Roads, undergoing repairs at the navy yard, just across the river
from Norfolk. One Saturday night early in April, 1861, Norfolk was
abandoned by the Federal forces. The next day the dry dock was
blown up, the navy yard, all the smaller crafts, the Pennsylvania,
perhaps the largest vessel in the service--too large, in fact, to
be seaworthy, but which had been for years used as a training-ship
at the port--and the Merrimac were set on fire.

"I can never forget the scene on that Sunday morning. Words cannot
describe the excitement of the people. The harbor was dotted with
burning vessels; the ear was startled by repeated explosions, and
the whole scene was backed by a mass of roaring flame devouring
shops, storehouses, and sheds about the navy yard.

"The fires were brightly burning when, with hundreds, I found
myself on the ground, which was still hot, picking out nails from
the touch-holes of the heavy guns hastily abandoned. Some were
properly spiked, nails had been simply dropped into others, and
many had not received even this attention. But the thing that
interested me more than all else was the flames still licking the
black sides of the huge Pennsylvania, and the graceful form of 'my
ship,' the Merrimac, now burning to the water's edge.

"The Confederate Government was quick to take advantage of the
situation. The navy yard was rebuilt, and the dry dock repaired.
The plan of rebuilding the Merrimac was proposed, but was found
impracticable on account of the expense, although her hull was
almost uninjured. Lieutenant John Mercer Brooks and Joseph L.
Porter then presented a plan for converting her into a floating
battery, which was accepted. A high fence was built around the dock
and the work began. Great secrecy was maintained, but I was able to
gain admission two or three times, and to look with wondering eyes
on the strange structure. The hull was cut down to the water-line,
a low deck was built out at the bow and stern, heavy oak timbers
were set up like the rafters of a house inclined at an angle of
about 45 degrees, and these were covered with several thicknesses
of railroad iron, which extended into the water. When finished, the
vessel looked like a long, black roof with the top cut off so as to
be flat. Around this ran a light iron rail, a wide funnel rose
ab