The _Merrimac_ began firing as soon as the two iron-clads were within long range of each other, but Worden reserved his fire for short range. Then the battle was fairly open, the National vessel firing solid shot, about one in eight minutes, while the Confederates used shells exclusively and fired much more rapidly. The shells struck the turret and made numerous scars, but inflicted no serious damage, except occasionally when a man was leaning against the side at the moment of impact and was injured by the concussion. Worden had his eyes at the sight-hole when a shell struck it and exploded, temporarily blinding him, and injuring him so severely that he turned over the command to Lieutenant Greene and took no further part in the action. Each vessel attempted to ram the other, but always without success. Once when the _Monitor_ made a dash at the {87} _Merrimac's_ stern, to disable her steering-gear, the two guns were discharged at once at a distance of only a few yards. The two ponderous shots, striking close together, crushed in the iron plates several inches, and produced a concussion that knocked over the entire crews of the after guns and caused many of them to bleed at the nose and ears. The officers of the _Monitor_ had received peremptory orders to use but fifteen pounds of powder at a charge. Experts say that if they had used the normal charge of thirty pounds their shots would undoubtedly have penetrated the _Merrimac_ and either sunk her or compelled her surrender. The _Monitor_ had an advantage in the fact that she drew but half as much water as the _Merrimac_ and could move with much greater celerity. The fight continued for about four hours, and the Confederate iron-clad then returned to Norfolk, and she never came down to fight again till the 11th of April, when no battle took place because both vessels had orders to remain on the defensive, each Government being afraid to risk the loss of its only iron-clad in those waters. The indentations on the _Monitor_ showed that she had been struck twenty-two times, but she was not in any way disabled. Twenty of her shots struck the _Merrimac_, some of which smashed the outer layers of iron plates. It was claimed that the _Merrimac_ would have sunk the _Monitor_ by ramming, had she not lost her iron prow when she rammed the _Cumberland_ the day before; but a description of the prow, which was only of cast iron and not very large, makes this at least doubtful. Just what damage the _Merrimac_ received in the fight is not known. But it was observed that she went into it with her bow up and her stern down, and went out with her bow down and her stern up; that on withdrawing she was at once surrounded by four tugs, into which her men immediately jumped; and she went into the dry-dock for repairs. [Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN L. WORDEN. (Afterward Rear-Admiral.) Commanding the "Monitor."] [Illustration: COMMANDER FRANKLIN BUCHANAN, C. S. N. Commanding the "Merrimac."]