The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-03-22
THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE
Full and Interesting Particulars.

| Eull ana interesting FlftlCuIarSs
The fullest and best description of the
great naval fight in Hampton Roads is
last Tuesday morning. We copy 1t entire
THE FIGHT on NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE
CUMBERLAND AND CONGRESS.
The Merrimac made her appearance
coming out from Elizabath river about
noon on Saturday. She stood directly across
the roads toward Newport News. AS soon
As she was made out and her direction
ascertained the crews were beat to quarters
on both the Cumberland and Congress,
and preparations made for what was telt
to be an almost hopeless fight, but the
determination to make it as desperate as
possible The Merrimac kept straight on,
max ing, according to the best estimates,
about eight miles an hour. As she passed
the mouth of Nansemond river the Con-
gress threw the first shot at her, which
was Immediately answered. The Merrirnac
passed the Congress- discharging broad
side at her, Zone shell from which killed
and disabled every man except one at No,
l0D and kept on toward the Cumberland,
which laid further up III the mouth OF
James river.
She approached the Cumberland at full
speed, striking her on the poat side near
the bow, her stem knocking port No.
and the bride port into one, whilst her
ram cut the Cumberland unde water
Almost at the moment of collision the
Merrimac discharged from her forward
gun an elevin inch shell This shell rake ed
the whole guu-deck. killing ten men at
gun No !, among whom was mas or mate
John Harrington, and cutting off both
arms and both legs of quarter gunner
Wood The water rushed in from the hole
made below, and IN five minutes the ship
began to sink by tie head Shell aud
solid shot from the Cumberland were
raincd on the Merrimac as she passed
ahead bur tie most glanced harm!essly
from the incline Of Lcr mon plated BON
roof. though some shots which struck her at
a more favorable range caused splin;els
of iron to fly
As the Merrmzc rounded TO and came
up she again raked the Cumberland with
heavy Ere At this fire sixteen men al guu
No 10 were killed or wounded and were
all subsequently, carried down IN the sinl.
ing ship
Advancing with increased momentum
the Ne-lima, struck the Cumberland on thC
stardoaid side, smashing her upper works
and cutting anothe hole below the writer
line.
The ship now began to rapidly settle
and the scene became most horrible The
cockpit was filed with the wounded
whom it WAS impossible TO bring up Til,
former magazine was under water, bu,
powedr was stIll supplied from the aftei
ma .aziue, AID the firing kept sterdily u
by men who knew that the ship was sink
, iug under them. They worked desperate
: Il Il Il
and horror of the conflict gave cheers ior
, their flag and the Union. which wer,
r Joined in by the wounded The deck:
were slippery with blood, and arms ane
leg- and chunks Of flesh were -trewer
about. The Mcrrmac LAID ohat easy point
blank range, dI~charging her brOabsidei
alternately ~ tne Cumberland and til,
Congress The water bs this time ha,
reached the after magazine Of the CuInber
r land The men, however. kept at work
\ and several cases oil powder were PASSED
up and the guns kept ia play Seyera
o men in the after she'll room linE' red there
i too long in their ca gerue-s to pas W shell
and we're drowned The reader must bea1
c in mind that these ihcidedts OF the hgh
which We briefly detail, occupied SONS
time ia Transporting. II being about one hou
d and a half from the time ofthe first attach
:
e sank
The wafer had. at this time, reachee
the bearth or main gun deck. and 1t wa.
felt hopeless and useless to continue ih,
fight LONGER. The word was given for eacf
man to save hiuscii. but after this orde
gun No. : was fired when the djO!nn:
gun, No q, was actually uEdcr water
This last shot was fired 10y an active LITTLE
fellow named Matthew Ieuey, whose tou
rage had deem conspicuous Throughout
the action As his port was left open 10y
the recoil Of the gun, he Jumped 10 scram
bic out, but the water rushed III weth 81
much force that he was washed back anC
drowned.
When the order was given TO cease firing
and to look out for their safety III tn,
best way possible, numbers scampereo
through the portfolios, whilst others reach
ed the spar-deck by the cornponion ways
Some were incapable to get out by either
of these means, and wree carried down by
the rapidly sinking ship OF those who
reached the upper deck some swan off te
the tugs that came out from Newport
News, some kept atloat by selling floating
fragments of the wreck, others escaped IL
the rigging and rnasts. and still other. sank
never to rise again.
The Cumberland sank in water nearly tc
her cross-trces, and lies with a heavy lls
to port She went down with her htg stl
f,jnq. and it still flies from the mast, above
the water that overwhelme d her, a mo
mento OF the bravest. most drring and yet
most hopeless defence that mas ever been
made by any vessel belonging to any navy
it the world. The men fought with q
courage that could not be excelicd. Then
was no fiinching, no thought OF surrender
I hey knew that the agency of the Cum
berlaud in burning the Navy Yard at Nor
folk, and sinking the MerrImac and other
vessels there had made her the speci
object of rebel hostility, and when she was
. singled out by the Merrimac as the tirs
t object of attack, they determined to re$is
,. to the last, and actually did work theie
, guns after the lower deck and magazine:
D were under water.
The whole number lost of the CNmber
lands crew was one hudred and twenty
Of which number about thirty wer,
drowned: Only two OF her officers were los
j Masters Mate Harrington, killed by the
E first shot and the Rev. Mr.. Leiphardt, wht
was drowned.
THE ATTACK on THE CONGRESS.
The Cumberland being thoroughly de
molished. the Merrimac left her not, t
! the credit Of the rebels it ought to b'
/ stated, either firing at the men chnging t,
the rigging or at the small boats on th,
propeller Whildin, which were busily DIN
ployed rescuing the survivors other crew
. and proceeded TO attack the Congress
t The officers of the Congress seeing til,
fate OF the Cumbel land, and aware
! that she olso would be sank if she remain
ed within reach OF the iron beak of the
Merrimac, had got all sail on the ship I'LL
the intention of running her ashore. The
+ tug boat Zouave also eallantIy came ou
and made fast to the Cumberland assist
ed in towing her ashore.
| Tie Merrimack then suryed up gave