ng of the _Monitor_ off Hatteras, Rear-Admiral
E.W. Watson, who was an officer of the _Rhode Island_, which was towing
the _Monitor_ on that eventful night, has very kindly written a brief
description of the tragedy for this book.

* * * * *

The publishers desire to make acknowledgment to the representatives of
the late Lucius E. Chittenden for the use of Part I of this book, which
appears in Mr. Chittenden's most interesting volume, _Recollections of
President Lincoln and his Administration_.

THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC

THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC

I

_Told by Lieutenant Worden and Lieutenant S.D. Greene of the "Monitor"_

Some weeks after the historic battle between the _Monitor_ and the
_Merrimac_ in Hampton Roads, on March 9, 1862, the former vessel came to
the Washington Navy-yard unchanged, in the same condition as when she
discharged her parting shot at the _Merrimac_. There she lay until her
heroic commander had so far recovered from his injuries as to be able to
rejoin his vessel. All leaves of absence had been revoked, the
absentees had returned, and were ready to welcome their captain.
President Lincoln, Captain Fox, and a limited number of Captain Worden's
personal friends had been invited to his informal reception. Lieutenant
Greene received the President and the guests. He was a boy in years--not
too young to volunteer, however, when volunteers were scarce, and to
fight the _Merrimac_ during the last half of the battle, after the
captain was disabled.

The President and the other guests stood on the deck, near the turret.
The men were formed in lines, with their officers a little in advance,
when Captain Worden ascended the gangway. The heavy guns in the
navy-yard began firing the customary salute when he stepped upon the
deck. One side of his face was permanently blackened by the powder shot
into it from the muzzle of a cannon carrying a shell of one hundred
pounds' weight, discharged less than twenty yards away. The President
advanced to welcome him, and introduced him to the few strangers
present. The officers and men passed in review and were dismissed. Then
there was a scene worth witnessing. The old tars swarmed around their
loved captain, they grasped his hand, crowded to touch him, thanked God
for his recovery and return, and invoked blessings upon his head in the
name of all the saints in the calendar. He called them by their names,