“Iron Merrimac”
Description
The Merrimac starts from Norfolk to "make an end of Yankee Doodle Dandy-O." After sinking the Cumberland, the Merrimac confronts the Monitor.
Notes
This song is a rewrite of "The Constituion and the Guerriere"; however, as it describes a different battle, with different ships, half a century later, I've given it a separate entry. - PJS
For the historical background on this battle, see the notes to "The Cumberland Crew" [Laws A18]. - RBW
Historical references
- March 8, 1862 - U.S. frigates Congress and Cumberland sunk by the CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimac). The Minnesota runs aground; had not the Monitor arrived the next day, the Merrimac would have sunk that ship also
Cross references
- cf. "The Constitution and the Guerriere" [Laws A6] (lyrics, structure, tune)
- cf. "The Cumberland" [Laws A26] (subject)
- cf. "The Cumberland Crew" [Laws A18] (subject)
Recordings
- Judge Learned Hand, "Iron Merrimac" (AFS, 1942; on LCTreas)
References
- Roud #4767
- BI, RcIroMer