THE FIRST FIGHT OF I RON-CLADS.

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In the spring of 1861 Norfolk and its large naval establishment had beenhurriedly abandoned by the Federals, why no one could tell. It is abouttwelve miles from Fort Monroe, which was then held by a large force ofregulars. A few companies of these, with a single frigate, could haveoccupied and commanded the town and navy yard and kept the channelopen. However, a year later, it was as quickly evacuated by the Confed-erates, and almost with as little reason. But of this I will speak later.

The yard was abandoned to a few volunteers, after it was partly destroyed,and a large number of ships were burnt. Among the spoils were upward oftwelve hundred heavy guns, which were scattered among Confederate fortifi-cations from the Potomac to the Mississippi . [See foot-note, p. 712]. Amongthe ships burnt and sunk was the frigate Mcrrimac of 3500 tons and 40 guns,afterward rechristened the Virginia , and so I will call her. During the summerof 1861 Lieutenant John M. Brooke, an accomplished officer of the old navy,who with many others had resigned, proposed to Secretary Mallory to raise andrebuild this ship as an iron-clad. His plans were approved, and orders weregiven to carry them out. She was raised and cut down to the old berth-deck.Both ends for seventy feet were covered over, and when the ship was in fight-ing trim were just awash. O 11 the midship section, 170 feet in length, was builtat an angle of 45 degrees a roof of pitch-pine and oak 24 inches thick, extend-ing from the w r ater-line to a height over the gun-deck of 7 feet. [See pp. 715-717.] Both ends of the shield were rounded so that the pivot-guns could be

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THE BURNING OF THE FRIGATE “ MERRIMAC ” AND OF THE GOSPORT NAVY-YARD. (SEE FOOT-NOTE, P. 712.)