king of naval battles.

In Chesapeake Bay, near Hampton Roads, the United States had collected
a fleet of wooden ships; some of them old-style sailing-vessels, others
steamers. The Confederates were known to be building a great iron-clad
ram, and the wooden vessels were eagerly watching for her appearance
when she should come out of Gosport Harbor. Her powers and capacity
were utterly unknown. She was made out of the former United States
steam-frigate Merrimac, cut down so as to make her fore and aft decks
nearly flat, and not much above the water, while the guns were mounted
in a covered central battery, with sloping flanks. Her sides, deck,
and battery were coated with iron, and she was armed with formidable
rifle-guns, and, most important of all, with a steel ram thrust out
under water forward from her bow. She was commanded by a gallant and
efficient officer, Captain Buchanan.

It was March 8, 1862, when the ram at last made her appearance within
sight of the Union fleet. The day was calm and very clear, so that the
throngs of spectators on shore could see every feature of the battle.
With the great ram came three light gunboats, all of which took part in
the action, harassing the vessels which she assailed; but they were
not factors of importance in the fight. On the Union side the vessels
nearest were the sailing-ships Cumberland and Congress, and the
steam-frigate Minnesota. The Congress and Cumberland were anchored not
far from each other; the Minnesota got aground, and was some distance
off. Owing to the currents and shoals and the lack of wind, no other
vessel was able to get up in time to take a part in the fight.

As soon as the ram appeared, out of the harbor, she turned and steamed
toward the Congress and the Cumberland, the black smoke rising from her
funnels, and the great ripples running from each side of her iron prow
as she drove steadily through the still waters. On board of the Congress
and Cumberland there was eager anticipation, but not a particle of fear.
The officers in command, Captain Smith and Lieutenant Morris, were two
of the most gallant men in a service where gallantry has always been
too common to need special comment. The crews were composed of veterans,
well trained, self-confident, and proud beyond measure of the flag whose
honor they upheld. The guns were run out, and the men stood at quarters,
while the officers eagerly conned the approaching ironclad. The Congress
was the first