How the Virginia is to be Used Up

In the debate in the Senate, on the Stevens’ floating battery, Senator Pomeroy of Kansas expressed his opinion that it will soon be demonstrated that any wooden vessel, and large ocean steamer, for instance, can run down such a battery as the Virginia and sink her.  He said if he was captain of the Minnesota he would lighten her, except for the stem and put her at her highest speed, and run her upon the Virginia and sink her.  The Boston Commercial Bulletin says on the same subject:

“If the Minnesota, or any other vessel of the same size, should run bows on with a speed of twelve knots an hour, striking the Merrimac on her broadside, she would sink her.  As for instance, in 1839 the ship Columbian, 500 tons, lying a Damon’s wharf, Charlestown, parted her bow hawser, and swinging with the tide run bows on against Charlestown bridge and cut it through.  In 1841, the ship Eli Whitney, of 400 tons, coming up the harbor with her three topsails set, run three quarters of her length into the end of Long wharf.  In 1850, a ship going up to the Docks in Liverpool became unmanageable and ran into the stone pier head, moving the stones some twelve or thirteen feet, and doing but comparatively little damage to the ship.  We believe there is tact and skill enough in our navy to dispose of the Merrimac if she ventures out of Norfolk.”

These sagacious and prophetic hints are getting common, and since half the people hereabouts already know what the project to be tried in Hampton Roads is, and the rebels are unquestionably well informed on the subject, there can be no harm in printing the fact that the ocean steamers Vanderbilt and Arago have been armed with strong iron prows, and are now awaiting the appearance of the Virginia, to try upon her the experiment suggested.  It is also stated that their upper works are protected by a covering of cotton bales, which are more impervious to cannon balls than iron.  The experiment will be a novel and exciting one, and if it shall turn out that iron-clad vessels can thus be destroyed by vessels of superior speed and momentum, new and important elements will be introduced into the calculation of the value of mailed ships of war.  The Virginia is undoubtedly ready to come out, and if she does not soon appear it will indicate that the rebels have lost confidence in her impregnability.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4