"The very look of her ought to be enough to frighten the Federals, even if she did nothing else." "I expect it will not be long before she gives them a taste of her quality," the man said.

"She has got her coal and ammunition on board, and there's nothing to prevent her going out this evening if she wants to." "It will be worth seeing when she does go out to fight the Northerners," Vincent said.

"It will be a new experiment in warfare, and, if she turns out a success, I suppose all the navies in the world will be taking to cover themselves up with iron." The next morning, which was the 8th of March,--a date forever memorable in naval annals,--smoke was seen pouring out from the funnels of the _Merrimac_, and there were signs of activity on board the _Patrick Henry_, of six guns, and the _Jamestown_, _Raleigh_, _Beaufort_, and _Teazer_, little craft carrying one gun each, and at eleven o'clock they all moved down the inlet on which Norfolk is situated.

The news that the _Merrimac_ was going out to attack the enemy had now spread, and the whole population of Norfolk turned out and hastened down toward the mouth of the inlet on horseback, in vehicles, or on foot, while Vincent rode to the batteries on Sewell's Point, nearly facing Fortress Monroe.
He left his horse at a farmhouse a quarter of a mile from the battery; for Wildfire was always restless under fire, and it was probable that the batteries would take a share in the affair.

At one o'clock some of the small Federal lookout launches were seen to be at work signaling, a bustle could be observed prevailing among the large ships over by the fortress, and it was evident that the _Merrimac_ was now visible to them as she came down the inlet.