eleven o'clock
`` 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 Fort 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 visible to them as she came down the inlet .