Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/139

 The Confederate Steamship ^^ Patrick Henry." 133

steamed out to meet her. It was, indeed, the Monitor^ and then and there commenced the first combat that had ever taken place between iron-clads.^

The Pai7'ick Heyiry and the other Confederate wooden vessels took little part in the events of the day, except to fire one shot at the Monitor^ at very long;- range, as she passed and repassed at one time during her manoeuvreing with the Virginia. At one time the Vir- ginia did not seem to move, and apprehensions were entertained that she had got aground or that some part of her machinery was dam- aged. Signal flags were run up on board of her, but the flags did not blow out clear, and it was some minutes before the signal officer of the Patrick Heyiry could make out the numbers. At length he reported the signal to be, as well as he was able to read it, "disabled my propeller is."^

No wooden vessel could have floated twenty minutes under the fire that the Virginia was then undergoing from the Monitor and the Minnesota, but if her propeller was disabled it was necessary to at- tempt to tow her back to the cover of the Confederate batteries. So the Patrick Henry and Jamestown started to make the attempt, but they had gone only a short distance when the Virgiyiia was seen to move and her propeller to turn, showing that she required no assist- ance. That evening all the Confederate vessels went into the harbor of Norfolk.

Flag-Ofhcer Tattnall having relieved Flag Officer Buchanan, who had been seriously wounded in the first day's fight in Hampton Roads, and all the vessels having been refitted, on the 13th of April the squadron again sallied out to meet the enemy. In case the Vir- ginia should not be able to capture or destroy the Moyiitor, the gun- boats Beaufort and Raleigh and two small steamers were assigned the duty of carrying the MoJiitor by boarding.* The squadron steamed about in Hampton Roads for two days in succession, and the Jaynestowyi captured two of the Federal transports, but the Monitor did not leave her anchorage at Fortress Monroe.*

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. ROCHELLE,

Lieutenant Commanding Confederate steamship Palmetto State.