Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/817

Rh early in June, 1861, by Mr. Mallory, secretary of the navy, to design an ironclad war vessel. In his study of the subject he reached the idea of extending the ends of the vessel under water beyond the armored shield, in order to obtain fineness of line, buoyancy and protection of hull. To prevent the banking up of water on these submerged ends a superstructure of ship-iron was provided for. He submitted outline drawings of this design to Secretary Mallory, who approved and adopted them. The official report of Secretary Mallory upon this subject states: "On the 10th day of June, 1861, Lieut. John M. Brooke, Confederate States navy, was directed to aid the department in designing an ironclad vessel and framing the necessary specifications. He entered upon this duty at once and a few days thereafter submitted to the department, as the result of his investigations, rough drawings of a casemated vessel, with submerged ends and inclined iron-plated sides. The ends of the vessel, and the eaves of the casemate, according to his plan, were to be submerged two feet; and a light bulwark, or false bow, was designed to divide the water and prevent it from banking up on the forward part of the shield, with the vessel in motion, also to serve as a tank to regulate the ship's draught. His design was approved by the department and a practical mechanic was brought from Norfolk to aid in preparing the drawings and specifications. This mechanic aided in the statement of details of timber, etc., but was unable to make the drawings, and the department then ordered Chief Engineer Williamson and Constructor Porter from the navy yard at Norfolk, to Richmond, about the 23d of June, for consultation on the same subject generally, and to aid in the work. Constructor Porter brought and submitted the model of a flat-bottomed, light-draft propeller casemated battery, with inclined iron-covered sides and ends, which is deposited in this department. Mr. Porter and Lieutenant Brooke have adopted for their casemate a thickness of wood and iron and an angle of inclination nearly identical. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Porter approved of the plan of having submerged ends to obtain the requisite flotation and invulnerability and the department adopted the design, and a clean drawing was prepared by Mr. Porter of Lieutenant Brooke's plan, which that officer then filed with the department." The report goes on to say that Mr. Williamson, Lieutenant Brooke and Mr. Porter, under direction, investigated the condition of the sunken frigate Merrimac, and recommended the adaptation of the plan to the use of her hull and engine, which proceeded with Mr. Williamson in charge of the engineer's duties, Lieutenant Brooke in charge of preparing, testing and forwarding the armor, and devising the ordnance, and Mr. Porter in charge of construction of the vessel and originating all the interior arrangements. "The novel plan of submerging the ends of the ship and the eaves of the casemate, however," said the secretary, "is the peculiar and distinctive feature of the Virginia. It was never before adopted." The result of the work under this plan, throughout which Lieutenant Brooke made important suggestions regarding the general construction, was the famous Virginia, whose action in Hampton Roads revolutionized naval warfare. Soon afterward Lieutenant Brooke received from Lieut. Robert D. Minor a letter of congratulation containing these words: "You richly deserve the gratitude and thanks of