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| John L. Worden.2 |
March 9, 1862. |
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times that turret was struck by the Merrimack's projectiles.
The side armor was hit eight times by them; three times they struck and glanced from the deck, and twice they gave the pilot-house — the most vulnerable point — a heavy blow.
One of these struck fairly in front of the peep-hole, at which Worden was watching his foe. It shivered some cement, and cast it so violently in his face that it blinded him for several days, and so shocked him, that for a time he was insensible.1 In the turret, Stimers and two others were knocked down by the concussion, when it was struck; but, with the exception of Worden, no one was very seriously injured on board the Monitor. He was taken to Washington City, where, for a few days, his life was in peril, but he
recovered and performed other gallant exploits during the war. His courage in going out upon the Atlantic at that stormy season, in an untried vessel of strange fashion, and his bold fight with and glorious success against the most formidable warrior then afloat, belonging to the Confederates, won for him the most unbounded admiration.
It was felt that he was the savior of his country at a most critical period; for had the Merrimack not been checked as she was, who shall say what conquering power she might not then, before the National navy was much clad in armor, have exerted in securing a triumph for the conspirators?
Worden the warrior, and Ericsson the inventor, shared in the public gratitude.
On the day of the battle, Chief Engineer Stimers wrote to the latter, saying, “I congratulate you upon your great success.
Thousands have this day blessed you. I have heard whole crews cheer you. Every man feels that you have saved this place to the nation by furnishing us with the means to whip an iron-clad frigate, that was, until our arrival, having it all her own way with our most powerful vessels.”
The Merrimack, whose exploits on Saturday had caused joy throughout the Confederacy,3 was so much disabled on Sunday,
and had acquired such a wholesome respect for the Monitor, that
1 Worden had no thought for himself. When he recovered from his insensibility, his first question wa, “Is the Minnesota safe?” He had been ordered to her assistance, and that was his special duty. When informed that he had not only saved that ship, but driven off the Merrimack, he said, “I don't care, then, what becomes of me.” While lying in a critical state at Washington, he received the most assiduous attentions from everybody that could administer them; and it is said that the tender-hearted President, when he first visited him, wept like a father over the blinded hero, to whom he felt extremely grateful for his inestimable services for the National cause.
2 this is from a fine likeness of Captain Worden, taken before his injury on board the Monitor.
3 “By this daring exploit,” said the Norfolk Day Book, “we have raised the James River blockade without foreign assistance, and are likely, with the assistance of the Virginia [Merrimack], to keep open the communication.” The Charleston Mercury said exultingly: “The iron-clad steamer Virginia cost $185,000 to fit her up, and in one day destroyed $1,000,000 worth of Yankee property.” Even so late as the 11th, or two days after the Monitor had sent the Merrimack back to Norfolk a disheartened cripple, Jefferson Davis, in a message to the “Congress” at Richmond, claimed a triumph for the Confederates, saying, “The disparity of forces engaged did not justify the anticipation of so great a victory.”
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