hero tales from american history-第19节
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For a moment the Confederates could hardly believe their eyes。 The Monitor was tiny； compared to their ship； for she was not one fifth the size； and her queer appearance made them look at their new foe with contempt； but the first shock of battle did away with this feeling。 The Merrimac turned on her foe her rifleguns； intending to blow her out of the water； but the shot glanced from the thick iron turret of the Monitor。 Then the Monitors guns opened fire； and as the great balls struck the sides of the ram her plates started and her timbers gave。 Had the Monitor been such a vessel as those of her type produced later in the war； the ram would have been sunk then and there； but as it was her shot were not quite heavy enough to pierce the iron walls。 Around and around the two strange combatants hovered； their guns bellowing without cessation； while the men on the frigates and on shore watched the result with breathless interest。 Neither the Merrimac nor the Monitor could dispose of its antagonist。 The ram's guns could not damage the turret； and the Monitor was able dexterously to avoid the stroke of the formidable prow。 On the other hand； the shot of the Monitor could not penetrate the Merrimac's tough sides。 Accordingly； fierce though the struggle was； and much though there was that hinged on it； it was not bloody in character。 The Merrimac could neither destroy nor evade the Monitor。 She could not sink her when she tried to； and when she abandoned her and turned to attack one of the other wooden vessels； the little turreted ship was thrown across her path； so that the fight had to be renewed。 Both sides grew thoroughly exhausted； and finally the battle ceased by mutual consent。
Nothing more could be done。 The ram was badly damaged； and there was no help for her save to put back to the port whence she had come。 Twice afterward she came out； but neither time did she come near enough to the Monitor to attack her； and the latter could not move off where she would cease to protect the wooden vessels。 The ram was ultimately blown up by the Confederates on the advance of the Union army。
Tactically； the fight was a drawn battleneither ship being able to damage the other； and both ships； being fought to a standstill； but the moral and material effects were wholly in favor of the Monitor。 Her victory was hailed with exultant joy throughout the whole Union； and exercised a correspondingly depressing effect in the Confederacy； while every naval man throughout the world； who possessed eyes to see； saw that the fight in Hampton Roads had inaugurated a new era in ocean warfare； and that the Monitor and Merrimac； which had waged so gallant and so terrible a battle； were the first ships of the new era； and that as such their names would be forever famous。
THE FLAG…BEARER
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord； He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored； He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword； His truth is marching on。
I have seen Him in the watch…fires of a hundred circling camps； They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps； I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps； His day is marching on。
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never beat retreat； He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment seat； Oh！ be swift； my soul； to answer him！ be jubilant； my feet！ Our God is marching on。 Julia Ward Howe。
THE FLAG…BEARER
In no war since the close of the great Napoleonic struggles has the fighting been so obstinate and bloody as in the Civil War。 Much has been said in song and story of the resolute courage of the Guards at Inkerman； of the charge of the Light Brigade； and of the terrible fighting and loss of the German armies at Mars La Tour and Gravelotte。 The praise bestowed； upon the British and Germans for their valor； and for the loss that proved their valor； was well deserved； but there were over one hundred and twenty regiments； Union and Confederate； each of which； in some one battle of the Civil War； suffered a greater loss than any English regiment at Inkerman or at any other battle in the Crimea； a greater loss than was suffered by any German regiment at Gravelotte or at any other battle of the Franco…Prussian war。 No European regiment in any recent struggle has suffered such losses as at Gettysburg befell the 1st Minnesota； when 82 per cent。 of the officers and men were killed and wounded； or the 141st Pennsylvania； which lost 76 per cent。； or the 26th North Carolina； which lost 72 per cent。； such as at the second battle of Manassas befell the 101st New York； which lost 74 per cent。； and the 21st Georgia； which lost 76 per cent。 At Cold Harbor the 25th Massachusetts lost 70 per cent。； and the 10th Tennessee at Chickamauga 68 per cent。； while at Shiloh the 9th Illinois lost 63 per cent。； and the 6th Mississippi 70 per cent。； and at Antietam the 1st Texas lost 82 percent。 The loss of the Light Brigade in killed and wounded in its famous charge at Balaklava was but 37 per cent。
These figures show the terrible punishment endured by these regiments； chosen at random from the head of the list which shows the slaughter…roll of the Civil War。 Yet the shattered remnants of each regiment preserved their organization； and many of the severest losses were incurred in the hour of triumph； and not of disaster。 Thus； the 1st Minnesota； at Gettysburg； suffered its appalling loss while charging a greatly superior force； which it drove before it； and the little huddle of wounded and unwounded men who survived their victorious charge actually kept both the flag they had captured and the ground from which they had driven their foes。
A number of the Continental regiments under Washington； Greene； and Wayne did valiant fighting and endured heavy punishment。 Several of the regiments raised on the northern frontier in 1814 showed； under Brown and Scott； that they were able to meet the best troops of Britain on equal terms in the open； and even to overmatch them in fair fight with the bayonet。 The regiments which； in the Mexican war； under the lead of Taylor； captured Monterey； and beat back Santa Anna at Buena Vista； or which； with Scott as commander； stormed Molino Del Rey and Chapultepec； proved their ability to bear terrible loss； to wrest victory from overwhelming numbers； and to carry by open assault positions of formidable strength held by a veteran army。 But in none of these three wars was the fighting so resolute and bloody as in the Civil War。
Countless deeds of heroism were performed by Northerner and by Southerner； by officer and by private； in every year of the great struggle。 The immense majority of these deeds went unrecorded； and were known to few beyond the immediate participants。 Of those that were noticed it would be impossible even to make a dry catalogue in ten such volumes as this。 All that can be done is to choose out two or three acts of heroism； not as exceptions； but as examples of hundreds of others。 The times of war are iron times； and bring out all that is best as well as all that is basest in the human heart。 In a full recital of the civil war； as of every other great conflict； there would stand out in naked relief feats of wonderful daring and self…devotion； and； mixed among them； deeds of cowardice； of treachery； of barbarous brutality。 Sadder still； such a recital would show strange contrasts in the careers of individual men； men who at one time acted well and nobly； and at another time ill and basely。 The ugly truths must not be blinked； and the lessons they teach should be set forth by every historian； and learned by every statesman and soldier； but； for our good fortune； the lessons best worth learning in the nation's past are lessons of heroism。
From immemorial time the armies of every warlike people have set the highest value upon the standards they bore to battle。 To guard one's own flag against capture is the pride； to capture the flag of one's enemy the ambition； of every valiant soldier。 In consequence； in every war between peoples of good military record； feats of daring performed by color…bearers are honorably common。 The Civil War was full of such incidents。 Out of very many two or three may be mentioned as noteworthy。
One occurred at Fredericksburg on the day when half the brigades of Meagher and Caldwell lay on the bloody slope leading up to the Confederate entrenchments。 Among the assaulting regiments was the 5th New Hampshire； and it lost one hundred and eighty…six out of three hundred men who made the charge。 The survivors fell sullenly back behind a fence； within easy range of the Confederate rifle…pits。 Just before reaching it the last of the color guard was shot； and the flag fell in the open。 A Captain Perry instantly ran out to rescue it； and as he reached it was shot through the heart； another； Captain Murray； made the same attempt and was also killed； and so was a third； Moore。 Several private soldiers met a like fate。 They were all killed close to the flag； and their dead bodies fell across one another。 Taking advantage of this breastwork； Lieutenant Nettleton crawled from behind the fence to the colors； seized them； and bore back
