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THE VIRGINIA AND THE MONITOR.

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her terrible armed prow to end the contest. But the blow was not fairly given, and merely scraped the iron plates of her antagonist.

About noon the Monitor, probably rather in consequence of an injury that had almost blinded the sight of her commander than of any serious damage to the vessel, ran into shoal water and declined the further prosecution of the contest. The captain of the Minnesota then supposed that his hour was come, and prepared to destroy rather than surrender his vessel. But it had been found impossible by the Virginia to get nearer the Minnesota than she had the day before, and supposing that her guns had already disabled the frigate, she retired slowly from the scene of contest and returned to Norfolk.

The results of this day were indecisive, although there can be no doubt of the retreat of the Monitor; but each vessel had given proofs of invulnerability, which left their claims to advantage in the contest undecided. The injuries of the Virginia in the two days' fight were immaterial. Two of her guns had the muzzles shot off, the anchor and the flagstaffs were shot away, the smoke-jack and steam-pipes were riddled, the prow was twisted, and the armour somewhat damaged; but, with the exception of the injury done to her ram, she had suffered none other but what might be repaired in a few hours.

With reference to this wonderful contest in Hampton Roads the newspapers announced the conclusion that wooden ships were to be of no farther use in naval warfare, and that the great navies which France and Great Britain had built at such an immense cost were practically annihilated. Whatever haste there might be in this conclusion, the Government at Washington showed its early appreciation of the lesson in Hampton Roads. Almost immediately on the result of the action becoming known, a bill was introduced into the Senate to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to construct various iron vessels, both for coast and harbour defences, and also for offensive operations against the enemy's forts. The two combatants-the Virginia and the Monitor-which had given a sensation to the whole world, and turned the attention of every, European government that had a strip of sea-coast to defend to the experiment of iron-clads, were never again engaged in contest. The first continued by her presence at Norfolk to guard the entry into James River, and was thought of such importance with respect to the Peninsular approach to Richmond that Gen. McClellan, who, as we shall see some months later, turned his design on Richmond in this direction, named as one of the preliminary conditions of the new campaign that this vessel should be "neutralized." She was to be "neutralized" in a way little expected by the Confederate public.

We may find in the close of this chapter an apppropriate place for a summary account of some other naval events belonging to this period of time in our narrative.

CAPTURE OF NEWBERN, &0.

The objects of Gen. Burnside's expedition were not accomplished with the capture of Roanoke Island. These objects, as stated in a memorandum furnished by Gen. McClellan, who directed the expedition as part of a general campaign for 1862, were an assault on Newbern, and, if possible, the destruction of the southern line of railroad through Goldsboro', and the Wilmington and Weldon railroad. The town of Beaufort, defended by Fort Macon, was next to be attacked, and the port opened, whilst operations against Wilmington were pointed to as the eventual objects of the expedition. On March 12th, the expedition started from Hatteras Inlet for its new object of attack. The troops were disembarked the next day eighteen miles below Newbern, and at daylight of the 14th advanced upon the Confederate works four miles below the town. These consisted of a line

of detached forts of low relief. The entire Confederate force, under command of Gen. Branch, did not exceed five thousand men-a great part of them militia-and had to contend against an enemy outnumbering them at least three to one.

Fort Thompson was the most formidable fortification on the river, and mounted thirteen heavy guns. An attempt was made to storm the work, which was repulsed, and four Massachusetts companies which entered the fort from the railway track were driven out over the parapet. Another attempt was made, with increased numbers; and perceiving the enemy's gunboats moving up the river, and fearing that he would be surrounded, Gen. Branch ordered a retreat. It was commenced in good order, but finally became a rout. The guns of Fort Ellis were thrown down the embankment, Fort Lane was blown up, and the Confederates fled across the railway bridge over the Neuse. The bridge was fired by a raft laden with cotton and spirits of turpentine before the retreating column had passed over, and about five hundred prisoners were taken by the enemy. These, about fifty pieces of cannon, two small steamers, and large quantities of arms and ammunition, were the immediate fruits of the enemy's victory, at a cost estimated in Burnside's report as 91 killed and 466 wounded. The Confederate loss in killed and wounded was about one hundred and fifty.

Shortly after the enemy's occupation of Newbern, the town of Washington, situated at the mouth of Tar River, fell into their hands; the batteries for its defence having been dismantled, and the entrenchments abandoned by the small Confederate force that had been stationed there.

On the 25th of April, Fort Macon, which commanded the entrance of Beaufort harbour, was bombarded by three of the enemy's steamers, and three siege batteries on the shore. There were not more than five Con

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federate companies in the fort, and after sustaining a fire of ten hours they surrendered.

The reduction of this fort gave the Federal navy a port of entry, and a harbour fitted for vessels of heavy draught. So far the Burnside expedition had been a train of success. The Confederate position at Norfolk had been flanked; complete possession had been gained of Albemarle and Pamlico Sound; and now, by the fall of Fort Macon, the enemy had the entire coast of North Carolina. These blows on our coast disheartened the Confederacy, but, after all, they were of but little real value, and of scarcely any appreciable weight in the war. Burnside did not dare to pursue his enterprise into the interiour, and to follow out the programme of moving on the Weldon railroad. The vital points of the Confederacy were far in the interiour, and as we had but few war vessels our ports and harbours were of but little importance to us for naval purposes, and were really but picket posts in our system of defence.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE NEW LINE OF CONFEDERATE DEFENCE SOUTH OF NASHVILLE.-ITS OBJECTS.-CO-OPERATION OF JOHNSTON AND BEAUREGARD.-CAPTURE OF ISLAND NO. 10 BY THE ENEMY.GEN. POLK'S EVACUATION OF COLUMBUS.-M'Cown's OCCUPATION OF ISLAND NO. 10 AND NEW MADRID. CONDITION OF THE DEFENCES AT THESE PLACES.-POPE MOVING ON NEW MADRID.-SMALLNESS OF M'COWN'S FORCE.-POPE'S STRENGTH IN ARTILLERY.— HIS OCCUPATION OF POINT PLEASANT.-A TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT.-EVACUATION OF NEW MADRID.-EFFECT OF THIS MOVEMENT.-BOMBARDMENT OF ISLAND NO. 10.-GALLANT DEFENCE OF RUCKER'S BATTERY.-TRANSFER OF A PORTION OF M'COWN'S FORCES TO FORT PILLOW.—HIS PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT.—GEN. MACKALL ASSIGNED TO THE DEFENCE OF THE ISLAND.-A CANAL OUT BY THE ENEMY ACROSS THE PENINSULA.TWO GUNBOATS PASS THE ISLAND.-MACKALL'S SURRENDER.-WRETCHED MANAGEMENT OF THE EVACUATION OF THE ISLAND.-GREAT LOSS OF CONFEDERATE ARTILLERY.—THE BATTLE OF SHILOH.-CONCENTRATION OF CONFEDERATE FORCES AT CORINTH.- -GRANT'S LINES AT PITTSBURG.-BUELL ADVANCING FROM NASHVILLE.-DESIGN OF THE CONFEDERATES TO ATTACK BEFORE THE JUNCTION OF THESE FORCES.-UNFORTUNATE LOSS OF A DAY IN THE MARCH.-THE CONFEDERATE PLAN OF BATTLE. THE ENEMY DRIVEN FROM HIS ENCAMPMENTS.-SPLENDID AND IRRESISTIBLE CHARGE OF THE CONFEDERATES.TRAGICAL DEATH OF GEN. JOHNSTON.-THE CONFEDERATES PRESS ON IN THEIR CAREER OF VICTORY.-GRANT IN THE LAST EXTREMITY OF DEFEAT.-HE RETREATS TO THE BANKS OF THE TENNESSEE.-BEAUREGARD'S ORDER FOR A CESSATION OF THE CONFLICT.-A FATAL HALT.-EXPLANATION OF IT.-BEAUREGARD'S GREAT MISTAKE.-DEMORALIZATION OF HIS TROOPS BY PLUNDER.-BUELL'S FORCES ACROSS THE TENNESSEE. THE SECOND DAY'S ACTION. THE CONFEDERATES FALL BACK.-OVERWHELMING FORCE OF THE ENEMY.ODDS OF THE SECOND DAY'S BATTLE.-THE ENEMY DOES NOT ATTEMPT A PURSUIT.—A FRIGHTFUL SUM OF CARNAGE.-BEAUREGARD'S CLAIM OF SUCCESS.-FEDERAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BATTLE.-EXULTATION AT WASHINGTON.-DEATH OF JOHNSTON, A SERIOUS LOSS TO THE CONFEDERACY.-SKETCH OF HIS MILITARY LIFE.-PRESIDENT DAVIS' TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN HERO.-HIS OBSEQUIES IN NEW ORLEANS.

SINCE falling back to Murfreesboro', Gen. Johnston had managed, by combining Crittenden's division and the fugitives from Donelson, to collect an army of seventeen thousand men. His object was now to co-operate with Gen. Beauregard for the defence of the Valley of the Mississippi, on a line of operations south of Nashville. The line extending from Columbus, by way of Forts Henry and Donelson, had been lost. The disaster

CAPTURE OF ISLAND NO. 10.

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had involved the surrender of Kentucky, and a large portion of Tennessee to the enemy; and it had become necessary to re-organize a new line of defence south of Nashville, the object of which would be to protect the railroad system of the Southwest, and to ensure the defence of Memphis and the Mississippi.

CAPTURE OF ISLAND NO. 10 BY THE ENEMY.

Another concern was to put the Mississippi River in a state of complete defence; and on abandorring Columbus, it was decided to take a strong potion about forty-five miles below it at Island No. 10. Gen. Polk, with the greater part of the garrison, retired towards Jackson, Tennessee, and Gen. McCown, with the remainder, was ordered to occupy and hold Island 10 and Madrid Bend.

When Gen. McCown arrived at the Island, he found it nearly destitute of defences. He reached there about the 24th of February, with Col Kennedy's 21st Louisiana Regiment. At that time there were no batteries on the Island, and only two, partially armed and in bad working order, on the Tennessee shore. Col. Kennedy was ordered to commence fortifying the position immediately. The only fortification at New Madrid, was Fort Thompson, a small earth-work under the command of Col. E. W. Gantt. Gen. McCown immediately laid off, and ordered the construction of Fort Bankhead, at the mouth of Bayou St. John, which makes into the Mississippi just above New Madrid. Between the 25th of February and the 1st of March he was followed by a detachment of the forces from Columbus. The whole force at the two points-Island 10 and New Madrid-consisted of about fourteen regiments, some of them greatly reduced. This force was about equally divided between the two points.

On the first of March the enemy's cavalry appeared before New Madrid, and it was definitely ascertained that Gen. Pope was moving on that place, with a large force. He was not long in making his appearance. The Mississippi River was open to the gunboats of the enemy, down to Island 10, and the Confederate works there, for want of time, had not been completed. To hold both places, the Confederates had not more than five thousand effective men, and five or six wooden gunboats, under Commodore Hollins.

Despite the unfavourable prospect, Gen. McCown commenced an energetic course of operations. At New Madrid, Fort Bankhead was finished and strengthened, as was Fort Thompson by an abattis in front. Batteries and magazines were put in course of erection, and guns mounted daily at the Island. Such arrangements for securing stores and taking care of the sick, as the circumstances permitted, were promptly made.

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