CHAPTER XIII.

MARCH, 1862.

ESCAPE OF THE NASHVILLE-DESTRUCTION OF A REBEL BATTERY-DEATH OF COLONEL LANDER-CAPTURE OF FERNANDINA AND FORT CLINCHTHE MERRIMAC, AND HER INJURY TO THE FEDERAL FLEET—ARRIVAL OF THE MONITOR-SHE DEFEATS THE MERRIMAC-BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE, AND ITS RESULTS-ANDREW JOHNSON, GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEEREBELS CONCENTRATE AT CORINTH-FOOTE MOVES AGAINST ISLAND NUMBER TEN-POPE AT NEW MADRID-CAPTURE OF NEWBERN-A GENERAL ADVANCE OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC-FREMONT IN COMMAND OF MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT-EVACUATION OF MANASSAS—BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.

THE Southern papers, on the 1st, gave the public the news of the safe arrival of the rebel steamer Nashville at Beaufort, North Carolina. She hoisted the national flag, and steered for the blockading fleet, and before her real character became apparent, had gone too far to be arrested in her course. It was on this day that Lieutenant Gwin, with gunboats, destroyed a rebel battery, and cleared the shores at Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee river, the scene, in a short time, of a great battle. Colonel Lander, a gallant officer, who, in a brilliant cavalry dash, on the 14th of February, had taken prisoners commissioned officers, at Blooming Gap, of whom five had surrendered to himself, died on the 2d, at Paw Paw, Virginia, of congestive fever. His successor was General James Shields. On the same day, Columbus, Mississippi, was entered by a body of Federal cavalry, who raised the national flag over that strong position. The enemy set fire to it, casting all the heavy guns into the river before leaving. They then retreated to Island Number Ten, some miles above New Madrid. The day following, Captain Foote, with the gunboats, took possession. The same day (the 2d) the Union flag floated once again on Fort Clinch, Florida, the first of the national forts recovered in the war. The works were found strong, and without injury, and the garrison, having taken flight, had abandoned all its heavy guns, which were found by the men of Dupont's fleet. There occurred a novel scene in ap

126

ATTACK OF THE REBEL RAM MERRIMAC.

proaching the town of Fernandina, in which the fort is situated. A large train of cars, full of passengers, on the point of leaving the town, this was seen by Captain Drayton, who ordered Lieutenant Stearns, of the Ottawa, to stop its progress. The vessel, having a full head of steam, pursued the cars. The shells fell thick and fast around the train, whose affrighted passengers had no way of escape, the cars running at great speed. But the cars were too rapid for the gunboat, and Stearns was obliged to desist from the pursuit. Two men were killed by a shell; the rear cars were separated, and the remainder escaped.

We now come to describe two events of importance, which happened at a great distance apart, on the 8th, namely, the attack of the rebel ram Merrimac, at Newport News, and the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas.

A steam-propelled vessel, of singular appearance, was seen to leave the harbor of Norfolk, and sail down the channel toward Sewall's Point. The Union vessels, Cumberland, Congress, Minnesota, St. Lawrence, and Roanoke, laying at anchor in Hampton Roads, were signalled that danger was at hand. The mysterious monster looked like a floating house, with its chimney and roof above the water. She kept on her steady way toward Newport News, and then steered her course to the mouth of James river, where lay the Cumberland and Congress. Soon her character and design became apparent, and she was recognized as the ironclad Merrimac, constructed at Norfolk by the rebel government. On approaching the Cumberland, the discharge from the heavy guns of the latter, though well aimed, produced no effect, and the dangerous missiles glanced from her iron sides and deck without doing the least damage. The artillery of the Congress had no better result, and the rebel craft seemed to bid defiance to these vessels, as with closed ports she steadily advanced under a powerful force of steam. With increased speed, she at length steered for the Cumberland, and striking her amidship, with her iron beak left a terrible gash in her side. Discharging a volley a; the ill-fated ship, she retired, and again repeated the assault. The Cumberland was now disabled and ready to sink, but her flag still floated, and her pivot guns gave a last shot: then all was over. Her brave crew refused to surrender, and went down with her.

ARRIVAL OF THE MONITOR.

127

Meanwhile, two Confederate vessels, the Yorktown and Jamestown, had sailed down the river James, and attacked the Federal fleet. The Cumberland being disposed of, the Merrimac, turning her prow, attacked the Congress, whose crew having been discharged the day previous, she was manned by a portion of the naval brigade. Incapable of resistance, and her commander being killed, to avoid a fate similar to that of the Cumberland, she was compelled to strike her colors. The officers were received as prisoners on board the Jamestown.

The Merrimac, yet seemingly intact, soon came up with the steamship Minnesota, which had grounded. Both vessels discharged their guns; but the Merrimac, either afraid of grounding, or from some injury to her steering apparatus, kept aloof. Night fell, but the darkness was lit up by the flashes of the guns, which sent their hoarse thunders over the scene, and made many in Fortress Monroe apprehensive of the result. In vain the most powerful vessel might contend with this monster of the deep. One plunge of the iron beak would have sent the Minnesota and every vessel that floated the national flag to the bottom.

The little Monitor, from New York, after a long voyage, in which she was in danger of foundering, suddenly arrived at Fortress Monroe, and though joyfully hailed on her approach, gave no considerable hope of being able to resist. the Merrimac, which had made so great havoc the day before. She appeared to be an iron raft, with a revolving turret and two guns. Lieutenant Worden, her commander, had an opinion quite different. He believed his vessel invulnerable, and determined to go out the next day and encounter the Merrimac. More time was needed to get his vessel ready, but delay might be fatal to the Minnesota, and to all the blockading squadron; and it was feared that, passing the vessels in the harbor, she might proceed to New York, and lay it in ashes. While gloom pervaded all hearts at Fortress Monroe and the fleet, a flame rose in the direction of Newport News, thunders rolled over the deep which shook the shore; and again, as the spectators, who had gathered on the land, were eager to know what had occurred, all was suddenly dark and perfectly silent. General Mansfield has frustrated the design of the rebels to get possession of the Congress, at Newport News by his bat