Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/103

 102 Southern Historical Society Papers.

up of the Merrimac and two tugs, manned by thirty volunteers on each tug-boat. They were all armed and provided with iron wedges and top mauls and tar balls. The plan was to board her, a tug on each side landing the men, and throwing lighted tar balls down through the ventilators and wedge up the turret so it would not revolve. They took my steamer as one of the boats, but I re- fused to command her or go with her. The Monitor, luckily for them, did not come out over the bar to give them a chance to try the experiment.

The pounding which the Monitor gave the Merrimac the latter never recovered from. They lost faith in her.

I ran the blockade on the 8th day of May, 1862, escaping with my steamer, the J. B. White, to Fortress Monroe, where I met Pres- ident Lincoln, with some of his Cabinet, giving him the first infor- mation he had of the true state of affairs at Norfolk, and the preparations made by the rebels to evacuate it.

Admiral Tatnall blew up the Merrimac off Craney Island shortly afterwards a fitting end to a gallant but unfortunate ship in the ser- vice she was last engaged in.

JAMES BYERS.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 2ist day of November, 1874, at Buffalo, N. Y. [L. s.] E. P. DORR,

Notary Public for Erie County, State of New York.

In presence of

GEORGE P. DORR.

We give also a copy of a letter addressed to the Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, by Adjutant-General L. Thomas, as

follows :

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, March /j, 1862.

SIR : I am directed by the Secretary o'f War to say that he places at your disposal any transports or coal vessels at Fort Mon- roe, for the purpose of closing the channel of the Elizabeth River to prevent the escape of the Merrimac again coming out. I have the honor, &c.,

L. THOMAS, Adjutant- General. Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy.

We also submit a copy of letter from Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of War, as follows :

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

March 13, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to suggest that the Department can easily obstruct the channel to Norfolk, so as to prevent the exit of