The leaders in this educational and inspiring enterprise, and many of the civic bodies of the City of Norfolk, unite with the Pickett-Buchanan Camp of Confederate Veterans, and the Sons of Confederate Veterans, in receiving you as their guests.
I may well say then, that the time, place and occasion for your meeting are singularly auspicious. I trust, my comrades, that you may, individually and collectively, avail of it to your edification in visiting our neighboring waters, the cradle of our Republic and of Protestantism on our continent.
In this connection, to perpetuate true history, I would state that Hampton Roads, so intimately associated with these historic events, was again made memorable in 1862, when the gallant Confederate Admiral, Franklin Buchanan, for whom our Camp is partly called, on the 8th day of March, 1862, in the transformed and untried iron-clad "Virginia," and a few improvised consorts from James River, boldly steamed down the Elizabeth River, to attack the large Federal Fleet in Hampton Roads. The Confederate vessels mounted 27 guns and the Federal vessels mounted over 200. The first victim of this bold dash, was the U. S. Ship "Cumberland," anchored near Newport News, which was sunk after a heroic defense, by the Virginia's guns, and by ramming with her iron prow.
Next came the U. S. Frigate "Congress," which ran ashore in attempting to escape, and under the Virginia's guns, hoisted the white flag of surrender. When Buchanan sent a small consort [Lieut. Robert Dabney Minor] to receive the surrender, and rescue the drowning of her crew, his ship and that of the rescuers, were treacherously fired upon by the Federals. By his fusilade, the brave Buchanan was grievously wounded, and several of our officers and men were killed and wounded. Then it was that for this perfidy, he opened fire on the "Congress" with hot shot, set fire to and destroyed her.
The "Virginia" steamed up Elizabeth River to put her wounded Commander under hospital treatment. The brave Catesby ap Roger Jones, the efficient executive officer, succeeded to the command of the Virginia, and on the following day, March 9th, 1862, went down to renew the conflict. The U. S. iron-clad "Monitor" had arrived in Hampton Roads the night
