The Blockade Runner — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

70 THE BLOCKADE RUNNER. adding a sloping bombproof, which covered her gun deck-+with bars of railroad iron. She had no masts; her smokestack and pilot-house were the only exposed objects above deck. Her bows possessed a steel “ram ” for piercing the enemy’s ships, and fore and aft she was amply pro- tected by a plating of steel. The Merrimac, rechristened the “ Virginia” by her new owners, carried twelve guns of the most formid- able character—eleven-inch navy guns at her sides, and one-hundred pounders at the stern and bow. | Thus equipped, the Merrimac was ready to grapple with the whole Federal navy. No wooden vessels could withstand her assaults. Captain Buchanan, her commander, knew her strength, and was eager to test it. We have said that Bentham was on board the Cum- berland. After reaching the blockading fleet, he went North, but soon afterward found himself at Fortress Monroe on his return, where be asked for and obtained the position of gunner on the Cumberland, in anticipation © of the Merrimac’s speedy appearance. The Cumberland was a well-built sloop-of-war of 1,725 tons burden. She carried twenty-four guns— ten-inch pivots, and rifled cannon. She was considered one of the most effective woocken vessels in the navy at . the time, and her acting commander, Lieutenant George W. Morris, had confideitee in her abilities. At last the much-talked-of monster made her appear- ance. It was the eighth of March, and the sun was sloping westward from his meridian. 5 COME OOKS.COhM