fight, had the temerity to come within respectable range of the Monitor. The latter fired one shot at her, which carried away her pilot-house, and caused her to lose no time in retiring. As the Monitor carried but two guns, whilst the Merrimac had eight, of course she received two or three shots for every one she gave. The fight raged hotly on both sides, the opposing batteries moving around each other with great skill, ease, and dexterity. The Merrimac, though the strongest, did not move with the alertness of her antagonist; hence the Monitor had the advantage of taking choice of position. At a quarter before twelve o'clock, noon, Lieutenant Hepburn, the signal officer on the ramparts at Fortress Monroe, reported to General Wool that the Monitor had pierced the sides of the Merrimac, and in a few minutes the latter was in full retreat. Whether true, or not, that the Merrimac's armor had actually been penetrated, her iron prow had become so wrenched in striking the sides of her antagonist, that the timbers within were started, and the vessel leaked badly. The little Monitor followed the retreating Merrimac until she got well inside Sewall's Point, and then returned to the Minnesota. It is probable that the pursuit would have been continued still farther, but Lieutenant Worden had previously had his eyes injured, and it was felt that, as so much depended on the Monitor, it was imprudent to expose her unnecessarily. At the time he was injured, Lieutenant Worden was looking out of the eye-holes of the pilot-house, which were simply horizontal slips, half an inch wide. A round shot struck against these slits as Lieutenant Worden was looking through, causing some scalings from the iron and fragments of cement to fly with great force against his eyes, utterly blinding him for some days, and permanently destroying the power of his left eye. Stunned by the concussion, he was carried away helpless. On recovering sufficiently to speak, he asked "Have I saved the Minnesota?" "Yes, and whipped the Merrimac," was the answer. "Then I don't care what becomes of me," said Lieutenant Worden. No other real damage was received by the Monitor, during the action; the deepest indentation received by her was on the side, amounting to four and one-half inches; on the turret, the deepest was one and one-half inches; and on the deck, onehalf inch. The Merrimac, in addition to the injury already mentioned, had her anchor and flag-staff shot away, her smokestack and steam-pipe riddled, two of her crew killed and eight wounded, including her commander, Buchanan. The latter officer went out on his deck, was seen by the federal sharp-shooters at Camp Butler, and was shot with a minie rifle ball in his left leg, which maimed him for life. His exploits gained him great favor at the south, and he was subsequently made Admiral of the Confederate States navy. The praises of Lieutenant Worden filled every loyal mouth, and he was successfully promoted to the highest rank in the service. Withdrawing to Norfolk, the Merrimac underwent extensive repairs for some weeks, and was provided with ordnance of great power. She then took her station at the mouth of the Elizabeth river, guarding it, and threatening the United States vessels in the Roads, but, on account of some defects in her working, not venturing an attack. Finally, Norfolk having surrendered to the Union forces, May 10th, and the Merrimac being found to draw too much water to admit of her being removed up the river, she was on the 12th abandoned and set on fire, and soon after blew up. The loss of two such fine war vessels as the Cumberland and Congress, with some four hundred brave men, cast a gloom over the nation, the weight of which was only relieved by the heroism displayed in their defense. Indeed, one of the greatest instances of patriotic devotion ever recorded in our own or any other nation's naval history, is that which narrates the closing scene on board the Cumberland. Neither | modore Joseph Smith, of Washington. It the shots of the Congress, nor of the Cumberland, had any more effect, for the most part, upon the iron-mailed Merrimac, than if they had been so many peas. But if they could have kept the Merrimac off, she never could have sunk the Cumberland. They had then nothing to do but stand and fight and die like men. Buchanan asked their commander, Lieutenant Morris "Will you surrender the ship?" "Never," said Morris, "never will we surrender the ship." Buchanan then backed his huge ram off again, and the Cumberland fired as rapidly as she could, but the Merrimac came once more and ran her steel beak in; and now it was that Buchanan asked Lieutenant Morris, calling him by name appears that the elder Smith had exerted himself specially to finish the work on the Monitor, and hasten her departure. The son, too, had written repeatedly to the naval authorities at Washington, expressing his fears for the consequences of an attack from the Merrimac, and urging plans for guarding against it. The father knew the spirit of his son, and that the only issue of a battle for him was death or victory. When he saw, therefore, by the first dispatch from Fortress Monroe, that the Congress had raised the white flag, he only remarked quietly, "Joe is dead!" No Roman father ever paid a nobler or more emphatic tribute of confidence to a gallant son than is contained in the words so uttered, nor ever gave that son to his John & Wordens "Mr. Morris, will you surrender that ship?" country with more cheerful and entire devotion. The sad assurance was well founded. The flag was not struck until his son had fallen. Not less conspicuous was the conduct of Charles Johnston, boatswain of the Congress-a fine specimen of the thorough seaman, who had been in the navy some thirty odd years-who greatly excited the admiration of the officers by his cool, unflinching courage. Stationed in the very midst of the carnage committed by the raking fire of the Merrimac, he never lost his self-possession, and not for a moment failed to cheer on and encourage the men. Blinded with the smoke and dust, and splashed with the blood and brains of his shipmates, his cheering words of encouragement were still heard. After the engagement, from which he escaped unwounded, his kindness and care in providing for the removal of the wounded, were untiring. The fact has already been mentioned that the paymaster of the ConSimilar was the bravery exhibited on gress was an own brother of the comboard the ill-fated Congress. The father mander of the Merrimac. His position of the gallant commander of that ship was one of extreme agony, but his loyal (Lieutenant Joseph Smith), who lost his heart did not fail him. "Just before the life in that terrible encounter, was Com- sanguinary engagement," said paymaster "Never," said Morris, "sink her!" The remaining act in this startling drama is well known. The guns of the Cumberland were coolly manned, loaded and discharged, while the vessel was in a sinking condition, and the good ship went down with her flag flying defiantly at the gaff. Buchanan, "I volunteered my serv- | God, I did some service to my beloved country." ices to Lieut. Commanding Joseph B. Smith for duty on either of the upper decks, although the rebel steamer Merrimac was commanded by my own brother, when I received an order to take charge of the berth-deck division, which order I promptly obeyed, and, thank The character of this contest may truly be said to have astonished the world, and its effect has been to revolutionize the principles and mode of naval warfare, rendering wooden vessels of war practically useless for active service. LXV. BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, MD.-1862. Bloodiest Day That America Ever Saw.-Nearly One Hundred Thousand Men on Each Side.-General McClellan Declares on the Field that it is "the Battle of the War."-Four Miles and Fourteen Hours of Fighting and Slaughter-The Shock and "Glory" of War on a Colossal Scale.-Obstinate Bravery of the Contending Foes.-Some of the Regiments Almost Annihilated.-The Union Troops Hold the Disputed Ground.-Lee's Great Military Object.-His Troops Enter Maryland.-Frowning Masses of Soldiery.-Surrender of Harper's Ferry.-McClellan's Army in Motion.-He Attacks the Enemy in Position.-Hooker Leads the Advance.-He is Shot and Disabled.-Death of General Mansfield.-Other Union Generals Wounded.-Reno's Untimely End.-Rain of Shot and Shell.Various Fortunes of the Day.-Close and Stern Ordeal.-Feat of Burnside's Corps.-Their Struggle for the Hill.-A Fearful Crisis with General Burnside.-He Asks for Re-enforcements.-McClellan's Memorable Reply.-Driving the Enemy en masse.-Forty of their Colors Taken.-The After-Scene of Horror. "Our forces slept that night conquerors on a field won by their valor, and covered with the dead and wounded of the nemy."-GEX. BRAL MCCLELLAN'S OFFICIAL REPORT. EAVY and melancholy as was the loss of life attending the bloody battle of Antietam, on the 17th of September, 1862, between the Union and confederate armies-numbering about one hundred thousand brave soldiers each-and commanded, respectively, by General McClellan and General Lee, a burden of anxiety was rolled off the loyal hearts of the North, when, on the evening of that day, there came from General Hooker the following thrilling dispatch, dated at Centreville, Md.: "A great battle has been fought, and we are victorious. I had the honor to open it yesterday afternoon, and it continued until ten o'clock this morning, when I was wounded, and compelled to quit the field. The battle was fought with great violence on both sides. The carnage has been awful. I only regret that I was not permitted to take part in the operations until they were concluded, for I had counted on either capturing their army or driving them into the Potomac. My wound has been painful, but it is not one that will be likely to lay me up. I was shot through the foot." BURYING THE DEAD AT ANTIETAM. One great object of General Lee, during the summer of this year, was to possess himself of Harper's Ferry, as the base of future and more important operations. To this end, the confederate forces under Generals Jackson, Longstreet, and Hill, entered Frederick, Md., in the early part of September, and occupied all the adjoining country, their right resting on the Monocacy river. The federal army, which with the exception of about fourteen thousand men at Harper's Ferry, had been concentrated near Washington, and had been placed under the immediate command of General McClellan, advanced to meet the enemy. Passing up the Potomac, they interposed in force between the confederates and the fords by which they had crossed, threatening to cut off their retreat in case they should be defeated. Perceiving this, the confederates abandoned Frederick, and went northward to Hagerstown, which was occupied September 11th. A strong body was then sent to attack Harper's Ferry. The assault was opened on the 12th and continued on the following day, when the federal troops were driven from the heights on the Maryland side. On Monday morning the place was fairly surrounded, and fire was opened from seven or eight different points. On the morning of the 15th, Colonel Miles, commander at Harper's Ferry, ordered the white flag to be raised, to General Jackson; a few moments after, he was struck by a shot which mortally wounded him. The cavalry, numbering some two thousand, who had been at the Ferry, cut their way through the enemy's lines and escaped; the remainder of the troops, to the number of about eleven thousand, surrendered, and were immediately paroled. The possession of the place was of considerable advantage to the confederates, though they retained it but for one day; the bridge over the Potomac not being destroyed enabled them to cross the river, and take part in the battle of Antietam, which followed on the 17th. A close pursuit was kept up by the federal army, and, early on the morning of the 14th, the advance - the right and center under Hooker and Reno, the left under Franklin-came up with the enemy, who were strongly posted on the crest of the South Mountain, commanding the road to Hagerstown. The attack on both wings, which lasted from noon until nightfall, resulted in forcing the confederates from all their positions, so that they retreated during the night in the direction of Williamsport. In this action, General Reno was killed. Having hastily abandoned Harper's Ferry, the confederates re-crossed the Potomac, and joined the main body under Lee. In the meantime, McClellan had defi-' nitely made his arrangements for giving battle to the opposing hosts. In accordance with this plan, as detailed by McClellan, in his official report, Hooker's corps, consisting of Rickett's and Doubleday's divisions, and the Pennsylvania reserves, under Meade, was sent across the Antietam creek, by a ford and bridge to the right of Kedysville, with orders to attack, and, if possible, turn the enemy's left. Mansfield, with his corps, was sent in the evening to support Hooker. Arrived in position, Meade's division of the Pennsylvania reserves, which was at the head of Hooker's corps, became engaged in a sharp contest with the enemy, which lasted until after dark, when it had succeeded in driving in a portion of the opposing line, and held the ground. At daylight the contest was renewed between Hooker and the enemy in his front. Hooker's attack was successful for a time, but masses of the enemy, thrown upon his corps, checked it. Mansfield brought up his corps to Hooker's support, when the two corps drove the enemy back, the gallant and distinguished veteran Mansfield losing his life in the effort. General Hooker was, unhappily, about this time wounded, and compelled to leave the field, where his services had been conspicuous and important. About an hour after this time, Sumner's corps, consisting of Sedgwick's, Richardson's, and French's divisions, arrived on the fieldRichardson's some time after the other two, as he was unable to start as soon as they. Sedgwick, on the right, penetrated the woods in front of Hooker's and Mans |