Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/260

 248 Southern Historical Society Papers.

commander heard of this, he started down to meet the enemy, but before the Virginia reached Sewall's Point the enemy's ships had drawn off and ceased firing, retreating to the protection of Fort Monroe and keeping out of range of our guns. The fact is, the Monitor was afraid of the Virginia, running away from her again and again.

BELIEVED THEY WERE TRAITORS.

"On May loth, two days after the evacuation of Norfolk, we tried to get the Virginia up James river. We lightened her all we could, until her shield was out of the water and she was in no con- dition to fight. Before this, however, all hands were called to quarters and Commodore Tatnall, stating the condition of affairs, said all hands must work with a will to lighten the ship. Everyone worked with a will, but, as everyone believed afterwards, the pilots had turned traitors to the good old fighter and to the Confederacy. The Virginia could not get over the bar in her path even when she did not draw but eighteen feet.

"The commander then ran the vessel ashore off Craney Island, landed the crew and set fire to the ship. The magazine exploded about 5 o'clock on the morning of May n, 1862. We arrived at Drewry's Bluff the next day. The batteries there repulsed the Monitor, Galena and other vessels on May 15, and Drewry's Bluff was thereafter called the Marine or Iron battery.

"During the 8th and 9th of March, 1862, the Confederate fleet successfully encountered and defied a force equal to 2,896 men and 230 guns, as follows:

Men. Guns.

"Congress (burned), .... 480 50

"Cumberland (sunk), .... 360 22

"Minnesota (riddled), .... 550 40 "Roanoke (scared off ),. . . . 550 40

"St. Lawrence (peppered), . 480 50

" Gunboats (three disabled), . . . 120 6

" Forts (silenced), .... 200 20

"Monitor, 150 2

"Total, . . . . .2,890 230

"Following are the vessels which composed the Confederate fleet: