But see! beneath her bow appears
A champion no danger fears;
A pigmy craft, that seems to be,
To this new lord that rules the sea,
Like David of old
To Goliath bold—
Youth and giant, by scripture told.
Round the roaring despot playing,
With willing spirit helm obeying,
Spurning the iron against it hurled,
While belching turret rapid whirled,
And swift shots seethe
With smoky wreathe,
Told that the shark was showing his teeth.
The Monitor fought. In grim amaze
The Merrimacs upon it gaze,
Cowering ’neath the iron hail,
Crashing into their coat of mail,
They swore, “this craft,
The devil’s shaft,
Looked like a cheese box on a raft.”
Hurrah! little giant of ’62! Bold Worden with his gallant crew
Forces the fight; the day is won;
Back to his den the monster’s gone,
With crippled claws
And broken jaws,
Defeated in a reckless cause.
Hurrah for the master mind that wrought,
With iron hand, this iron thought!
Strength and safety with speed combined,
Ericsson’s gift to all mankind;
To curb abuse,
And chains to loose,
Hurrah for the Monitor’s famous cruise!
THE NIGHT OF CHANTILLY
IN March, 1862, McClellan set out from Washington to capture the Confederate capital. At Yorktown he was held in check for a month by an inferior force of Confederates. It was the last of May before he reached Fair Oaks (Seven Pines), seven miles from Richmond. The Confederates here attacked him, and a furious battle of two days’ duration ensued, when the Confederates were driven back. A notable event of this engagement was the appointment of General Robert E. Lee, as commander in chief of the Confederate armies; in place of General Joseph E. Johnston, who was severely wounded.
One of the most conspicuous figures of this battle of Fair Oaks was General Philip Kearney.
In the words of Stedman:—