battery they can do no harm, as the only entrance is at the top of the turret or citadel, which cannot easily be scaled, and even then only one man at a time can descend into the hull.

The principal novelty of this vessel is the cylindrical revolving turret, rising from its exact centre, in which the guns are placed. This is formed of rolled one-inch iron plates bolted together to the thickness of eight inches; its internal diameter is twenty feet, and it is nine feet high. It rests at its lower edge on a smooth, flat ring of composition metal, but when in action the principal portion of its weight is sustained by a central shaft, about which it revolves; a massive wedge being driven below the steps of the shaft on such occasion to raise it, and thus cause it to bear up the turret. A large spur wheel upon the shaft is connected by a train of gearing with a small steam-engine, which supplies the power for turning the turret.

Two eleven-inch guns are placed within the turret, in position precisely parallel with each other, on smooth ways, or slides; a clamp being arranged upon the sides of the ways for adjusting the friction and taking up the recoil in such distance as may be desired.

The turret is pierced in different places with four holes for the insertion of telescopes, and just outside of the holes reflectors are fixed to bend the rays of light which come in a direction parallel with the guns through the axis of the telescope, which is crossed by a vertical thread of spider's web through the line of collimation. The sailing-master takes his position in the turret, with his eye to the telescope, and his hand upon the wheel that governs the motion of the small engine, and turns the turret so as to keep the guns always directed with absolute precision to the object against which the fire is directed. A scale is also arranged for adjusting the elevation of the guns with similar engineering precision.

Upon the sides of the turret that have the port-holes through which the guns are discharged, the massiveness is increased by an additional plating three inches in thickness; making the sides of the turret presented to the enemy eleven inches.

In preparing for action, the awning over the turret is removed, and the square smoke stacks as well as the shorter pipes, through which air is drawn into the vessel, are taken down. A small, square tower at the bow is the wheelhouse, in which the steersman stands. It is made of bars or beams of iron nine by twelve inches, interlocked at the

corners.

After a preliminary trial trip, the Monitor sailed from the Brooklyn Navy Yard for Fortress Monroe, on the 6th of March, and at five o'clock on the afternoon of that day, discharged her pilot off Sandy Hook. Her officers at this time were as follows:

Lieutenant-commanding John S. Worden; Lieutenant and Executive Officer, S. D. Green; Acting Masters, I. N. Stoddard, J. W. Webber; Acting Assistant-Paymaster, Wm. E. Keeler; Acting Assistant-Surgeon, D. C. Logue; Government Inspector, Alban C. Stimers; First AssistantEngineer, Isaac Newton; Second Assistant-Engineer, Albert S. Campbell; Third Assistant-Engineers, R. W. Sands, M. T. Sunstron; Acting Masters'-Mate, George Frederickson.

The voyage to Fortress Monroe was safely terminated by the arrival of the vessel with her consort about eight o'clock on the evening of the eighth. Important events had transpired in Hampton Roads on that day. The Merrimac had steamed down towards the sloop-of-war Cumberland, blockading James river, and demanded a surrender. This was refused, when the monster turned ponderously, and bringing her bow to bear on the Cumberland, dashed into her side, rending the timbers as she went. She then drew her iron prow from the shattered vessel, scattering a storm of splintered wood on the water, and receding to a safe distance, poured a broadside in from her guns. The crippled Cumberland, still vibrating in all her timbers, returned the broadside. This was answered and returned without intermission for fifteen minutes. During this time shot and shell boomed over the water, crashed into the doomed vessel, and fell like mighty hail on the iron coat of the MerriBut while every shot told on the quivering wood-work of the Cumberland, the Merrimac threw off the iron missiles as a rock beats back the tempest, sending in her volleys more triumphantly each moment. The brave old man-of-war stood up to the slaughter much as a blinded horse, forced among the wild bulls of a Spanish arena falls, gored to the heart, but fighting desperately. Half full of water, which still came pouring in through her wounded side, recoiling like a living thing from each outburst of shot and shell, she at last settled slowly to the waters' edge, and sunk, pouring out a defiant broadside as she went down, with the stars and stripes floating at her mast-head.

The Merrimac then challenged the Congress, a Federal sailing frigate, of 1,867 tons, but was also refused a surrender. This refusal was replied to by the guns of the rebel vessel, and after a short contest, when it became hopeless to continue resistance, the Congress surrendered, and was fired and abandoned. The evening was clear, the air still, the water without a ripple, and the scene was magnificent, as the noble vessel became wrapped in its fiery shroud. When entirely enveloped in flame, the fire reached the magazine, and an explosion took place which scattered the burning wreck in one vast upheaving of fragments and cinders, kindling up the sky with its glare, and throwing portions of the wreck the distance of a mile. The Merrimac having succeeded in sinking the Cumberland and compelling the Congress to surrender, withdrew

for the night, evidently confident that in the morning she would sweep away the rest of the fleet.

As the day closed, sadness and gloom filled the hearts of the Federal officers in the fleet and Fortress. They felt assured that the powerful enemy that had just made such murderous work had only retired for the night to recruit, and then return to complete the destruction she had commenced, having the sailing vessels at her mercy. While despondency settled on many brows, and conjectures were rife as to where the Merrimac would direct her attention the next day, a gleam of hope arose. At eight o'clock in the evening a bright, movable light was discovered seaward, coming from the direction of Cape Charles beacon. It being known that the Ericsson Battery had left New York two days previous, surmises were rife that this light might proceed from her deck. The best night telescopes were brought into requisition, and in less than half an hour after it first hove in sight, the fact was circulated that the Ericsson Battery was coming up the Roads. The news spread like wildfire, and the ramparts in the fort were soon lined with troops. At nine o'clock the Monitor anchored off Fortress Monroe.

The next day, (Sunday, the 9th,) dawned fair and calm. The sun rose with almost cloudless splendor, a soft haze alone hung upon the water, so silvery and transparent that it hardly intercepted the view.

At half-past six o'clock, A. M., this haze cleared away. Looking towards Sewall's Point there appeared the Merrimac and the rebel steamers Yorktown and Patrick Henry. They were stationary—the Merrimac to the right of the others, blowing off steam. Their appearance was the cause for a second alarm. The rebel craft seemed deliberating what to do whether to move on and attempt the destruction of the Minnesota, which was aground, or to attack the Union fleet anchored near the Rip-Raps. The appearance of the Merrimac on this second visit caused great precipitation in the removal of the Federal transport fleet to a safe harbor a mile or two up the Chesapeake. At seven A. M., a plan seemed to have been adopted, and the Merrimac steamed in the direction of the Minnesota, which was still aground. The Yorktown and Jamestown were crowded with troops, and steamed slowly after the Merrimac. The plan of the latter seemed to be to destroy the Minnesota, and then proceed to shell out the Union camp at Newport News, land and take possession of the camp with their own troops.

The Merrimac steamed along with boldness until she was within three miles of the Minnesota, when the Monitor emerged from behind the latter, and proceeded towards the Merrimac. At first the rebel craft seemed nonplussed, and hesitated, no doubt, in astonishment at the strange-looking vessel approaching her. The Merrimac then closed the distance between her and the Monitor until they were within a mile of

each other. Both batteries stopped. The Merrimac fired a shot at the Minnesota, to which no reply was made. The rebel craft then fired at the Monitor; the latter replied, hitting the Merrimac near the water line. The Merrimac then commenced firing very rapidly, first from her stern gun at the Monitor, and then her broadside guns, occasionally firing a shot at the Minnesota. The fight went on in this way for an hour or two, both vessels exchanging shots pretty freely. Sometimes the Merrimac would retire, followed by the Monitor, and vice versa.

While the fight between the batteries was going on, one hundred solid nine-inch shot were sent up from Fortress Monroe on the steamer Rancocas to the Minnesota. At a quarter past ten o'clock the Merrimac and Monitor had come into pretty close quarters, the former giving the latter two broadsides in succession. They were promptly replied to by the Monitor. The firing was so rapid that both craft were obscured in columns of white smoke. The ramparts of the fort, the rigging of the vessels in port, the houses and the bend were all crowded with sailors, soldiers and civilians. When the rapid firing alluded to took place, these spectators were singularly silent, anxious and doubtful of the result. Their impatience was soon removed by the full figure of the Monitor, with the stars and stripes flying at her stern, steaming around the Merrimac, moving with the ease of a duck on the water. The distance between the vessels was forty feet. In this circuit the Monitor's guns were not idle, as she fired shot after shot at her formidable antagonist.

At eleven A. M., the Minnesota opened fire, and assisted the Monitor in engaging the Merrimac. She fired nine-inch solid shot with good accuracy, but with apparently little effect. The Merrimac returned the fire with shell, one of which struck and exploded the boiler of the gunboat Dragon, which was alongside the Minnesota, endeavoring to get her off. For the next hour the battle raged fiercely between the Merrimac on the rebel side and the Union vessels, the Monitor, Minnesota and Whitehall, but with no particular result. The Minnesota presenting the best mark, the Merrimac fired at her frequently, alternately giving the Monitor a powerful shot. The Merrimac made several attempts to run at full speed past the Monitor to attack and run down the Minnesota. All these attempts were parried, as it were, by the Monitor. In one of these desperate efforts the Merrimac ran her plow or ram with terrible force against the side of the Monitor; but it only had the effect of careening the latter vessel in the slightest degree.

The rebel boats Yorktown and Patrick Henry kept at a safe distanco from the Monitor. The former vessel, at the beginning of the fight, had the temerity to come within range of the Monitor. The latter fired one shot at her which entered her pilot-house, carrying it away, when she retired out of range.

The fire raged hotly on both sides, the opposing batteries moving around each other with the skill, ease and dexterity of knights in a tournament. The Merrimac, though the strongest, did not move with the freedom of her antagonist; hence the Monitor had the advantage, taking choice of position. At a quarter before twelve o'clock, the Merrimac was in full retreat, heading for Sewall's Point, and chased for a few minutes by the Monitor. The Merrimac had evidently suffered to some extent, and it was thought at one time that she was sinking. After she got safely under the guns of the rebel battery at Sewall's Point, she stopped and signalled for help from her consorts, who were beating a retreat. Subsequently two tug-boats or gunboats went alongside, took her in tow, and proceeded to Norfolk. This ended the combat.

Toward the close of the engagement, Lieutenant Worden was standing in the pilot-house, when a percussion shell struck the turret, and exploded. The openings for sighting outside objects, through one of which Lieutenant Worden was looking, allowed the fine dust and splinters to enter, injuring his eyes. Almost immediately afterward the same thing occurred, and this second injury rendered him completely blind, and he was compelled to retire below. It was feared that he was permanently injured in this gallant encounter, but after careful treatment his sight was restored, and he was again ready for duty.

This remarkable encounter between two iron-clad vessels was regarded with the greatest interest throughout Europe, where its importance to the questions of naval architecture and warfare was fully appreciated and understood. It had not only a direct bearing upon the construction and working of floating batteries, but it demonstrated that a new engine of war had been introduced that might render valueless for effective defence all the land batteries against which these iron antagonists might be brought to bear.

The destruction of the Cumberland and Congress on the first day of the engagement, and the triumphant condition in which the Merrimac had retired from the heavy broadsides of the Federal frigates, which would almost have destroyed an ordinary vessel, created intense excitement in all the seaport cities of the North. The loud boasts of the rebels over the strength, sailing qualities, and impregnable character of their vessel, apparently justified by the events of March 8th, led to an apprehension that she might be successful in running out to sea, and visiting Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other cities, which were entirely unprepared for a sudden attack.

The appearance of the Monitor alongside of the Minnesota, on the morning of the 9th, was altogether unexpected, and the rebel commander evidently knew that he had no common foe with which to deal.