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The Monitor and the Merrimac.Admiral John Mars ton, who now ranks second in the line of our naval officers, is a very fair specimen of what nature did for men of his generation. He has carried into the venerable ago of 86 the commanding presence, dear eye an ' * aired intellect of youth.faithful and consequently obedient service to. his country in his profession, yet oddly enough his most brilliant service was one of a wise disobedience.The most remarkable, and possibly decisive, naval battle of the war would never have been fought but for his deliberate disregard of instructions.Admiral Marston commanded at Hampton roads. The Merrimac was there ready for active hostilities along the coast, by which defeat to our ordinary naval vessels and terror in all the seaport towns was sure to follow.He received a dispatch from Washington ordering him to send the Monitor, then lying at anchor in the roads, to the defense of the national capital.It was supposed that the Merrimac would immediately attack Washington. If the capital was destroyed, there was little doubt that the leading European powers would recognize the Confederacy, and it was impossible to estimate the moral effect of such an event.A few moments after the Admiral received his orders the Merrimac hove in sight. Should he obey, send the Monitor away, or order her, unaided, to attack the enemy ? Little time was allowed for reflection. He resolved to disobey. He sent for Capt. Worden.“Ihave been ordered,” he said, “to send you to Washington. But 1 shall disobey my instructions. Attack the Merrimac. ”“Very well, sir,” said Worden quietly, smiling as he went out to a work which must end for him either in an immortality of fame, or in defeat or death.The victory was won.But we must suggest to our young readers, in 6pite of this story, that success for them lies for years to come in obedience and discipline. Such crises as this occur but once or twice in a century, and the men who have, like Marston, wisdom enough to lay their hands upon a desperate chance and steer it into victory are but few.The Advemurea of Prinre »/ahual«Ever so many years ago—long before white people came to America—there lived, down in what we now call Mexico, a little Aztec Prince named Nezahual-coyotl. A long, funny name, is it not ?Mars ton’s record is one ofcoyotl.
Newspaper Details
Fairfield Evening Journal
Fairfield, Iowa, US
Thu, Feb 23, 1882
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Slippery R.
Slippery Rock, USA 20 Oct 2017
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