Survivor of Iron-clad 'Virginia' Tells of Stirring Naval Battles

Vessel Played Important Role in Richmond Defense, W. M. Butler Says

By John Daffron

"I was in the Confederate Navy, suh, and mighty proud of it"---and the man who is probably the only living survivor of the old iron-sided Virginia told of the days when he was "gunner's powder-monkey on this superdreadnaught of the South."

Born in Hanover County in 1848, William Martin Butler enlisted at Richmond in the navy when he was 14-years old. He first shipped on the Patrick Henry, but later was transferred to the Virginia, the ship that but a few months before had "made obsolete the navies of the world" when she steamed out from Confederate defense of Norfolk clad in iron.

It had been McClellan's idea for many months that he could move his troops into Richmond via the water route, but with the advent of this new type of fighting ship the plan couldn't work.

Fighting in Virginia's waters was short-lived; but what there was in March of '62, "boomed far out into the Atlantic." The Virginia, pride of the Confederate navy, steamed into the midst of the Union flotilla and sunk the Union vessels, Congress and Cumberland in the face of withering fire without being harmed.

"When McClellan started his peninsular campaign, later in the year, the Virginia, commanded by Captain Parker, played a major part in the water defense near Richmond.

"During the spring of '63, while under fire from a Yankee vessel at Chapin's Bluff, we ran onto a mud flat and stuck. The heavy old Virginia--she drew 23 feet of water--wouldn't budge.

"While the Yankee shells ripped the plates on her sides, Captain Parker swore at the pilot.

"Two plates were ripped off one side, and we were waiting for the 'hotshot' (incendiary ball) that would hit our magazine and blow us all to hell. For some reason the Yankee ship ceased firing, and then we saw Confederate artillery up on a bluff dropping shells on the Union ship.

"Finally at 11 o'clock that night we broke free; but from then on the pilot kept her in the channel.

"The next day several of us were allowed to go ashore to get some fresh corn we saw growing on the hillside. He had just filled our duffels with corn when we saw about 1,000 Yankee Negroes, who came at us to make a capture.

"One of my comrades cried, "Let's lead 'em around the bend where the ship can see them," and we legged it for the bluff.

"As soon as the ship saw the Yankee Negroes chasing us, they loaded her starboard guns with grape shot and cannister, and poured it at the black Yankees. I guess nearly half of them were killed or wounded.

"We didn't see much after this, and most of the time we lay in Richmond until the whole thing was over. I was too young to join the army when the war started, and I suppose if I could have joined I would have seen more service.

"I'm glad, however, that the whole thing's over and done, but I'm also glad that we don't have any Yankee veterans here with us."