Butler, who had remained near the bombarded forts and completed their reduction, entered the city and placed it under martial law. Butler found it no easy task to govern the city, but by severity he put down the mob. He cleaned the streets, enforced sanitary regulations, and kept out yellow fever."

66

18. While disaster was thus attending the Confederate cause in Louisiana, an event occurred at the east which gave new life to it. At the breaking out of the war, the steam Attack of frigate Merrimac, one of the finest vessels in the the Virginia. American navy, costing more than a million of dollars, was lying in the harbor of Norfolk, Virginia. As elsewhere stated, the Union officers in charge there destroyed a large amount of property, in order to prevent its falling into the hands of the Confederates. They undertook to destroy the Merrimac, but only partially succeeded. The vessel was sunk, but her hull and machinery were not much injured. The Confederates, after taking possession of Norfolk and its navy yard, raised her without difficulty, cut down her hull almost to the water's edge, and covered it with a thick plating of iron. A new name was then given to herthe Virginia. This vessel, on the 8th of March, steamed out from Norfolk, and destroyed the Federal ships of war Cumberland and Congress, which, unprepared for an encounter with such vessels, could make no effectual resistance. Only the coming on of night prevented the destruction of the beautiful frigate Minnesota, and other national vessels ; and it was anticipated that on the next day the iron-clad monster would complete her work.

19. In the early part of the night, however, a newlyinvented floating battery, called the Monitor,' arrived from

1 This vessel was designed and built at New York by Captain Ericsson. She was about one hundred and seventy feet long, and as, owing to the great weight of iron on her surface, she projected but slightly above the water, she looked like a raft bearing a round turret about twenty feet in diameter and nine feet high. She was covered with nine-inch plates of iron, and was worked by a steam-engine entirely protected from the assailant's shot.

1862

Battle of the Iron Ships.

Battle of the

269

iron ships.

New York. "In the bright morning of the following day, Sunday, the Virginia was seen rounding the point of land at the mouth of the Elizabeth river. She approached the Minnesota; but, lying near that vessel, which was still stranded and supposed to be doomed, was a curious object, which some of the crew of the Virginia, straining their eyes, compared to a prodigious 'cheese-box on a plank.' It was another iron-clad-an experiment in naval

FIGHT BETWEEN THE VIRGINIA AND THE MONITOR.

architecture, which had come just in time to match the Confederate curiosity in floating batteries. The new actor on the scene which had come in such a dramatic coincidence was a defensive structure, different in appearance from any vessel that had previously been used in war. Her deck, unprotected by any bulwark, rose about two feet above the water, whilst from it projected a turret about nine feet high, and a small box-looking place at the stern, used as a pilot-house. In the turret she carried ner sole armament, two heavy guns.

20. The two strange combatants approached each other; and when within about one hundred yards' distance the Monitor opened fire. The contest continued for the space of two hours, the distance between the two vessels varying from half a mile to close quarters, in which they were almost side to side, belching out their fire, the heavy blows on the iron sides of each being the only effect of the terrific cannonade. The strange-looking battery, with its black, revolving cupola, was more easily turned than the Virginia, and had the greater speed. The great length and draft of the Virginia rendered it exceedingly difficult to work her. Once, in changing her position, she got aground, but succeeded in getting off again, and, turning rapidly towards the Monitor, steamed directly at her, hoping with her terrible armed prow, to end the contest. But the blow was not fairly given, and merely scraped the iron plates of her antagonist." At last the Virginia, in a disabled condition, steamed back to Norfolk.

The

21. In the meantime, a vast army had been collected near Washington, under McClellan, the object of which was to capture the Confederate capital. Early in March an advance was ordered. McClellan embarked his troops for Peninsula Fortress Monroe, whence he commenced his march campaign. up the peninsula between the York and James rivers. "On to Richmond," was at that time, a war-cry of the northern people, "not because Richmond was a source of strength to the Confederacy, not because it offered any historical recollections, not because it was the emblem of a nationality, but because it was in the eyes" of the people loyal to the Union, "a token of defiance to the" North. As McClellan's plan of operations would leave Washington with out adequate protection, Lincoln detained an army corps, under McDowell, for its security. It was expected that McClellan would make a rapid march against Richmond; but instead of this, the whole month of April was consumed in throwing up earthworks. The Confederates, having abandoned their works and fallen back, an advance column,

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The Peninsula Campaign.

271

under General Hooker, overtook the rear guard of the retreating army at Williamsburg, where a battle took place. Towards the latter part of May, McClellan had advanced to within seven miles of Richmond. Meanwhile, General Wool, proceeding from Fortress Monroe, took possession of Norfolk, which had been abandoned by direction of the authorities at Richmond. In consequence of this loss, the Confederates, on the following day, destroyed their famous ironclad, the Virginia.

22. At Fair Oaks, McClellan's army was attacked (May 31), and a bloody but indecisive battle ensued, lasting nearly two days. General Joseph E. Johnston, the Confederate general-in-chief, having been severely wounded, was relieved from duty, and General Lee appointed to the command. General Jackson, popularly known as

"Stonewall Jackson," having defeated or eluded the Union armies in the Shenandoah valley,' joined Lee, and by a rapid movement threatened the communications of McClellan's army. After almost a month spent on the banks of the Chickahominy, McClellan, believing that the forces at his disposal were not sufficient to protect his lines, transferred his base of operations to the James river. While effecting this movement, he was attacked by the Confederates, and a series of destructive battles ensued, which continued during seven days (June 25-July 1). In the last of these engagements-at Malvern Hill-Lee was repulsed, and McClellan was then enabled to retire to Harrison's Landing, on

"He had been pursued in vain by three major-generals (Fremont, McDowell, and Banks), and turning had made good his retreat. He had diverted large re-enforcements from McClellan, had neutralized a national force of 60,000 men, and given to the Southern armies the prestige of victory."-Draper. The appellation Stonewall owed its origin to a remark made by one of Jackson's officers. The officer said that at the bat tle of Bull Run (July, 1861), Jackson "stood like a stone wall.”

the James river. "Thus ended the great, the melancholy peninsula expedition." It was a terrible failure.

Lee's

23. At this time there were three armies in the vicinity of Washington, one of which was under the command of Fremont, another, of Banks, and the third, of McDowell. These were united, forming one body, called the Army first invasion of Virginia, and General Pope was called from the of the North. West and placed in command. Halleck was also called from the West, and appointed commander-in-chief, with his headquarters at

Washington. As all thought of advancing against Richmond for the time being was abandoned, McClellan's army was ordered to join the new army under Pope, who proposed to march on Richmond by another route. Relieved from the immediate task of defending their capital, the Confederates moved northward to menace Washington. Jackson, commanding the advance, attacked the force under Banks at Cedar Mountain, and compelled its retreat. The main army, under Pope, encountered the entire Confederate army, and though the Union forces were inferior in numbers, not having been re-enforced to any considerable extent by McClellan's troops, the Confederates were long held at bay before Pope gave the order to retire. This contest is known as the Second Battle of Bull Run (Aug. 29, 30). Lee, taking advantage of his victory, crossed the Potomac into Maryland.

GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE

24. Pope, at his own request, having been relieved, McClellan was again intrusted with the command of the Federal forces in and around Washington. "The Confederate general had supposed that large re-enforcements would flock to