retreat. under the guns of Fortress Monroe. Proudly she sped to and fro through the water, chal- lenging her opponent to come forth and do battle, but the challenge was unheeded. Find- ing her efforts to coax the "Monitor" out un- availing, she opened at 4 o'clock, precisely, on a large gunboat and a small tug boat with a large gun on her, both of which kept lurking around the shore, close into Hampton Creek. immediately in the vicinity of the Chesapeake Female Seminary (now the Soldiers' Home ) ; at these she fired three shots, which were promptly responded to by each of them. The first shot the "Virginia" fired, appeared, from the position the writer occupied, to strike the water and pass right over the tugboat, going over on the land. The gun on board the small tugboat seemed to have a much longer range than that on board her larger consort, the shot from which fell short each time as far as the little tug boat's gun overshot the mark.

This battle was carried on at long range, be it remembered, as these vessels kept their position in shallow water where they knew it was impossible for the "Virginia" to get at them. Several of the shot from the little tug boat passed away over the "Virginia," and came in very uncomfortable proximity to the English and French vessels lying in the rear. There were some nine or ten shots exchanged on this occasion, and the "Virginia," finding it impossible to get the "Monitor" out, retired to her anchorage near the city. . The prizes captured by the fleet were the brig "Marcus," of Stockton, New Jersey : brig "Saboah." of Providence, and schooner "Cath- rine T. Dix," of . Accomac. The two brigs were loaded with hay-one of them having

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 13

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054