The Monster as the Virginia was referred to was constructed atop the remains of the former USS Merrimac a Union sloop, after the Merrimac was burned to the waterline by the retreating Union Army. The Virginia had a giant sloped wooden casemate covered with layers of rolled iron and equipped with a 1500 pound iron ram on her prow and her powerful cannon jutting from the gun ports around the casemate.

In the early morning of March 8, 1862 the rising smoke from the monster signaled that she was coming down The Elizabeth River into Hampton bay, waiting for her were several of the Union Navies most powerful warships which formed the blockade of the great harbor.

The Virginia barely making headway as her deep keel dragged along the muddy river bottom finally broke into the bays deep water and headed for the USS Cumberland. The Union sloop quickly sprang to life with the alarm. The Cumberland had aboard some of the most powerful rifled guns in the Union fleet. The Virginia approached and both ships opened fire, the battle ensued with shot after shot traded between the Cumberland and the Monster, The Virginia was hit and bloodied, the only casualties she would suffer her anchor shot away, the chain fell back into the ship and killed one of her men, another sailor was shot through a gun port by a Union sharpshooter and finally one of her main cannons was hit directly by the Cumberland’s cannon fire destroying that gun and injuring many in the gun crew.

The Cumberland suffered a different fate, with her guns firing with virtually no visible effect against the ironclad, the Cumberland’s own shattered decks were littered with debris and severed limbs as she was raked with the deadly fire from the Virginia. The Virginia in deep water finally headed straight for the Cumberland and plowed her iron ram deep into the bowels of the Cumberland.

Immediately the Union ship started to sink, she began to pull the Virginia down with her, the Virginia at last was able to reverse her engines and pull out of the sinking Cumberland, but her 1500 pound iron ram was ripped away and lay inside the Cumberland’s pierced hull as she quickly sank into the bay taking with her, nearly half of her crew including her commanding officer who elected to stay with the wounded as she sank to quickly to move them off the stricken ship.

The USS Cumberland fought one of the most gallant battles in US Naval History as she settled into the muddy water with her flag was still flying from her mast as her Captain had defiantly refused to strike the ship’s colors.

The Virginia, slowly pulled away and turned towards the USS Congress another Union Sloop the Congress had run aground in her frantic attempt to escape the Confederate monster. The CSS Virginia without her ram and with the tide going out laid off the Congress and pounded her with canon fire.

The Virgina’s crew loaded their guns with “hot shot” (super heated cannon balls) which started several fires on the Union vessel, The Congress unable to move and burning severely hauled down her colors in defeat.

The Virginia fearing being stuck in the shallows of low tide turned away from the next Union Vessel also aground, the USS Minnesota and USS Roanoke, vowing to return the next day to finish off the Union Fleet.

As the Virginia headed back up river a curious little ship appeared at the mouth of Hampton Bay, someone made the comment that she was a “cheese box on a raft” this little craft designed and built by John Ericson in 101 days, had been launched just a few days earlier from a dry dock on what has been named (to this day) as Monitor street in Green point Brooklyn in NYC.

The Monitor four months ago was just an idea and the only plans were a cardboard model designed for the French Navy by John Ericson a Swedish born inventor. The French declined the design and in their haste The Union Navy sent out a message to all ship designers in the North for an Ironclad design to counter the South’s construction of the feared monster in Virginia. During the construction of the Monitor, every piece of machinery on this revolutionary warship had to be designed and invented as they went along, a marvel of innovation. Pumps, motors, the propeller, the anchor, the revolving turret, watertight glass deck plates needed to light the ship’s interior, and on and on everything on the Monitor was new and untried.

The Monitor also had a nickname “Ericson’s folly” as many people in and out of Government thought she would never float and that when launched would simply slide into and under the water.

When asked about the concept, staring down at the cardboard model on his desk, Abraham Lincoln said, “I am struck by what the women said when first trying on a pair of stockings, it strikes me that there is something in it” President Lincoln authorized the $300,000.00 to build the Monitor.

The rest is History, on the morning of MARCH 9^TH The Virginia once again came down the Elizabeth River to destroy the remaining blockade ships, The little Monitor being much faster and more maneuverable made directly for the Monster, like David and Goliath the Two Ironclads fought in the first ironclad battle in history, neither able to hurt the other, The Monitor with her new untested guns were restricted to using only 15 pounds of gun powder, (later in the war those type guns the 11” Dahlgren canon used 30 pounds of powder), that may have saved the Virginia as the Monitors shot could not penetrate the Virginias sloped sides as a result.

Later in the war the Monitor USS Weehawken, with her 15” Dahlgren Cannon blasted right through the iron casemate of the Confederate Ironclad Atlanta, but on March 9, 1862 neither ship USS Monitor or CSS Virginia could claim victory over the other.

The battle was fought to a standoff; each one hit the other numerous times with little or no effect.

Finally they parted, exhausted each with a few minor injuries, one can only wonder if the crews of the two ships realized the total significance their battle played in world history.

On this date 150 years ago, Wooden Warships and all known Naval doctrine was rendered obsolete.

Soon on a quiet hillside in Arlington National cemetery the remains of two of the 16 crewman who went down with the Monitor in a storm off of Cape Hatteras will be interned to their final resting place, their remains lifted free of the ocean and discovered in the Monitors turret when it was salvaged in 2002.

Their identities known but to God…

Part of the problem here is that criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul, from illegal immigration to the parole system, nothing makes sense anymore and this system has been a failure for decades.

Shortly the anti gun lobbyists will be out in full force talking about stricter laws and attacking the gun lobby, NRA and all pro second amendment Citizens as if we all fired the shots in Ohio.

Unfortunately there is usually no rational thought in many of these arguments just a knee jerk emotional response to a much greater problem.

The problem in my opinion is apathy. This young man T.J. Lane reportedly posted on his Face-book page according to an MSNBC report, a letter oddly written in the third person, with the last line stating to the effect: “all of you should die” . This was posted on a social network, not hidden in a journal, where are this kid’s friends and family?

Time after time, there were clear warning signs that go unnoticed, however these  ”hidden messages” are broadcast on National Television within hours of an arrest, why is that?

We as a society are so quick to blame a high visibility target (firearms), so quick to attempt to fix a problem without ever understanding what the true problem actually is, “we need new and tougher laws” we already have some of the toughest gun laws on the books, it is neither the law nor the guns themselves that are the problem.

People and Apathy are the problem, if someone, anyone would have attempted to intervene in this guys life, maybe the outcome would have been different.

Certainly the fact that a 17 year old had access to a firearm is troubling, There has been no information on that, so adults who own firearms have to responsible and held accountable, to that end there are no excuses.

This is another avoidable tragedy, one that never should have happened and through proper education and mentoring it is likely this entire episode could have been avoided and the paths of T.J. Lane and the 5 students that were shot may never have crossed in this way.

All anyone is left with is the sadness and shock that yet another set of families, an entire community is left to wonder what happened and why.

The parents of the victims are left to bury their young children and attempt to find some way to move forward.

The few that survive today are old men, forgotten and dismissed, Semper Fi and may God bless them all…

Albert Pine

Always point the muzzle in a safe direction (down range)

Be certain of your target and what is beyond it.

Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Know how to use the gun safely. (never assume guests are familiar with a particular firearm)

Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.

Always Wear eye and ear protection on the range.

Never use alcohol, over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.

Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.

Certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used.

A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun’s action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

• Use snap caps only for firearm function tests.

PEIRE CARDENAL,  Songs of the Troubadours

While I was in a Denver gun store today, my car was tagged on the wheel in the parking lot. The gangs do this on wheels or bumpers at gun stores, shooting ranges, gun shows etc. Later when you are parked at a restaurant, hotel, or other location that’s less well guarded or under video surveillance, other gang members spot the marker and break into the car for a quick gun grab.

This is so RAMPANT in San Antonio where we were for a National shoot this summer, the police chief of that county came out to brief the 400 participants of our competition. Too bad three teams had already been victimized the first day. This is the first I’ve heard of this in Denver . Please pass this info along to your 2nd amendment list.

David A. Arieno, President, Alaska Machine Gun Association,

Benefactor Life Member,NRA www.amga.net

The shadow is what we think of it, the tree is the real thing”.

In our time 140 years later the same truth holds, a person can be many things to many people

but if you are not true to your word, then you are neither worthy of yourself nor anyone else.

The lesson however was never forgotten, we all of us are constantly communicating, what we say, how we speak, how we look at someone else, how we appear, our actions, even the things we don’t say can be interpreted.

Like the animals on the Serengeti, where the Lion looks for easy prey, so do the predators on two legs, they too are looking for easy prey.

Pay attention to the lions in your life, they are out there and looking for someone who is pre-occupied transmitting and not receiving…

Stay Vigilant and above all Be Safe.