Identifier: decisivebattless00knox (find matches)
Title: Decisive battles since Waterloo : the most important military events from 1815 to 1887
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Knox, Thomas Wallace, 1835-1896
Subjects: Monitor (Ironclad) Battles Military history Military art and science Naval battles Naval history Naval art and science Hampton Roads, Battle of, Va., 1862
Publisher: New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons New Rochelle, N.Y. : Knickerbocker Press
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: State of Indiana through the Indiana State Library

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c steamed away to Nor-folk, repaired her damages as much as possible, and pre-pared for the work of the next day. The intention was for the Merrimac to destroy theMinnesota and then attack the other ships near FortressMonroe. She steamed in the direction of the Minnesota,and as she approached that vessel the Monitor came outfrom behind the Minnesotas great hull and offered battle.The cheese-box on a raft had such an insignificant ap-pearance that it was thought she could be easily disposedof. But as soon as the battle began the Merrimac s com-mander found the novel craft a most formidable foe. TheMonitor drew twelve feet of water and the Merrimactwenty-three ; the former was able to choose her position,while the Merrimac dared not venture where there was apossibility of taking the ground. On two or three occa-sions she touched bottom, but hung there only a few mo-ments at a time. The Monitor fired much more slowly than the Merrimac,but her shot told with some effect, though they could
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224 DECISIVE BATTLES SINCE WATERLOO. not disable her antagonist. Each boat tried to ram theother, but neither was successful. When the Merrimacapproached close to the Monitor with the intention ofsinking her by ramming, the latter fired twice, and partiallyforced in the side of the Merrimac s shield, knockingdown several of her crew ; her executive officer said thatanother shot at the same point would have penetratedthe side. The Monitor was hit repeatedly on the turret,but with no other effect than to make several indentations.Finding that no impression could be made in this way,the commander of the Merrimac ordered her fire to beconcentrated on the Monitor s pilot house, and with verygood effect. One shot partially destroyed the pilot houseand disabled Captain Worden. He was blinded by theforce of the blow, and blood poured from his face. Hewas thought at the time to be fatally injured, but herecovered in a few weeks and returned to duty. AfterCaptain Worden was disabled, Lieutenant

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