the steam frigates “Minnesota,” and “Roanoke,” the sailing frigate “St Lawrence,” and several gun-boats, anchored off Fortress Monroe. Actual firing began about 2 o’clock, when the “Merrimac” was nearly a mile from the “Congress” and the “Cumberland.” Passing the first of these vessels with terrific broadsides, the “Merrimac” rammed the “Cumberland” and then turned her fire again on the “Congress,” which in an attempt to escape ran aground and was there under fire from three other Confederate gun-boats which had meanwhile joined the “Merrimac.” About 3.30 p.m. the “Cumberland,” which, while it steadily careened, had been keeping up a heavy fire at the Confederate vessels, sank, with “her pennant still flying from the topmast above the waves.” Between 4 and 4.30 the “Congress,” having been raked fore and aft for nearly an hour by the “Merrimac,” was forced to surrender. While directing a fire of hot shot to burn the “Congress,” Commodore Buchanan of the “Merrimac” was severely wounded and was succeeded in the command by Lieutenant Catesby ap Roger Jones. The Federal steam frigates, “Roanoke,” “St Lawrence” and “Minnesota” had all gone aground in their trip from Old Point Comfort toward the scene of battle, and only the “Minnesota” was near enough (about 1 m.) to take any part in the fight. She was in such shallow water that the Confederate iron-clad ram could not get near her at ebb tide, and about 5 o’clock the Confederates postponed her capture until the next day and anchored off Sewell’s Point.
The “Monitor,” under Lieut. John Lorimer Worden (1818–1897). had left New York on the morning of the 6th of March; after a dangerous passage in which she twice narrowly escaped sinking, she arrived at Hampton Roads during the night of the 8th, and early in the morning of the 9th anchored near the “Minnesota.” When the “Merrimac” advanced to attack the “Minnesota,” the “Monitor” went out to meet her, and the battle between the iron-clads began about 9 a.m. on the 9th. Neither vessel was able seriously to injure the other, and not a single shot penetrated the armour of either. The “Monitor” had the advantage of being able to out-manœuvre her heavier and more unwieldy adversary; but the revolving turret made firing difficult and communications were none too good with the pilot house, the position of which on the forward deck lessened the range of the two turret-guns. The machinery worked so badly that the revolution of the turret was stopped. After two hours’ fighting, the “Monitor” was drawn off, so that more ammunition could be placed in her turret. When the battle was renewed (about 11.30) the “Merrimac” began firing at the “Monitor’s” pilot house; and a little after noon a shot struck the sight-hole of the pilot house and blinded Lieut. Worden. The “Monitor” withdrew in the confusion consequent upon the wounding of her commanding officer; and the “Merrimac” after a short wait for her adversary steamed back to Norfolk. There were virtually no casualties on either side. After the evacuation of Norfolk by the Confederates on the 9th of May Commodore Josiah Tattnall, then in command of the “Merrimac,” being unable to take her up the James, sank her. The “Monitor” was lost in a gale off Cape Hatteras on the 31st of December 1862.
Though the battle between the two vessels was indecisive, its effect was to “neutralize” the “Merrimac,” which had caused great alarm in Washington, and to prevent the breaking of the Federal blockade at Hampton Roads; in the history of naval warfare it may be regarded as marking the opening of a new era—the era of the armoured warship. On the 3rd of February 1865 near Fortress Monroe on board a steamer occurred the meeting of President Lincoln and Secretary Seward with Confederate commissioners which is known as the Hampton Roads Conference (see Lincoln, Abraham). At Sewell’s Point, on Hampton Roads, in 1907 was held the Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition.
See James R. Soley, The Blockade and the Cruisers (New York, 1883); Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, vol. i. (New York, 1887); chap. ii. of Frank M. Bennett’s The Monitor and the Navy under Steam (Boston, 1900); and William Swinton, Twelve Decisive Battles of the War (New York, 1867).
HAMSTER, a European mammal of the order Rodentia,
scientifically known as Cricetus frumentarius (or C. cricetus),
and belonging to the mouse tribe, Muridae, in which it typifies
the sub-family Cricetinae. The essential characteristic of the
Cricetines is to be found in the upper cheek-teeth, which (as
shown in the figure of those of Cricetus in the article Rodentia)
have their cusps arranged in two longitudinal rows separated
by a groove. The hamsters, of which there are several kinds,
are short-tailed rodents, with large cheek-pouches, of which
the largest is the common C. frumentarius. Their geographical
distribution comprises a large portion of Europe and Asia north
of the Himalaya. All the European hamsters show more or less
black on the under-parts, but the small species from Central
Asia, which constitute distinct subgenera, are uniformly grey.
The common species is specially interesting on account of its
habits. It constructs elaborate burrows containing several
chambers, one of which is employed as a granary, and filled with
corn, frequently of several kinds, for winter use. As a rule, the
males, females, and young of the first year occupy separate
burrows. During the winter these animals retire to their burrows,
sleeping the greater part of the time, but awakening about
February or March, when they feed on the garnered grain. They
are very prolific, the female producing several litters in the year,
each consisting of over a dozen blind young; and these, when
not more than three weeks old, are turned out of the parental
burrow to form underground homes for themselves. The burrow
of the young hamster is only about a foot in depth, while that
of the adult descends 4 or 5 ft. beneath the surface. On retiring
for the winter the hamster closes the various entrances to its
burrow, and becomes torpid during the coldest period. Although
feeding chiefly on roots, fruits and grain, it is also to some extent
carnivorous, attacking and eating small quadrupeds, lizards and
birds. It is exceedingly fierce and pugnacious, the males especially
fighting with each other for possession of the females.
The numbers of these destructive rodents are kept in check by
foxes, dogs, cats and pole-cats, which feed upon them. The
skin of the hamster is of some value, and its flesh is used as food.
Its burrows are sought after in the countries where it abounds,
both for capturing the animal and for rifling its store. America,
especially North America, is the home of by far the great majority
of Cricetinae, several of which are called white-footed or deer-mice.
They are divided into numerous genera and the number
of species is very large indeed. Both in size and form considerable
variability is displayed, the species of Holochilus being some
of the largest, while the common white-footed mouse (Eligmodon
leucopus) of North America is one of the smaller forms. Some
kinds, such as Oryzomys and Peromyscus have long, rat-like
tails, while others, like Acodon, are short-tailed and more vole-like
in appearance. In habits some are partially arboreal, others
wholly terrestrial, and a few more or less aquatic. Among the
latter, the most remarkable are the fish-eating rats (Ichthyomys)
of North-western South America, which frequent streams and
feed on small fish. The Florida rice-rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
is another well-known representative of the group. In the Old
World the group is represented by the Persian Calomyscus, a
near relative of Peromyscus. (R. L.*)
HANAPER, properly a case or basket to contain a “hanap”
(O. Eng. hnæp: cf. Dutch nap), a drinking vessel, a goblet with
a foot or stem; the term which is still used by antiquaries
for medieval stemmed cups. The famous Royal Gold Cup in
the British Museum is called a “hanap” in the inventory of
Charles VI. of France. The word “hanaper” (Med. Lat.
hanaperium) was used particularly in the English chancery of a
wicker basket in which were kept writs and other documents,
and hence it became the name of a department of the chancery,
now abolished, under an officer known as the clerk or warden of
the hanaper, into which were paid fees and other moneys for
the sealing of charters, patents, writs, &c., and from which issued
certain writs under the great seal (S. R. Scargill-Bird, Guide
to the Public Records (1908). In Ireland it still survives in the
office of the clerk of the crown and hanaper, from which are
issued writs for the return of members of parliament for Ireland.
