DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997           TAG: 9702270427

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   79 lines

RE-ENACTORS PREPARE IRONCLADS TO AGAIN FIGHT THE EPIC BATTLE

Assistant Secretary of the Navy John W. Douglass and his wife, Susan, will be among the Confederate re-enactors re-creating the Civil War battle of the ironclads March 9.

That's the date, 135 years ago, of the confrontation between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor.

``He usually wears an infantry uniform, but we're going to put him in a Marine captain's uniform on the CSS Virginia,'' said Bill Wharton of Norfolk, owner of the ironclad replicas.

Douglass said Wednesday that he is ``only a private'' in both the 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and the 42nd Virginia Infantry. In real life he retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general.

``I have no time to be an officer and, anyway, I like to experience things as a private,'' he said. ``It's good to be reminded how it was at the bottom.''

Douglass said he is ``really looking forward'' to joining the re-enactors in Portsmouth.

``It's an opportunity to re-live an important part of our history,'' he said.

Wharton's replicas - a 54-foot Virginia and a 34-foot Monitor - will stage the Battle of Hampton Roads in the Elizabeth River between Portsmouth's City Hall and the Naval Shipyard, where the CSS Virginia was created from the ruins of the USS Merrimac. Battle times are 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

Wharton said the inlet south of City Hall will enable spectators to view the battles from about 50 yards.

``We use real cannon and black powder,'' he said. ``We make it as intense as we can so it will be fun for spectators.''

Wharton, who steers the Virginia, said he usually rams the Monitor at least once during every battle. In addition, re-enactors camped on shore will fire at the ships.

Douglass, 55, is the Navy's assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition. He and his wife, residents of Alexandria, are Civil War buffs.

``We do both North and South,'' Douglass said. ``We have a tent, and we take our son with us. We've been to re-enactments all over Virginia and to Gettysburg. It's a family hobby.''

Douglass said living history about the Civil War is important because it reminds people of the events that ``determined what this country would be.''

The Douglass family will be among 80 re-enactors participating in the final day of the 135th anniversary celebration of the battle that changed the course of naval history around the world.

Events have been planned for three days that coincide with the dates and days of the week of the historical battle 135 years ago.

In addition to the mock battle and living history displays on the waterfront Sunday, March 9, an authentic 1862 worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church at Court and High streets. Pipers from the Royal Canadian Pipes and Drums will lead the re-enactors from the campsites through Olde Towne to the church before the service.

The activities will begin Friday, March 7, with a reception at Trinity's Parish Hall.

On Saturday, March 8, a symposium at Trinity will open at 10 a.m. with a talk by Naval Shipyard Commander William R. Klemm, a history buff who will discuss the Navy yard as it was during the Civil War. Other speakers will include Joseph M. Judge, curator of the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk; John V. Quarstein, administrator of museums for the city of Newport News; Albert F. Harris, a Civil War buff and re-enactor and coordinator of museums for the city of Portsmouth; and Alan Flanders, a historical writer and public affairs director for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

John Coski, historian and librarian for the Museum of the Confederacy, will speak on ``The Battle of the Ironclads'' at the Commemorative Banquet at 6:30 p.m. March 8 at the Dry Dock Club of the Naval Shipyard. MEMO: Tickets are $25 for the banquet, $15 for the symposium and $10

for the reception or $43 for all three events. Other events are free to

the public. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-748-7921. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD

The CSS Virginia was created from the ruins of the USS Merrimac.

Replicas of the Virginia and Monitor will be used to stage the

Battle of Hampton Roads in the Elizabeth River between Portsmouth's

City Hall and the Naval Shipyard on March 9.

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