CHAPTER VIII.
McCLELLAN'S ADVANCE.
It was not until three weeks after the fight between the ironclads that the great army under General McClellan arrived off Fortress Monroe, the greater portion of the troops coming down the Potomac in steam transports.

Vast quantities of stores had been accumulated in and around the fortress.

Guns of a size never before used in war were lying on the wharfs in readiness to be placed in batteries, while Hampton Roads were crowded with transports and store vessels watched over by the _Monitor_ and the other warships.

McClellan's army was a large one, but not so strong a force as he had intended to have taken with him, and as soon as he arrived at Fortress Monroe he learned that he would not be able to expect much assistance from the fleet.

The _Merrimac_ completely closed the James River; and were the more powerful vessels of the fleet to move up York River, she would be able to sally out and destroy the rest of the fleet and the transports.
As it was most important to clear the peninsula between the two rivers before Magruder should receive strong re-enforcements, a portion of the troops were at once landed, and on the 4th of April 56,000 men and one hundred guns disembarked and started on their march against Yorktown.