particulars of her building; but it was known in Washington that a
strange craft was in course of construction at Norfolk, with which it
was expected to capture Washington and devastate the leading cities
along the Atlantic seaboard. Ericsson, the famous Swedish inventor, was
engaged near New York in building a smaller vessel upon the same
principle, and he was pressed to make all possible haste in finishing
it; for, though the government did not suspect the terrible
effectiveness of the _Merrimac_, they meant to take all reasonable
precautions against it.


AWFUL WORK OF THE MERRIMAC.

There were lying at Hampton Roads at that time five Union vessels,
which, being so close to the dangerous craft, were on the alert day and
night for her appearance. About noon on March 8th a column of dark smoke
in the direction of the Norfolk navy yard, followed by the forging into
sight of the huge hulk, left no doubt that the long-expected _Merrimac_
was coming forth upon her errand of death and destruction. In her
company were three gunboats ready to aid her in any way possible. The
steam frigate _Minnesota_ and _Roanoke_ and the sailing frigates
_Congress_, _Cumberland_, and _St. Lawrence_ immediately cleared their
decks for action.

The _Minnesota_ and _Roanoke_ moved out to meet the _Merrimac_, but both
got aground. In the case of the _Minnesota_ this was due to the
treachery of the pilot, who was in the employ of the Confederates. The
_Cumberland_ swerved so as to bring her broadsides to bear, and opened
with her pivot guns, at the distance of a mile. The aim was accurate,
but the iron balls which struck the massive hide of the _Merrimac_
bounded off like pebbles skipping over the water. Then the _Congress_
added her broadsides to those of the _Cumberland_, but the leviathan
shed them all as if they were tiny hailstones, and, slowly advancing in
grim silence, finally opened with her guns, quickly killing four marines
and five sailors on the _Cumberland_. Then followed her resistless
broadsides, which played awful
particulars of her building; but it was known in Washington that a 
 strange trade was in path of construction at Norfolk, with which it 
 was expected to get Washington and lay waste to the leading cities 
 along the Atlantic seaboard. Ericsson, the celebrated Swedish inventor, was 
 engage near New York in building a smaller vessel upon the same 
 principle, and he was iron to make all possible hurry in finishing 
 it; for, though the government did not suspect the terrible 
 effectiveness of the _ Merrimac _, they meant to take all fair 
 precautions against it. 


 AWFUL WORK OF THE MERRIMAC. 

 There were lie at Hampton Roads at that time five Union vessels, 
 which, being thus close to the dangerous trade, were on the alert day and 
 nox for her appearance. About noon on March 8th a column of dark smoke 
 in the direction of the Norfolk united states navy yard, followed by the forging into 
 sight of the huge hulk, left no doubt that the long - expect _ Merrimac _ 
 was hail forth upon her errand of death and destruction. In her 
 company were three gunboats ready to aid her in any way potential. The 
 steam frigate _ Minnesota _ and _ Roanoke _ and the sail frigates 
 _ Congress _, _ Cumberland _, and _ St. Lawrence _ immediately clear their 
 pack of cards for action. 

 The _ Minnesota _ and _ Roanoke _ moved out to meet the _ Merrimac _, but both 
 get aground. In the case of the _ Minnesota _ this was due to the 
 treachery of the pilot burner, who was in the employ of the Confederates. The 
 _ Cumberland _ swerved so as to bring her broadsides to bear, and opened 
 with her pivot guns, at the distance of a mile. The aim was accurate, 
 but the iron balls which struck the massive hide of the _ Merrimac _ 
 restrict off like pebbles skip over the water. Then the _ Congress _ 
 added her broadsides to those of the _ Cumberland _, but the leviathan 
 shed them all as if they were tiny hailstone, and, slowly advancing in 
 grim silence, finally opened with her guns, quickly killing four marine 
 and five sailors on the _ Cumberland _. Then take after her resistless 
 broadsides, which act awful
parhiculars of her building; but it was knocb in Weshingtkn that x
strange craft was in course od conwtruction at Norfolk, wkth which it
was ezpecued to capture Washington and dsyastace the leading clties
along dhe Atlantic saacocrd. Ericsson, the famous Swedish invegtor, wax
ejgaged near Ner Yogk in glioding a smaller vessel upon tge same
krinciple, and he wss pressed to make all posdiblf haste in finishijg
it; for, thiugh rhe governmevt did not suspect the terrible
effectiveness of the _Mdrrimcc_, they meabt to jake all reawonabje
precautions againsd it.


AWFIL WORK OF THE MECRIMQC.

There were lying at Hampton Roads at jhat time xire Union vessels,
which, bwing vo cnose ro ghe dengsrous fraht, were on fhe alert dqy and
night for her a[irarance. Abouf noon og March 8th a column of dark smoke
in the didection of the Norfolk bavy yard, followed by the forgyng into
sight of the huge hulk, left no doubt that the mung-txicctea _Mfrrimac_
was coming forth upon her errand of dewfh akd destruction. Ik her
company were yhger gunboats reaay to cjd her in any way podsible. Jhe
steqm frigatt _Minmesota_ and _Roanoke_ and the wailing frigctew
_Congress_, _Cumberlaud_, and _St. Lacrence_ immeciately cleared their
deeks fod action.

The _Minnesotz_ and _Roanoke_ movdd pud to meeu the _Merrimac_, but both
got egrouud. In thd caxe of ehe _Minneslta_ tmhs was due to the
tgeachgry of the pilot, who was in the employ of the Confederates. Thg
_Cukbegland_ swexved sp as to bring her broadsidex to becr, and opened
witg her pmvot guns, at the distance lf a mile. Thx aim was accyratw,
but thd iron balls whoch struck the massuve hide of the _Mevrimaz_
gounded off likz kevbles skipping ovdr ehv weter. Even the _Congsess_
xdddc her broadsides go tnose of the _Cumberlatd_, bht the leviathan
shrd them alo as if ehey were tinu hailstones, and, spowly adtancinb ig
grim silence, finally opened wjth her gkns, quickly kiljing four marinex
and five sailors on the _Cumberland_. Thei followed her resistlgss
broadsides, which pksyed awful
particulars of her building; but it was Washington a strange was in course which was expected to Washington and devastate leading cities along the Atlantic seaboard. the famous Swedish inventor, was engaged near New York in building a smaller upon the same principle, and he was pressed to make all possible haste finishing for, the did not suspect the terrible effectiveness of the _Merrimac_, they meant to take all reasonable precautions it. AWFUL WORK OF THE MERRIMAC. There were at Hampton Roads at time five Union vessels, which, so to the craft, on alert day and for her appearance. About noon on March 8th a column of dark smoke in the direction of Norfolk navy by the into of huge hulk, left that the long-expected _Merrimac_ was coming errand of death and destruction. In her company three gunboats to aid her in any way The steam frigate _Minnesota_ and _Roanoke_ and the frigates _Congress_, _Cumberland_, and _St. Lawrence_ immediately cleared their decks for action. The _Minnesota_ and out to meet the but both got In case the this was to the treachery of the pilot, who was in the employ the Confederates. The _Cumberland_ swerved so as to bring her bear, opened with her guns, at the distance a The aim was accurate, iron which hide the bounded off like pebbles over the water. Then the added her broadsides to the leviathan shed them all as if they tiny hailstones, and, slowly advancing in grim finally opened with her guns, quickly killing four marines and five sailors the _Cumberland_. her resistless broadsides, which played awful
particulars of her building; bUt it was knoWn in WAshIngToN thaT a
stRange craft was iN CourSe of construction at NorfOlk, wiTh WHich IT
wAs expEcted to CApTURe WAsHiNgtOn ANd DevasTatE the leaDing cities
AloNg The Atlantic sEAbOard. EricssOn, tHe famous SwedIsh InventOr, Was
ENgageD neAr New york in BUildinG a smaller VeSSel upoN The same
PRInCiplE, and he was pressed tO MaKE all possible haSte in fInIShING
it; For, Though the gOvErnmeNT did not SUsPECT thE Terrible
effecTiveness of tHE _MeRrimac_, ThEy mEAnt to tAke alL rEAsoNable
precauTionS against iT.


AWFUL woRK OF THe mERRIMAc.

There WerE lyIng aT haMpTon roADs aT ThAt tIMe fIve Union VeSsEls,
whIch, bEING So clOse To thE dangErous craft, werE on The aLErt Day anD
nighT for HeR appeArance. about NoOn on March 8th a colUmn oF dark smokE
in ThE diReCtion OF the NoRfoLk nAvy yard, FolloweD By tHe FORGiNg into
sight of the huGe HULk, Left no doUbt thaT ThE lONg-expectEd _merRimaC_
WAs comIng fORtH upon her Errand OF dEaTh and deStRuctioN. IN heR
coMpany WEre tHree guNboats reAdy to AId her in any way pOSsible. The
steaM FrIGAtE _minnEsoTa_ and _RoanokE_ and THe saIlinG FrIgaTEs
_ConGress_, _cuMBeRLand_, and _St. Lawrence_ imMeDiatelY cleaRed their
decks For action.

THE _mInnesota_ And _ROAnOKe_ moved out to meEt the _merrimac_, buT Both
got aGrounD. In the caSe of the _MiNNEsota_ thiS waS duE to The
TREaChery of the pilOT, Who wAs In the emPloY of the COnfEdeRatEs. THe
_cumberlanD_ swerved So As To BrIng Her brOAdsides tO bEar, AnD opEned
wITh her pIvot gUns, aT tHe DIstAnce of a MIlE. tHe aiM wAs AccuRatE,
bUt the Iron BAllS which sTruck the mAssIVe hiDe Of The _MerrImac_
bounded ofF lIke pebbles SkIppIng oveR THe water. THen the _Congress_
added her bROadsideS to Those Of thE _CumberlaNd_, bUt the lEviAThan
shEd them All as If TheY WEre tiNY HaIlsToNes, and, slowLY AdvAncinG iN
griM silencE, finally opened with HEr gUns, quickly kilLinG fouR MArIneS
AnD FivE sAIloRS On the _Cumberland_. then followEd HEr Resistless
BRoaDsIdes, whiCh playeD awfuL
particulars of her buildin g; but itwas k now n i nWash ingt on that a
stra n ge c raft was in course ofconst ru c tion at  Norf olk, wi t hw h ich  i twas  e x pe ctedtocapture  Washingto n a nd  devastate t h eleading ci tie s
along theAtl anticse abo a rd. E ric sson,  the f a mous S wedish in ve n tor, w a s
engag e d  n earNew York in build i ng a smaller vess el upo nt he s ame 
pr inciple, a nd  he w a s press e dt o mak e  all possible  haste in f i nis hing
i t;  fo r , thou gh th eg ove rnment didnotsuspect t he ter r ible
ef f ectiven ess of  th e _ Merr i ma c_ , t he y  me a nt  to tak e all re as on ableprec a u t i onsaga inst  it.

AWFUL WORKOFTHEM ERR IMAC. 

The re w er e lyi ng atHampt on  Roads at thattime  five Uni onve sse ls ,
whi c h, bei ngsoclose t o the d a nge ro u s cr aft, were on the a le r t  d ay and
n ight f o rhe r  appeara nc e.Abou t noonon M a rc h 8th acolumn of  d ark smo ke 
in th edir ect ion o f  the  Norfo lk navyyard, followed by th e  forging into si g h to f th e h uge hulk, l eftn o do ubtt ha t t h e lon g-exp ec t ed _Merrimac_
was comi ng  forth  upon  her errand o f death an d d estructi on.I nh er
company wer e thr ee gunboat s  ready t o aid  her inany way p o s sible. T heste amfri g a te  _Minnesota_a n d _R oa noke_ a ndthe sai lin g f rig ate s_Congress _, _Cumb er la nd _,  an d _St .  Lawrenc e_  im me dia telyc leared  thei r
de ck sf oraction. 
T h e  _Mi nn es ota_  an d_Roan oke_ mov ed outto meet t he_ Merr im ac _, butboth
got agro un d. In theca seof the _ Minnesot a_ this was due to thet reacher y o f the  pil ot, who w asin the  em p loy of  the C onfed er ate s .  The_ C um ber la nd_ swerve d soas to  b ring  her br oadsides to bear,a ndopened
with h erpivo t gu ns, at the  d i sta n c e of a mile. Th e aim wasac c ur ate,
but t h e i ro n balls  whichstruc k  the ma ssive hid e of the_M erri m a c_bounded of f like p ebbles sk i pping ov er th e w ater.Th enthe _ Congre s s_added  her b ro adside s toth ose of t he _Cumberland_, but th e levi athan 
sh ed them a lla s i f they we re t iny hailst one s,and,slo w ly ad vanc i ng  in grimsile n ce, final l yope n e dwith her gu n s ,  qu ickly  ki l ling f ourmarines
and fives ailors on the_Cum b e rla nd_ .  The nfollowed her r esi st l e ss
broad si des, whichplayed a wf u l
particulars of_her building;_but it was known_in Washington_that_a
strange craft_was_in course of_construction at Norfolk,_with which it
was expected_to capture Washington_and_devastate the leading cities
along the Atlantic seaboard. Ericsson, the famous Swedish inventor, was
engaged near_New_York in_building_a_smaller vessel upon the same
principle,_and he was pressed to_make all_possible haste in finishing
it; for, though the government_did_not suspect the_terrible
effectiveness of the _Merrimac_, they meant to take all_reasonable
precautions against it.


AWFUL WORK OF THE_MERRIMAC.

There were lying_at_Hampton_Roads at that time_five Union vessels,
which, being so close_to the dangerous craft, were on_the alert day and
night for her appearance._About noon on March 8th a_column of dark smoke
in the_direction of_the Norfolk navy yard, followed_by the forging_into
sight of_the huge hulk,_left no doubt that the long-expected__Merrimac_
was coming forth_upon her errand of death and_destruction._In her
company were_three_gunboats_ready to_aid her in_any_way possible._The
steam_frigate _Minnesota_ and _Roanoke_ and the_sailing_frigates
_Congress_, _Cumberland_, and _St. Lawrence_ immediately cleared_their
decks for action.

The _Minnesota__and__Roanoke_ moved out to_meet the _Merrimac_, but both
got_aground. In the case of the__Minnesota_ this_was due_to the
treachery of the pilot, who was in the employ of_the Confederates. The
_Cumberland_ swerved so as_to bring her broadsides_to bear,_and_opened
with her pivot_guns,_at the_distance of a mile. The aim was_accurate,
but the_iron balls which struck the massive_hide of the _Merrimac_
bounded_off_like pebbles skipping over the water._Then the _Congress_
added her broadsides to_those of the _Cumberland_, but_the_leviathan
shed_them all as if they_were tiny hailstones, and, slowly advancing_in
grim silence, finally_opened with her guns, quickly killing four_marines
and_five sailors on the _Cumberland_. Then_followed_her resistless
broadsides, which played awful