February 23, 1862: Watching for the Merrimack

On this day 150 years ago, Captain Gershom J. Van Brunt wrote to his friend and commanding officer, Flag Officer Louis M. Goldsborough. Goldsborough was away with the Burnside Expedition, and had been away longer than planned, so Van Brunt was forwarding some fresh clothing for Goldsborough. Van Brunt was the captain of the U.S.S. Minnesota, normally Goldsborough's flagship, but the big, deep-draft steam frigate had been left behind because she could never have made it over the bar at Hatteras Inlet, and because she was needed to watch for the appearance of the C.S.S. Virginia (which Union men persisted in calling the Merrimack).

U.S.S. MINNESOTA,
Hampton Roads, February 23, 1862.

My DEAR GOLDSBOROUGH: I have this moment learned that the Eastern State is to leave for Hatteras this evening, and I only write this to tell you that we are all well on board and anxiously expecting the long-looked-for Merrimack. We are told that she came out of dock on Monday last and is everything they expected to make her; in other words, a complete success. We are all ready, and the sooner she gives us the opportunity to test her strength the better.

I send you your trunk containing clean clothes for you and Case. There have been several arrivals of troops here within a few days (about 4,000), all of which have been immediately sent to Newport News, as General Wool believes a combined attack will be made upon that point.

I send you all the late papers with your mail, which will give you all the glorious news from the West. I think it rather unfortunate that the Western victory came so immediately after yours, as it had a tendency to throw yours in the shade; however, you will give them some more glorious news soon. I see by last accounts from Hatteras that you are again preparing to be off. If there is anything I can do for you here, it will give me pleasure if you will inform me.

I hope Henry [Van Brunt] executed his mission to Washington to your satisfaction.

Please remember me affectionately to Case and Rowan, and believe me, my dear Goldsborough,

Your friend, truly and affectionately,

VAN BRUNT.

Flag-Officer L.M. GOLDSBOROUGH.

The Union squadron in Hampton Roads was built around five large wooden warships. There were two big 50-gun steam frigates, the Minnesota and the Roanoke, which had been near sisters to the Merrimack before that ship was burned, scuttled, and subsequently converted into an ironclad. There were also two large 44-gun sailing frigates, the Congress and the St. Lawrence. These were older ships with smaller guns than the steam frigates, but they were still considered powerful vessels. The St. Lawrence had smashed and sunk the Confederate privateer Petrel with only a partial broadside earlier in the war.

A third sailing warship, the 24-gun sloop-of-war U.S.S. Cumberland, was the fifth major Union vessel in Hampton Roads. The Cumberland had started life as a 50-gun sailing frigate commissioned in 1842. During the years 1855 to 1857, the Cumberland was taken in hand and converted to a sloop-of-war. During this process, the Cumberland had been razeed, cut down by one deck, and rearmed with fewer, but much heavier cannon. Her 32-pounder guns were replaced by 9-inch Dahlgren guns capable of throwing 90-pound shot. Thus, while only rated a sloop, the Cumberland was in fact a more powerful warship than either the Congress or St. Lawrence.

The Union forces in Hampton Roads believed, or rather hoped, that these five ships with a total of 212 heavy guns would be able to contain the C.S.S. Virginia with her ten heavy guns.