Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-03-18
The Late Naval Victory.


In the brilliant naval victory which we noticed
last week, the Confederate vessels engaged were
the steam sloop Virginia, of ten guns; the Pat
rick Henry, Commander Tucker, of six guns ;
the jamestown, Lieutenant Commanding Barney,
of two guns; the Raleigh, Lieutenant Command
ing Alexander the Beaufort. Lieutenant Co..
manding Parker; the Teaser, Lieutenant Com
manding Webb, each Of one gun With this
force (twenty guns) Flag Officer Buchanan en-
gagged the enemy's feet, consisting of the frigate
Cumberland, Of twenty four guns; the Congress,
of fifty guns; the St. Lawrence, of fifty guns
and the steam frigate Minnesota, of forty guns
the enemy's batteries at Newport News and sew
eral small steamers, armed with heavy rifed
guns.
| This er gagement commenced at $3.50, P. M,
AMI at 4, p. NJ, Captain Buchanan had sunk the
Cumberland, captured and burnt the Congress,
disabled and driven the Minnesota ashore, and
defeated the ST. Lawrence and Roanoke, which
sought shelter under the guns of Fortress Mon
roe. Two of the enemy's small steamers were
blown up, and the two transport steamers were
| captured.
| The Cumberland went down with all On board,
her tops only remaining above water, bnt many
of her people were saved by oats from the shore
| The flag of the Congress, and the sword of the
officer commanding at the time Of her surrender,
are at the Navy Department.
| In reference to this fight, the Richmond Ex-
aminer says: sf,es.g,tst ese,, 49, -. -
| We have some graphic accounts, through per-
| sonal sources, of the naval battle off Newport
| News. The sinking Of the Cumberland is said
| TO have been the most terrific incident Of the
fight We learn positively, from accounts which
have reached the Navy Department, that the
whole of her crew, about three hundred and fifty
souls, were buried beneath the water. The Yam
KEGS behaved with desperate courage. Before
the frigate had entirely sunk they continued to
work every gun above the water line. One OF
her after guns was discharged at the enemy as
she was actually going down, prov foremost
She sunk in about hundred feet of water.
| There is scarcely instance in the war ol
more desperate and devoted spirit than that
shown by the crew of the Cumberland. She sunk
very slowly. There was no effort to escape, nc
rush to the boats not sign of surrender, and, as
she settled, her guns were sullenly fought to the
last moment, and every living soul on board
was hurled beneath the waters.
| The Congress, after being beached, showed
signs of surrender; white flags were hoisted
and the officers on the quarterback waved their
handkerchefsa as additional tokens of submission.
| Notwithstanding these plain tokens Of surrender
the Yankee shore batteries continued to fire even
after the stranded vessel had been boarded by
our boats for the purpose of taking off the ene-
my's wounded.
/ Capt. Buchanan was wounded by mnsket ball
in the thigh; the bone was not broken, but it is
thought that one of the arteries is injured This
officer is said to have been the only man visible
on the black and nameless craft in her " Ork OF
swift and terrible destruction. He stood on the
iron roof of the V, ssel exposed to the cannon
aiding of the enemy's ships, besides discharges
from the field pieces on shore and a hail of mus
kerry.
The account of the conflict between the Eric
! son battery, now called the Monitor, and the Vir
t ginia, surpasses all we have ever heard Of can
nonading on the water. At one time, we are in
formed that the vessels were within few feet o
each other. Shot after shot was poured upor
the Virginia from the immense armament of the
Monitor; Ter iron plates resisted the fire, bu
the balls were thick that the plated sides are
said to have been bent by incessant impact O.
cannon balls upon particular portions of her sur
face. During this spell of close cannonadng
the crew of the Virginia, within her iron she'll
perceived no effect from the fire but the suller
thug Of the balls that fell from the sides.
The collision of the Virginia with the Gum
beriand is said to have produced no more distur
bance in the motion of the former vessel thar
if her iron cleaver had been cutting her way
through sheet of writing paper. There is re
port that her PROV was broken, and that she is a
present in the dry dock for repairs. We are as
sured, however, that but trifling repairs nee
essary, and that she will soon be on the waite
again.