There was one more hope. The hull of the _Merrimac_ had been raised from
the bottom of the harbor of Norfolk and the work of transforming her
into a giant iron-clad ship capable of carrying a fighting crew of three
hundred men had been completed, though her engines were slow.
But the enthusiastic men set to this task by Davis had accomplished
wonders. Their reports to him had raised high hopes of a sensation. If
this new monster of the sea should succeed single handed in destroying
the fleet of six vessels lying in Hampton Roads, the naval warfare of
the world would be revolutionized in a day and overtures for peace might
be within sight.
The Norfolk newspapers, under instructions from the Confederate
Commandant, pronounced the experiment of the _Merrimac_ a stupid and
fearful failure. Her engines were useless. Her steering gear wouldn't
work. Her armament was so heavy she couldn't be handled. These papers
were easily circulated at Newport News and Old Point Comfort among the
officers and men of the Federal fleet.
The men who had built the strange craft knew she was anything but a
failure. With eager, excited hands her crew finished the last touch of
her preparations and with her guns shotted she slowly steamed out of the
harbor of Norfolk accompanied by two saucy little improvised gunboats,
the _Beaufort_ and the _Raleigh_.
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