t the
Confederates were planning to seize. Soon after she escaped from their
hands, an event occurred by which a vast quantity of naval stores, and
the mutilated but still valuable hulls of some of the most powerful
war-vessels in the United States navy, fell into their hands. The
United States navy-yard at Norfolk was one of the most valuable of all
the governmental possessions. In the great yard was government
property amounting to more than twenty millions of dollars.
Machine-shops, foundries, dwellings for officers, and a massive
granite dry-dock made it one of the most complete navy-yards in the
world. An enormous quantity of cannon, cannon-balls, powder, and
small-arms packed the huge storehouses. In the magnificent harbor were
lying some of the most formidable vessels of the United States navy,
including the steam frigate "Merrimac," of which we shall hear much
hereafter. Small wonder was it, that the people of Virginia, about to
secede from the Union, looked with covetous eyes upon this vast stock
of munitions of war lying apparently within their grasp. It did not
take long for them to persuade themselves that they were right in
seizing it; and, once decided, their movements were vigorous and open.
Of their ability to capture the yard, and gain possession of all the
property there, they felt no doubt. The first thing to be done was to
entrap the ships so that they should be unable to get out of the
harbor. Accordingly, on the 16th of April, three large stone-vessels
were sunk directly in the channel, apparently barring the exit of the
frigates most effectually. Indeed, so confident of success were the
plotters, that in a despatch to Richmond, announcing the successful
sinking of the stone-ships, they said, "Thus have we secured for
Virginia three of the best ships of the navy." But later events
showed, that, in boasting so proudly, the Virginians were committing
the old error of counting chickens before they were hatched.

The condition of affairs within the navy-yard now seemed desperate.
There appeared to be no chance of getting the vessels beyond the
obstructions. The militia of Virginia was rapidly gathering in the
town. Among the naval officers on the ships great dissension existed,
as many were Southerners, about to resign their posts in the United
States service to enter the service of their States. These men would,
of course, give no active aid to any movement for the salvation of the
United States prop