April 17, 1863, The New York Herald
Now that the news of the recent attack upon this rebel stronghold has been digested, the questions which naturally suggest themselves are:– First, what light has the affair thrown upon the utility of the new engines of warfare which mechanical science has recently brought forth? Second, have any of the well matured axioms military and mechanical science been overthrown? Third, what useful lessons may be drawn from this conflict relative to the vital subject of seacoast defence?
The iron-clads of the Monitor type, although exposed to the heaviest cannonade at short range which earth has ever witnessed – a cannonade which, from rapidity of fire and power of ordnance employed, surpasses that of the memorable bombardment of Sebastopol – passed this fiery ordeal with comparatively but little damage. Indeed, none of them were injured to an extent which a few days work cannot completely repair. Even the far-famed Whitworth balls, which have time and again pierced the armor of the gigantic Warrior, did not penetrate them. The only casualties which occurred were caused by the bolts which were broken in the pilothouse of the Nahant; and this from a manifest oversight in not covering the bolt heads with the sheet iron guards, with which most of the Monitor fleet are provided. So thoroughly has the designer of these remarkable vessels comprehended the necessary qualities in armor to resist the enormous dynamic effect of the impact of a cannon ball of great weight and velocity, that, in order to render the side armor of our iron-clads absolutely impenetrable to the most powerful ordnance which may be made, either here or in Europe, it is simply necessary to enlarge the proportions – the principle, even to the most minute detail, now being thoroughly established.
The armor of the Monitor fleet now afloat, and which has not yet been penetrated, consists, as is well known, of five one-inch plates, fastened in a peculiar manner to a very thick oak backing; now the armor of the new Monitor fleet, at present about two-thirds completed, consists of nine inches of iron, with an oak backing nearly three feet in thickness, it is fair to premise that nothing but a gun exceeding in power any yet brought forth can penetrate this barrier. Again, the large Monitors of the Dictator and Puritan type have armor of ten and one-half inches of iron, backed with about forty-eight inches of oak. This, combined with the vast speed, from the enormous power with which these vessels are supplied, they will possess, renders them beyond all comparison the most formidable war vessels in the world.
The maxim that no amount of fire from fixed fortifications can prevent the passage of steam vessels-of-war through an unobstructed channel has received a marked confirmation from this engagement. It is patent to every one that had it not been or the obstructions in the channel the fate of Charleston would have been sealed. No amount of fire from the forts could have prevented the passage of the iron-clad fleet. Admitting this fact, it necessarily follows that the only way of meeting an enemy provided with iron-clad vessels is by an equal number of still more formidable iron-clads than he brings against you. Let us profit by this example, and not place our trust in fixed forts for the protection of our principal harbors, such as New York, when the humiliating expedition of obstructions is of doubtful utility. Can any one contemplate, without feelings of deep mortification the blocking up of the harbor of our city, except by floating impregnable defences capable of annihilating an enemy so audacious as to attempt an attack? It is a useful lesson, and we hope foreign nations may profit by it; for it is certain that should they assail our cities, with their approaches defended by Monitors armed with ordnance with which the genius of our engineers is about to provide us, they will not only be repulsed, but destroyed.
The failure of the immense English fleet to attack Cronstadt during the late Russian war has often been adduced to prove the efficiency of casemated forts; but it is clear to all unprejudiced scientific men that it was not the fear of the forts alone which prevented the attack, but the certainty that should the attempt be made, and the fleet badly handled by the forts, the Russian fleet would come out, and, while the English were in a crippled condition, complete their defeat. It is upon our floating defences we must chiefly rely to repel invasion; and if we avail ourselves of our mechanical resources an invasion will never be attempted.
In the engagement at Charleston three types of iron-clads were represented – the Monitors, with their laminated armor; the Keokuk, with her sandwich armor of wood and iron, which it may be safely said will not be repeated; and the high sided Ironsides, with her solid plate. The Monitors, as we have just stated, stood the heavy fire with but comparatively little damage; the armor of the Keokuk was pierced through and through, as if it had been paste-board, and the armor of the Ironsides, though not penetrated, behaved as solid slabs always do when struck by a heavy shot – it was cracked, and another shot of like power striking in the same place would have passed through. It must be borne in mind that the Ironsides was at about twice the distance that the Monitors were.
The unprofessional observer, looking at the solid plates of the Ironsides, as they were bent in but little, while the laminated plates of the Monitors were bent considerably, would suppose that the former had been the least damaged of the two; but the facility with which the laminated plates will bend without destroying their integrity, and thus by degrees absorb the vis viva of the shot, while the solid slabs, from their unyielding nature, are always cracked and the integrity of the place struck destroyed, dissipates this erroneous idea. So it is clear that the most valuable lesson taught by this brilliant engagement is a warning to the government not to waste the labor and money of the country on iron-clads of doubtful efficiency. The Keokuk and Galena are warnings which must not be disregarded; and we take this occasion to remark, that if the Navy Department do not desire to witness a similar catastrophe they should at once cause wooden backing to be placed behind the armor of the iron-clad Onondaga, which at present is a penetrable as that of the poor Keokuk.
Although, at so great a distance from the scene of the conflict, it may be rash to express an opinion, we cannot help expressing our conviction that had the entire iron-clad fleet paid its attention entirely to Fort Sumter it would inevitably have been breached and rendered untenable.