in a state of terror and sent telegrams to various governors and mayors of the coastal states warning them of the danger.Welles Diary, Vol. I, p. 65 Subsequently, Stanton approved a plan to load some sixty canal boats with stone and gravel and sink them in the Potomac, but Welles was able to convince Lincoln at the last moment that such a plan would only prevent Monitor and other Union ships from reaching Washington and that the barges should only be sunk if and when Virginia was able to make her way up the Potomac. About 9:00 pm, Monitor finally arrived on the scene only to discover the destruction that Virginia had already wrought on the Union fleet. Worden was ordered upon reaching Hampton Roads to anchor alongside and report to Captain John Marston where Worden was briefed of the situation and received further orders to protect the grounded Minnesota.Field, 2011, p. 44 By midnight, under the cover of darkness, Monitor quietly pulled up alongside and behind the Minnesota and waited. Duel of the ironclads The next morning at about 6:00 am Virginia, accompanied by , and , got underway from Sewell's Point to finish off Minnesota and the rest of the blockaders, but were delayed sailing out into Hampton Roads because of heavy fog until about 8:00 am. In Monitor Worden was already at his station in the pilot house while Greene took command of the turret. Samuel Howard, Acting Master of Minnesota, who was familiar with Hampton Roads with its varying depths and shallow areas, had volunteered to be the pilot the night before and thus was accepted, while Quarter Master Peter Williams steered the vessel throughout the battle (Williams was later awarded the Medal of Honor for this act).Quarstein, 2010, pp. 181, 191 The speaking tube used to communicate between the pilothouse and the turret had broken early in the action so Keeler and Toffey had to relay commands from Worden to Greene. As Virginia approached, she began firing at Minnesota from more than a mile away, a few of her shells hitting the vessel. When the firing was heard in the distance, Greene sent Keeler to the pilot house for permission to open fire as soon as possible where Worden ordered,Hoehling, 1993, p. 155 "Tell Mr. Greene not to fire till I give the word, to be cool and deliberate, to take sure aim and not