There were
sea-gulls, I remember, flying overhead, screaming as they flew--and the
marshes were growing emerald--"

"Yes, yes! What did Commodore Buchanan want?"

"Don't be impatient, Molly! You women don't in the least look like
Griseldas! Aunt Lucy has the air of her pioneer great-grandmother who
has heard an Indian calling! And as for Judith--Judith!"

"Yes, Edward."

"Come back to Greenwood. You looked a listening Jeanne d'Arc. What did
you hear?"

"I heard the engines working, and the sea fowl screaming, and the wind
in the rigging of the Cumberland. Go on, Edward."

"We soldiers turned seamen came to attention. 'Get on board, men,' said
Commodore Buchanan. 'We are going out in the Roads and introduce a new
era.' So off the workmen came and on we went--the flag officers and the
lieutenants and the midshipmen and the surgeons and the volunteer aides
and the men. The engineers were already below and the gunners were
looking at the guns. The smoke rolled up very black, the ropes were cast
off, a bugle blew, out streamed the stars and bars, all the workmen on
the dock swung their hats, and down the Elizabeth moved the Merrimac.
She moved slowly enough with her poor old engines, and she steered
badly, and she drew twenty-two feet, and she was ugly, ugly, ugly,--poor
thing!

"Now we were opposite Craney Island, at the mouth of the Elizabeth.
There's a battery there, you know, part of General Colston's line, and
there are forts upon the main along the James. All these were now
crowded with men, hurrahing, waving their caps.... As we passed Craney
they were singing 'Dixie.' So we came out into the James to Hampton
Roads.

"Now all the southern shore from Willoughby's Spit to Ragged Island is
as grey as a dove, and all the northern shore from Old Point Comfort to
Newport News is blue where the enemy has settled. In between are the
shining Roads. Between the Rip Raps and Old Point swung at anchor the
Roanoke, the Saint Lawrence, a number of gunboats, store ships, and
transports, and also a French man-of-war. Far and near over the Roads
were many small craft. The Minnesota, a large ship, lay halfway between
Old Point and Newport News. At the latter place there is a large Federal
garrison, and almost in the shadow of its batteries rode at anchor the
frigate Congress and the sloop Cumberland. The first had fifty guns, the
second thirty. The Virginia, or the Merrimac, or the turtle, creeping
out from the Elizabeth, cr