with lee in virginia-第28节

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She　herself　had　suffered　somewhat　in　the　fight。　　Her　loss　in　men

was　only　two　killed　and　eight　wounded；　but　two　of　her　guns　had

the　muzzles　shot　off；　the　armor　was　damaged　in　some　places；　and

most　serious　of　all　she　had　badly　twisted　her　ram　in　running　into

the　Cumberland。　Still　it　appeared　that　she　was　more　than　a　match

for　the　rest　of　the　Federal　fleet；　and　that　these　must　either　fly　or　be

destroyed。



As　the　general　had　given　him　three　days'　leave；　Vincent　was　able

to　stay　to　see　the　close　of　the　affair；　and　early　next　morning　again

rode　down　to　Sewell's　Point；　as　the　Merrimac　was　to　start　at

daybreak。　　At　six　o'clock　the　ironclad　came　out　from　the　river　and

made　for　the　Minnesota；　which　was　still　aground。　　The　latter　was

seen　to　run　up　a　signal；　and　the　spectators　saw　an　object　which

they　had　not　before　perceived　coming　out　as　if　to　meet　the　ram。

The　glasses　were　directed　toward　it；　and　a　general　exclamation　of

surprise　was　heard。



〃What　is　the　thing？　It　looks　like　a　raft　with　two　round　turrets　upon

it；　and　a　funnel。〃　A　moment's　consideration；　and　the　truth　burst

upon　them。　　It　was　the　ship　they　had　heard　of　as　building　at　New

York；　and　which　had　been　launched　six　weeks　before。　　It　was

indeed　the　Monitor；　which　had　arrived　during　the　night；　just　in

time　to　save　the　rest　of　the　Federal　fleet。　　She　was　the　first　regular

ironclad　ever　built。　　She　was　a　turret　ship；　carrying　two　very　heavy

guns；　and　showing　only　between　two　and　three　feet　above　the

water。



The　excitement　upon　both　shores　as　these　adversaries　approached

each　other　was　intense。　　They　moved　slowly；　and　not　until　they

were　within　a　hundred　yards　distance　did　the　Monitor　open　fire；

the　Merrimac　replying　at　once。　The　fire　for　a　time　was　heavy　and

rapid；　the　distance　between　the　combatants　varying　from　fifty　to

two　hundred　yards。　　The　Monitor　had　by　far　the　greatest　speed；　and

was　much　more　easily　turned　than　the　Confederate　ram；　and　her

guns　were　very　much　heavier；　and　the　Merrimac　while　still

keeping　up　the　fight　made　toward　the　mouth　of　the　river。



Suddenly　she　turned　and　steamed　directly　at　the　Monitor；　and

before　the　latter　could　get　out　of　her　way　struck　her　on　the　side；

but　the　ram　was　bent　and　her　weak　engines　were　insufficient　to

propel　her　with　the　necessary　force。　　Consequently　she　inflicted　no

damage　on　the　Monitor；　and　the　action　continued；　the　turret…ship

directing　her　fire　at　the　iron　roof　of　the　ram；　while　the　latter

pointed　her　guns　especially　at　the　turret　and　pilot…house　of　the

Monitor。　　At　length；　after　a　battle　which　had　lasted　six　hours；　the

Monitor　withdrew；　one　of　the　plates　of　her　pilot…house　being

seriously　damaged　and　her　commander　injured　in　the　eyes。



When　her　foe　drew　off　the　Merrimac　steamed　back　to　Norfolk。　

There　were　no　men　killed　in　either　battle；　and　each　side　claimed　a

victory；　the　Federals　upon　the　ground　that　they　had　driven　off　the

Merrimac；　the　Confederates　because　the　Monitor　had　retreated

from　the　fight。　　Each　vessel　however　held　the　strength　of　the　other

in　respect；　the　Monitor　remaining　as　sentinel　over　the　ships　and

transports　at　Fortress　Monroe；　while　the　Merrimac　at　Norfolk

continued　to　guard　the　entrance　into　the　James　River。



As　soon　as　the　fight　was　over　Vincent　Wingfield；　greatly　pleased

that　he　had　witnessed　so　strange　and　interesting　a　combat；　rode

back　to　Norfolk；　and　the　same　evening　reached　Richmond；　where

his　description　of　the　fight　was　received　with　the　greatest　interest

and　excitement。



OHAPTER　VIIL　M'CLELLAN'S　ADVANCE。



IT　WAS　not　until　three　weeks　after　the　fight　between　the　ironclads

that　the　great　army　under　General　McClellan　arrived　off　Fortress

Monroe；　the　greater　portion　of　the　troops　coming　down　the

Potomac　in　steam　transports。　Vast　quantities　of　stores　had　been

accumulated　in　and　around　the　fortress。　　Guns　of　a　size　never

before　used　in　war　were　lying　on　the　wharfs　in　readiness　…to　be

placed　in　batteries；　while　Hampton　Roads　were　crowded　with

transports　and　store　vessels　watched　over　by　the　Monitor　and　the

other　war　ships。　　McClellan's　army　was　a　large　one；　but　not　so

strong　a　force　as　he　had　intended　to　have　taken　with　him；　and　as

soon　as　he　arrived　at　Fortress　Monroe　he　learned　that　he　would　not

be　able　to　expect　much　assistance　from　the　fleet。　　The　Merrimac

completly　closed　the　James　River；　and　were　the　more　powerful

vessels　of　the　fleet　to　move　up　the　York　River；　she　would　be　able

to　sally　out　and　destroy　the　rest　of　the　fleet　and　the　transports。



As　it　was　most　important　to　clear　the　peninsula　between　the　two

rivers　before　Magruder　should　receive　strong　reinforcements；　a

portion　of　the　troops　were　at　once　landed；　and　on　the　4th　of　April

56；000　men　and　100　guns　disembarked　and　started　on　their　march

against　Yorktown。　As　soon　as　the　news　of　the　arrival　of　the

Northern　army　at　Fortress　Monroe　reached　Richmond　fresh　steps

were　taken　for　the　defense　of　the　city。　　Magruder　soon　found　that　it

would　be　impossible　with　the　force　at　his　command　to　hold　the

line　he　had　proposed；　and　a　large　body　of　negroes　and　troops　were

set　to　work　to　throw　up　defenses　between　Yorktown　and　a　point　on

the　Warwick　River　thirteen　and　a　half　miles　away。



A　portion　of　this　line　was　covered　by　the　Warwick　Creek；　which

he　dammed　up　to　make　it　unfordable；　and　erected　batteries　to

guard　the　dams。　　Across　the　intervening　ground　a　weak　earthwork

with　trenches　was　constructed；　there　being　no　time　to　raise

stronger　works；　but　Magruder　relied　chiefly　upon　the　swampy　and

difficult　nature　of　the　country；　and　the　concealment　afforded　by

the　forest；　which　rendered　it　difficult　for　the　enemy　to　discover　the

weakness　of　the　defenders。



He　posted　6；000　men　at　Yorktown　and　Gloucester　Point；　and　the

remaining　5；000　troops　under　his　command　were　scattered　along

the　line　of　works　to　the　Warwick　River。　He　knew　that　if　McClellan

pushed　forward　with　all　his　force　he　must　be　successful；　but　he

knew　also　that　if　the　enemy　could　but　be　held　in　check　for　a　few

days　assistance　would　reach　him　from　General　Johnston's　army。



Fortunately　for　the　Confederates；　the　weather；　which　had　been　fine

and　clear　during　the　previous　week；　changed　on　the　very　day　that

McClellan　started。　　The　rain　came　down　in　torrents；　and　the　roads

became　almost　impassable。　The　columns　struggled　on　along　the

deep　and　muddy　tracks　all　day；　and　bivouacked　for　the　night　in　the

forests。　　The　next　morning　they　resumed　their　march；　and　on

reaching　the　first　line　of　intrenchments　formed　by　the

Confederates　found　them　deserted；　and　it　was　not　until　they

approached　the　Warwick　Creek　that　they　encountered　serious

opposition。　　Had　they　pushed　forward　at　once　they　would　have

unquestionably　captured　Richmond。　　But　McClellan's　fault　was

over…caution；　and　he　believed　himself　opposed　by　a　very　much

larger　force　than　that　under　the　command　of　Magruder；

consequently；　instead　of　making　an　attack　at　once　he　began　regular

siege　operations　against　the　works　on　Warwick　Creek　and　those　at

Yorktown。



The　delay　saved　Richmond。　　Every　day　reinforcements　arrived；

and　by　the　time　that　McClellan's　army；　over　100；000　strong；　had

erected　their　batteries　and　got　their　heavy　guns　into　position；

Magruder　had　been　reinforced　by　some　10；000　men　under　General

Johnston；　who　now　assumed　the　command；　while　other　divisions

were　hurrying　up　from　Northern　and　Western　Virginia。　　Upon　the

very　night　before　the　batteries　were　ready　to　open；　the

Confederates　evacuated　their　positions　and　fell　back；　carrying　with

them　all　their　guns　and　stores　to　the　Chickahominy　River；　which

ran　almost　across　the　peninsula　at　a　distance　of　six　miles　only　from

Richmond。



The　Confederates　crossed　and　broke　down　the　bridges；　and

prepared　to　make　another　stand。　　The　disappointment　of　the

Federals　was　great。　　After　ten　days　of　incessant　labor　and　hardship

they　had　only　gained　possession　of　the　village　of　Yorktown　and　a

tract　of　low　swampy　country。　The　divisions　in　front　pressed

forward　rapidly　after　the　Confederates；　but　these　had　managed

their　plan　so　well　that　all　were　safely　across　the　stream　before　they

were　overtaken。



The　dismay　in　Richmond　had　for　a　few　days　been　great。　Many

people　left　the　town　for　the　interior；　taking　their　valuables　with

them；　and　all　was　prepared　for　the　removal　of　the　state　papers　and

documents。　　But　as　the　Federals　went　on　with　their　fortifications；

and　the　reinforcements　began　to　arrive；　confidence　was　restored；

and　all　went　on　as　before。



The　great　Federal　army　was　so　scattered　through　the　forests；　and

the　discipline　of　some　of　the　divisions　was　so　lax　that　it　was　some

days　before　McClellan　had　them　ranged　in　order　on　the

Chickahominy。　　Another　week　elapsed　before　he　was　in　a　position

to　undertake　fresh　operations；　but　General　Johnston　had　now　four

divisions　on　the　spot；　and　he　was　too　enterprising　a　general　to

await　the　attack。　Consequently　he　crossed