Letter from William Keeler to His Wife
(Note: In his letter, Keeler refers to the CSS Virginia by the Union name of Merrimac.)
As we neared the land, clouds of smoke could be seen hanging over it in the direction of
the Fortress (Monroe), & as we approached still nearer little black spots could
occasionally be seen suddenly springing into the air, remaining stationary for a moment
or two & then gradually expanding into a large white cloud-these were shells & tended to
increase the excitement. As the darkness increased, the flashes of guns lit up the distant
horizon & bursting shells flashed in the air.
We soon took a pilot & then learned that the Merrimac was out & making terrible havoc
among the shipping-how slow we seemed to move-the moments were hours. Oh, how we
longed to be there-but our iron hull crept slowly on & the monotonous clank, clank, of
the engine betokened no increase of its speed. No supper was eaten that night as you may
suppose.
As we neared the harbor the firing slackened & only an occasional gun lit up the
darkness-vessels were leaving like a covey of frightened quails & their lights danced over
the water in all directions.
We stopped by the Roanoke frigate [Captain John Marston] & rec'd orders to proceed at
once to Newport News to protect the Minnesota [Captain Henry Van Brunt] which was
aground there, so we went up & anchored near her. Capt. Worden went on board & on his
return we heard for the first time of the havoc made by the Merrimac & the terrible
excitement prevailing among the shipping in the harbor & among the troops ashore.
Everything on board of us had been prepared for action as far as possible as we came up
the harbor & the report every little while through the night that the Merrimac was coming
kept all hands to quarters through the night. No one slept.
The first rays of morning light saw the Minnesota surrounded by tugs into which were
being tumbled the bags & hammocks of the men & barrels & bags of provisions, some of
which went into the boats & some into the water, which was covered with barrels of rice,
whiskey, flour, beans, sugar, which was thrown overboard to lighten the ship.
One of the little tugs [USS Dragon] alongside had the engine & the whole inside blown
out by the explosion of a shell in the previous day's fight.
After getting up our anchor we steamed slowly along under the towering side of
the Minnesota. The men were clambering down into the smaller boats-the guns were
being thrown overboard & everything seemed in confusion. Her wooden sides shewed
terrible traces of the conflict.
As a light fog lifted from the water it revealed the Merrimac with her consorts lying
under Sewall's Point. The announcement of breakfast brought also the news that
the Merrimac was coming & our coffee was forgotten.
Capt. Worden inquired of the Minnesota what he intended to do.- "If I cannot lighten my
ship off I shall destroy her," Capt. Van Brunt replied.- "I will stand by you to the last if I
can help you," said our Capt.- "No Sir, you cannot help me," was the reply.
The idea of assistance or protection being offered to the huge thing by the little pygmy at
her side seemed absolutely ridiculous & I have no doubt was so regarded by those on
board her, for the replies came down curt & crispy. As the Merrimac approached, we
slowly steamed out of the shadow of our towering friend no ways daunted by her rather
ungracious replies.
Every one on board of us was at his post, except the doctor & myself who having no
place assigned us at the immediate working of the ship were making the most of our time
in taking good look at our still distant but approaching foe. A puff of smoke arose from
her side & a shell howled over out heads & crashed into the side of the Minnesota. Capt.
Worden, who was on deck, came up & said more sternly than I ever heard him speak
before, "Gentlemen, that is the Merrimac, you had better go below."
We did not wait [for] a second invitation but ascended the tower & down the hatchway,
Capt. W. following. The iron hatch was closed over the opening & all access to us cut
off. As we passed down through the turret the gunners were lifting a 175 lb. shot into the
mouth of one of our immense guns. "Send them that with our compliments, my lads,"
says Capt. W.
A few straggling rays of light found their way from the top of the tower to the depths
below which was dimly lighted by lanterns. Every one was at his post, fixed like a Statue,
the most profound silence reigned-if there had been a coward heart there its throb would
have been audible, so intense was the stillness.
Soon came the report of a gun, then another & another at short intervals, then a rapid
discharge. Then a thundering broadside & the infernal howl [I can't give it a more
appropriate name] of the shells as they flew over our vessel was all that broke the silence
& made it seem still more terrible.
Mr. Green says, "Paymaster ask the Capt. if I shall fire." The reply was, "Tell Mr. Green
not to fire till I give the word, to be cool & deliberate, to take sure aim & not waste a
shot."
O, what a relief it was, when at the word, the gun over my head thundered out its
challenge with a report which jarred our vessel, but it was music to us all.
The fight had been opened by the Merrimac firing on the Minnesota who replied by the
broadside we first heard. As we lay immediately between the two, we had the full benefit
of their shot- the sound of them at least, which if once heard will never be forgotten I
assure you. It would not quiet the nerves of an excitable person, I think.
Until we fired, the Merrimac had taken no notice of us, confining her attentions to
the Minnesota. Our second shot struck her & made the iron scales rattle on her side. She
seemed for the first time to be aware of our presence & replied to our solid shot with
grape & canister which rattled on our iron decks like hail stones.
One of the gunners in the turret could not resist the temptation when the port was open
for an instant to run out his head, he drew it in with a broad grin. "Well," says he, "the d-d
fools are firing canister at us."
The same silence was [again] enforced below that no order might be lost or
misunderstood.
The vessels were now sufficiently near to make our fire effective & our two heavy pieces
were worked as rapidly as possible, every shot telling- the intervals being filled by the
howling of the shells around & over us, which was now incessant.
The men at the guns had stripped themselves to their waists & were covered with powder
& smoke, the perspiration falling from them like rain.
Below, we had no idea of the position of our unseen antagonist, her mode of attack, or
her distance from us, except what was made known through the orders of the Capt.
"Tell Mr. Green that I am going to bring him on our Starboard beam close along side."
"That was a good shot, went through her water line."
"Don't let the men expose themselves, they are firing at us with rifles."
"That last shot brought the iron from her sides."
"She's too far off now, reserve your fire till you're sure."
"If you can elevate enough, try the wooden gun boat."
"You struck." (We learned afterward that that shot killed four men & wounded the
Captain.)
"They're going to board us, put in a round of canister."
"Can't do it," replies Mr. Green, "both guns have solid shot."
"Give them to her then."
Bang goes one of the guns.
"You've made a hole through her, quick give her the other."
Snap goes the primer.
"Why don't you fire?"
"Can't do it, the cartridge is not rammed home."
"Depress the gun & let the shot roll overboard."
"It won't do it."
In the meantime two or three more primers snap.
"How long will it take to get the shot out of that gun?"
"Can't tell, perhaps 15 minutes."
And we hauled off, as the papers say, "to let our guns cool."
We were soon ready for her again as the order from Capt. W. indicated-"Port bow close
aboard, load & fire as fast a possible."
"A splendid shot, you raked them then."
"Look out now they're going to run us down, give them both guns."
This was the critical moment, one that I had feared from the beginning of the fight-if she
could easily pierce the heavy oak beams of the Cumberland, she surely could go through
the 1/2 inch iron plates of our lower hull.
A moment of terrible suspense, a heavy jar nearly throwing us from our feet-a rapid
glance to detect the expected gush of water-she had failed to reach us below the water &
we were safe.
The sounds of the conflict at this time were terrible. The rapid firing of our own guns
amid the clouds of smoke, the howling of the Minnesota's shells, which was firing whole
broadsides at a time just over our heads [two of her shot struck us], mingled with the
crash of solid shot against our sides & the bursting of shells all around us. Two men had
been sent down from the turret, who were knocked senseless by balls striking the outside
of the turret while they happened to be in contact with the inside.
At this time a heavy shell struck the pilot house- I was standing near, waiting an order,
heard the report which was unusually heavy, a flash of light & a cloud of smoke filled the
house. I noticed the Capt. stagger & put his hands to his eyes-I ran up to him & asked if
he was hurt.
"My eyes," says he, "I am blind."
With the assistance of the Surgeon I got him down & called Lieut. Greene from the turret.
A number of us collected around him, the blood was running from his face, which was
blackened with the powder smoke.
He said, "Gentlemen I leave it with you, do what you think best. I cannot see, but do not
mind me. Save the Minnesota if you can."
The quartermaster at the wheel [Williams], as soon as the Capt. W. was hurt, had turned
from our antagonist & we were now some distance from her. We held a hurried
consultation & "fight" was the unanimous voice of all.
Lieut. Greene took Capt. W.'s position & our bow was again pointed for the Merrimac.
As we neared her she seemed inclined to haul off & after a few more guns on each side,
Mr. Greene gave the order to stop firing as she was out of range & hauling off. We did
not pursue as we were anxious to relieve Capt. W. & have more done for him than could
be done aboard.
Our iron hatches were slide back & we sprang out on deck which was strewn with
fragments of the fight. Our foe gave us a shell as a parting fire which struck just over our
heads & exploded about 100 feet beyond us.
In a few minutes we were surrounded by small steamers & boats from Newport News,
the Fortress, the various men of war, all eager to learn the extent of our injuries &
congratulate us on our victory. They told us of the intense anxiety with [which] the
conflict was witnessed by thousands of spectators from the shipping & from the shore &
their astonishment was no less on learning that though we were somewhat marked we
were uninjured & ready to open fire again.
The battle commenced at 1/2 past 8 A.M. & we fired the last gun 10 minutes past 12 (P.)
M.Capt. W. was taken off in a tug boat, in charge of an acquaintance to go to
Washington.
Our Stewards went immediately to work & at our usual dinner hour meal was on the
table, much to the astonishment of visitors who came expecting to see a list of killed &
wounded & a disabled vessel, instead of which was a merry party around the table
enjoying some good beef steak, green peas, &c.
Questions from a Letter from William Keeler to His Wife
The previous was an excerpt from a letter written by William Keeler, paymaster of
the Monitor, to his wife following the battle on March 9, 1862. Keeler was aboard
the Monitor during the battle; his station was midway between the turret and the pilot
house passing directions from the captain to the turret concerning the position of
the Virginia. Read the letter closely and answer the following questions.
1. In the letter Keeler refers to the Confederate ship Virginia as the Merrimac. What
could be a reason for him not adopting the Confederate name?
2. What was the feeling on board before and during the fight? Was the crew confident
that the ironclad would hold up during the battle?
3. What was the reason for the Monitor to draw back from the battle? What reason did
the newspaper account give? How did the Confederates in the Virginia interpret this
backward movement?
4. How could these views on the movement of the Monitor lead to the disagreement
over who won?