stern, and starboard and port, but these marks were obliterated after a little while, so that the bearings were unknown. At first there was considerable difificulty in manipulating the turret, as the machinery did not work smoothly, and when the marks alluded to were obliterated, the only way of working was to load the guns and then start the turret on its revolution until the Merrimac could be seen through the port-holes. Then the shot would be delivered, the gun run in, and the heavy shields over the ports dropped to prevent the entrance of an enemy's shot or shell.
The orders to Captain Worden were to defend the Minnesota and not to pursue the Merrimac, if such pursuit should leave the Minnesota exposed. Consequently, the Monitor refused to go far away from the latter ship, and she declined all efforts of the Merrimac to draw her in the direction of Sewall's Point, where the Confederate land batteries were ready to pour their iron storm upon her. The fight between the Monitor and the Merrimac lasted from eight in the morning until two in the afternoon, when, finding it impossible to destroy the Minnesota or reach the other Union ships near Fortress Monroe, the Merrimac retired. Though not disabled she was leaking badly, her machinery was difficult to manage, her ammunition run low, and her crew were quite worn out with two days of fighting. In obedience to her orders, the Monitor remained that night near the Minnesota, Captain Worden being sent on a tug to Washington for medical treatment. The next day was a day of rest, as the Merrimac did not appear.
The Confederates claimed that the battle was a drawn one so far as the two ships were concerned, as neither vessel had disabled or captured the other. The officers of the Monitor claimed that they had won a great victory, as they had beaten off the Merrimac and totally prevented her continuing the work of destruction which she began
