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 short 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