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The Merrimac and the Monitor—Report of the Committee on Naval Affairs.
House of Representatives.
48TH Congress, 1st Session.
report No. 1725.
officers and crew of the
United States steamer
Monitor.
May 31, 1884.—Laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Ballentine, from the
Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following
Report: [to accompany bill H. R. 244.]
The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (
H. R. 244) for the relief of the Officers and Crew of the United States Steamer Monitor, who participated in the action with the Rebel Iron-clad Merrimac, on the 9th day of March, 1862, respectfully submit the following Report.
This is an application by the officers and crew of the
United States Steamer
Monitor, who participated in the action in
Hampton Roads on the 9th day of March, 1862, with the Confederate iron-clad steamer
Merrimac, or
Virginia, for the payment to them by the
United States of the actual value of the iron-clad
Merrimac and her armament at the date of said action, not exceeding $200,000, to be distributed in lieu of the bounty provided by section 4,635 of the
Revised Statutes of the
United States, and in proportion fixed by law in cases where the capturing or destroying vessel was acting independently of the
commanding officer of a fleet, squadron, or division, and for the appropriation of $200,000.
This application or memorial was presented to the House of Representatives at the second session of the Forty-third Congress, referred to the
Committee on Naval Affairs, and no action taken on it until January 9, 1882, when it was again presented to the House of Representatives with like reference.
A report was submitted by the committee recommending the passage of the bill.
The history of the case, which is relied on in support of this bill, is as follows:
