Gage of battle May 8, 1862.
In consequence of the advance of
McClellan's army upon
Richmond, the wooden gunboats of the
James River and
Norfolk fleet, in the latter part of April, were ordered to run by the
Federal batteries at Newport News and operate on the right flank of
General Joseph E. Johnston.
This movement was accomplished in due time by running the batteries at night and without disaster, though the
Beaufort, in making the attempt, grounded and remained just opposite the battery in easy range until near daybreak.
Our station henceforth being the
James river, I must rely upon contemporary accounts for the remaining career of the
Merrimac.
The beleaguerment of
Richmond, in the eyes of the Confederate Government, necessitated the evacuation of
Norfolk, and though the
Merrimac, now alone, was adequate to the defence of
Norfolk on the water, it was possible to take the city in rear, now that
Johnston's army was concentrated at
Richmond, by landing a strong Federal force on the bay shore, and also west of
Craney Island, and making a combined attack from the east and west.
Valuable stores and materials were yet at the navy-yard, and
General Huger, in command at
Norfolk, was quietly engaged in shipping them to the interior by river and rail, when the desertion of a tug-boat captain in the service of the
Confederacy much hastened matters.
Secretary Mallory, being advised of the probable abandonment of
Norfolk, had sent
Commodore Hollins to that place to consult with
Commodore Tatnall, and such other officers as might be selected, as to the best disposition to be made of the
Merrimac in this contingency.
The conference was arranged for May 8th, but on that morning the Monitor,
Naugatuck, and other
United States vessels attacked our battery at
Sewell's Point.
The
Merrimac got under
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way immediately to render such assistance as might be needed.
Commodore Tatnall's account of the matter is as follows:
‘Upon getting into the
Roads we found six of the enemies ships, including the ironclads
Stevens,
Monitor, and
Naugatuck, shelling the battery.
We passed the battery and stood directly for the enemy to engage him, and I thought an action certain, particularly as the
Minnesota and
Vanderbilt, which were anchored below
Fort Monroe, got under way and stood up to that point, apparently with the intention of joining their squadron in the
Roads.
Before we got within gunshot the enemy ceased firing and retired with all speed under the protection of the guns at the fort, followed by the
Merrimac until the shells from the
Rip Raps passed over us. We, thereupon, returned to our anchorage near
Sewell's Point, and I proceeded to
Norfolk for the purposes of the conference called for this day.’
Let us see what the
Federal account has to say of the affair.
Commodore Goldsborough, United States Navy, then in command of the station at
Fort Monroe, says:
‘The Monitor had orders to fall back into fair channel way, and only to engage seriously in such a position that
this ship, together with the merchant vessels, intended for the purpose, could run her (the
Merrimac) down.
The other vessels were not to hesitate to run her down, and the
Baltimore, an unarmed steamer of high speed and curved bow, was kept in the direction of the
Monitor, especially to throw herself across the
Merrimac forward or aft of her plated casemate, but the
Merrimac did not engage the
Monitor, nor did she place herself where she could have been assailed by our rams to any advantage.’
Let us sum the matter up.
