Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1920 — RECALLS NAVAL ANNIVERSARY [ARTICLE]

RECALLS NAVAL ANNIVERSARY

Monitor and Merrimac Battle of 68 Years Ago Yesterday. "Commodore” O’Connor of Kniman phoned The Democrat yesterday to remind us that yesterday. Meh. 9, was the 68th anniversary of the battle between' the Moni’.ot and Merrimac in Hampton Roads, Va. It was the intention, it will be remembered, of the rebels to destroy the U. S. naval craft in Hampton Roads and then sail up the Potomac and take possession of the government at Washington. On Meh. 8 the Merrimac bad sunk the Congress and the Cumberland, two of the best boats in our navy. But about 9 o’clock that night the U. S. armored gunboat Monitor Showed up, and when the Merrimac went Out next morning about 10 o’clock to finish up the Union fleet, the Monitor sailed out to meet her and after a little maneuvering, engaged her in battle and put two shots clear through the rebel craft below the water line and she was hustled back to Norfolk to prevent her sinking in mid ocean. This was one of the most important events perhaps in American history.