CAPTURE OF FORTS HENRY AND DONELSON 1862 In the United States the domestic problems of the war were far too exacting to permit much attention being paid to the infraction of the Monroe Doctrine in Mexico. Edwin M. Stanton had become Secretary of War. At the same time General Burnside, with 12,800 men and the fleet under Goldsborough, captured Roanoke Island, New Berne, and Port Macon, on the North Carolina coast. The only harbor left to the Confederacy on this coast was that of Wilmington. General Curtis forced the Confederates across the Arkansas line, and defeated them on January 6 and 7 at Pea Ridge. The local militia was put under the command of General Schofield. Buell, who succeeded Sherman in Kentucky, was to push forward and retain East Tennessee, but he informed President Lincoln that the task was impracticable with the force at his command. A. S. Johnston had massed at Bowling Green a Confederate force with which to hold Kentucky and Tennessee. In order to divide Johnston's forces, McClellan suggested to Halleck a feint on the Tennessee, and Halleck ordered Grant to make a reconnoissance up the stream withe gunboats. Fort Henry might be taken, Columbus turned, and Bowling Green abandoned. Thomas advanced against Zollicoffer and dislodged him from Cumberland Gap. On February 2 Grant started up the Tennessee with 15,000 men on transports, Commodore Foote following on the 4th with 7 light-draft gunboats. Fort Henry guarded the Tennessee, and Fort Donelson the Cumberland, at a short distance overland from each other. The capture of the first proved easy. The navigation of the Tennessee passed into Union control. Resolved to fight at Donelson for Nashville, Johnston divided his slender force and hastened to Nashville with 14,000 men. Of Buell's army, only 8,000 raw recruits and one drilled brigade went to Grant's assistance. Grant reached Donelson with 27,000 men; the enemy numbered 1862 THE IRONCLAD "MERRIMAC" 21,000. Foote arrived in the evening with 6 gunboats, and began the assault on the 14th, but he drew off damaged. General Grant repelled a desperate sortie, stormed the intrenchments in his front, and drove the Confederates back. On Sunday the 16th the fort was taken and its whole force captured. The Confederate generals, Floyd and Pillow, howhad escaped during the previous night with 5,000 men, as did N. B. Forrest, the famous Confederate cavalry leader. General Buckner surrendered with 15,000 men under two generals, and 20,000 stand of arms, together with horses, artillery, and commissary stores. ever, From the outset of the war the disproportion in the naval strength of both sides was very great. All the warships of the United States, with the exception of a few vessels scuttled at Norfolk, remained in the hands of the Northern Government. In all, they numbered 76 ships, mounting 783 guns; but they were all built of wood, and no less than 32 relied upon sails alone for motive power. On the Southern side the situation appeared all but hopeless. The only chance lay in strengthening the shore defences, as was done, and in designing vessels of extreme power and great protection. Among the enemy's ships scuttled at Norfolk was the "Merrimac." She was raised and renamed the "Virginia," but the old name still clung to her. Over her uninjured hull new upper works were constructed, protected by rough iron armor designed for her by Commander Brooke. She was stripped of masts and rigging, a daring departure from the accustomed designs of shipbuilders. Owing to the delay in obtaining suitable armor, she could not be got ready for sea until March, when she was manned with 300 soldiers, under Captain Buchanan and Lieutenant Jones, both seceders from the United States navy. In the meanwhile the Northern Secretary of the Navy had likewise come to realize the need of armor-plated ships. ERICSSON'S "MONITOR" 1862 An advertisement was issued at Washington inviting designs for ironclads. Ericsson, the great Swedish inventor, at once came forward with a plan for an invulnerable ship. The design of Ericsson's vessel, which was named by him the "Monitor," was a still more radical departure from accepted ship designs than the "Merrimac." The great innovation was a revolving gun turret. On the last day of January the "Monitor" was launched, and turned over to the Government in complete shape within 118 days from her commencement, a truly remarkable feat. From keel to turret the "Monitor" was the product of Ericsson's brain. She was crammed with all manner of inventions originated on the spur of the moment-no less than forty patentable contrivances. The "Monitor" did not get away to sea one minute too soon; in truth, she was one or two days too late. On Saturday morning, March 8, the "Merrimac❞ steamed out of Norfolk into Hampton Roads on her trial trip. Her officers and men had received communion, for they knew that they were going on a desperate errand. Both engines and steering gear were defective. Not one of her guns had ever been fired, and the crew were untrained landsmen. As the "Merrimac" came in sight, the quartermaster of the United States ship "Congress" remarked to the officer on deck: "I believe that thing is coming down at last, sir." The Northern ships beat to quarters. The small gunboat “Zouave" engaged the "Merrimac," but found her thirty-two pounders ineffective. The "Merrimac" took no notice of the "Zouave," but steamed slowly past the United States ships "Cumberland" and "Congress," and the shore batteries. The Union officers were stricken with amazement as they saw their shots glance off the "Merrimac's" armored hull like so many pebbles. For fully an hour their fire was not returned. Then the "Merrimac" came up close, and protruded 1862 "MERRIMAC" SINKS "CUMBERLAND" a seven-inch rifled gun at close range. The first shot put one of the gun crews on the "Cumberland" out of action. At a range of 200 yards the "Merrimac" opened fire on the "Congress. "Our clean and handsome deck," reported one of the officers on the "Congress," "was in an instant changed into a slaughter pen, with locked legs and arms, and bleeding, blackened bodies scattered about by the shells, while brains actually dripped from the beams." Leaving the "Congress" on his starboard quarter, Captain Buchanan now headed for the "Cumberland," and used the ram for the first time in modern history. The shock sent the "Cumberland" leaning over, though scarcely felt on board the "Merrimac." The ram itself broke off. As the "Merrimac" backed out, Buchanan called for the "Cumberland's" surrender. It was then that Lieutenant Morris answered: "Never. I'll sink alongside." With the red flag of "No surrender" flying at the fore, the "Cumberland" went down, her crew firing upon their impregnable adversary until the bitter end. The "Congress," realizing her helplessness, made off for shoal water, where she ran aground. The "Merrimac" followed her up within 150 yards, and, taking up an advantageous position, raked her fore and aft for more than an hour. The doomed ship caught fire in several places. As the "Merrimac" drew near to board, the shore batteries redoubled their fire, wounding Buchanan and his officers. On this the "Merrimac" drew off, and resumed her fire on the burning "Congress," whose survivors jumped overboard and swam for the shore. The remaining American ships-"Minnesota," "Roanoke," and "St. Lawrence"-were saved from sudden destruction only by anchoring in shoal water, where the "Merrimac" could not approach. That very night, with dramatic promptness, the "Monitor" put into the Roads. She had taken the sea a few days before, commanded by Lieutenant Worden, and manned by a |