Special Edition: Eyewitness Account of the Battle of the Ironclads (March 8, 1862)
Memorandum Journal of United States Frigate St. Lawrence’s Cruise in 1861, June 21 Date of Commission, John A. Brisco, Boatswain.
March 8, 1862. We pass the fore part of this day quietly at anchor in sight of [Fort Monroe]. At 1 o’clock the U.S. Steamer Cambridge came out with orders for us to go in, as the Merrimac had made her appearance and a general fight was then in progress. We up anchor at once and in tow of the Cambridge we went up past [Sewell’s Point] where we received a few shots doing us but a little damage & that to our rigging. We met the Roanoke on her way down who advised us not to go up, but our brave officers heeded it not, and on we went. We found the Cumberland sunk and the Congress with her flag at half-mast and aground. The Minnesota also aground. We also got aground but with the assistance of tugs we got afloat and passed down to Hampton Roads, and came to anchor after having given the Merrimac (who was steaming down towards us) a broadside which turned her off, and closed the firing for Saturday. At 9 o’clock the Congress was in flames, and her Magazine exploded about midnight. All hands remaining at their stations during the night on our ship.
March 9, 1862. Early this morning two Rebel Steamers and the Merrimac were seen with Steam up off [Sewell’s Point], and at about 7 o’clock they started towards the Minnesota. But when but a short distance off the Ericsson Steam battery called the Monitor came out from under the lee of the Minnesota where she had been all night, having arrived here about 8 o’clock Saturday night and made for the three steamers, two of which left, and the Monitor and the Merrimac went into action. And from 7 AM till 2 PM kept up constant firing, at which time the Merrimac crawled off in a Sinking Condition under the Guns of [Sewell’s Point]. The day goes out quiet and No More Guns have been heard since 2 o’clock. We have to report the loss of two fine Frigates and about 300 Brave Men. The Minnesota still aground, but will probably be got off tonight at high water as general Steam Tugs are at work at this. All is quiet around [Sewell’s Point] & the Monitor lays unhurt near the Minnesota.
March 10, 1862. All is quiet on board our Ship, and the Block what was shot away is replaced. As all the shot hole which was made when the shot hit in and passed through the ward room is repaired. The “Monitor” has just passed us and is greeted with cheer upon cheer from all the Ships in the harbor as She passes around us. The Merchant & Store Ships are moving outside clear of the Fort. We have on board quite a number of the men who are Saved from the Cumberland.
Brisco retired as a boatswain from the navy on June 18, 1888 after 14 years and 9 months of sea service and 9 years and 9 months of shore or other duty. A boatswain (bosun) is the senior crewman of the deck. He is responsible for the ship's hull and all its components, including its rigging, anchors, cables, sails, deck maintenance and small boat operations.
Background Information:
Construction of the frigate St. Lawrence began in 1826 in the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, but was halted due to a shortage of funds. Construction resumed during the Mexican-American War and she was finally commissioned in August 1858. After two tours in Europe and one to South America as part of the Brazil Squadron, she was decommissioned in 1859. At the start of the Civil War, she was recommissioned and joined the Atlantic Blockading Squadron in June 1861. She captured the British blockade runner Herald off Cape Hatteras, laden with naval stores and bound for Liverpool. She also sank the Confederate privateer Petrel on July 28th off the coast of South Carolina. After minor repairs and additional provisions, she returned to blockade duty off the Georgia coast. In October she was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and on November 6th she captured the British schooner Jenny Lee, headed for Nassau and laden with rice and tobacco. She continued operating along the coast of Georgia and South Carolina until ordered north in January 1862 to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.
The St. Lawrence had just reached her new station on Hampton Roads when the Confederate ironclad Virginia attacked the Union fleet. The Virginia opened fire from some 900 yards away and the St. Lawrence replied with rapid fire, but her shots glanced off the ironclad's armor. One 80-pound shell from the Virginia penetrated St. Lawrence's starboard quarter just above the water line and damaged the wardroom pantry and the Assistant Surgeon's stateroom. In April, she was reassigned to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron as the flagship looking for blockade runners operating between Cuba and the Gulf Coast until an outbreak of Yellow Fever caused her to be withdrawn and decommissioned in May 1863. Recommissioned in August, she served as an ordnance ship for the North Atlantic Blockading squadron and a store ship until again being decommissioned in December 1865. The ship served as a barracks ship for marines in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1867 to 1875 until being sold out of service in December 1875.
From the New York Times May 21, 1863.
The United States frigate St. Lawrence has returned from another cruise. This is her tenth, and at its close she is as sound as when she sailed from Boston, needing only such general repairs as vessels require when a long time on active service. She will now probably be made a guard-ship, as sailing frigates need too many men and move too slowly to be of use in war-time. The St. Lawrence is a 50-gun frigate, carries 500 men and a guard of marines. Her officers are: Commander, JAMES F. SCHENCK; Fleet Surgeon, G.R.B. Homer; Paymaster, Washington Irving; Assistant Surgeon, Wm.K. Van Paypen; Acting Assistant Paymaster, Albert B. Poor; Acting Assistant Surgeon, A. Shirk; Acting Masters, Wm.H. Smith, John Fuller, Chas. DeBevoise and Geo. J. Murray; Acting Masters' Mates, Edmund Paoys, E.S.D. Howland, John Boyle, Victor W. Jones and Theodore W. Jones; Boatswain, John A. Briscoe.