Wednesday, February 1, 2017

January 28, 1862: Fear of the Merrimack

JANUARY 28TH, 1862:  Captain John Marston wrote Secretary of Navy Welles that "as long as the Merrimack is held as a rod over us, I would by no means recommend that she [the ship USS Congress] should leave this place."

Marston wrote in reply to a letter from the Secretary four days earlier in which he suggested that the Congress should go to Boston.  Varying rumors as to the readiness of the CSS Virginia (ex-Merrimack) kept Union forces at Hampton Roads in a constant state of vigilance.

--Old B-Runner

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