Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-03-21
THE NAyAE BAFTLR-FUAEI FED.
EgAE REPORTS.
From the New York HeraId.l


The dUllness of Old Point was startled on Sat
urday by the announc ment that suspicious looking
vessel supposed be the Merrmac looking like sub
In-rsed aouse, with the roof only above water, was
moving down from Norfolk b. te channel in front of the
Seweus Point batteries Signal gums were fred by the
Cumberland and Congress 10 notify the Minnesota St
lawrence and koa oNe OF the approaching dtnger and
all was excitement in and about Fortress Monroe.
There was nothing prorudiug above the water but a
flagstaff flying the rebel flag ana O short smokestack
She moved along slowly, and turned int0 the channel
leading 70 Newport News and steamed direct for the
frgates Cumberland and Congress which We're lying at
/ the mouth Of james river.
As soon as she within range Of the Cumberland
the latter opened on her with D. heavy guns but the
balls struck and glanced on having effect than
peas from pOpgun. Her ports were closed, and she
moved on IN silence, but with iuu head Of steam In
the meantime, the Merimac approaching the
trgates on one side the rebel iron clad York
4 town and jamestown came down james river and
engaged our fgates the other side The batteries at
Newport News opened the Yorktown and James
town and did all ia their power to assist the Cumberland
and the Congress which being sailing vessels were at the
mercy Of the approaching steamers he Heuimac, I'm
the meantime kept steadily her course, and slowly
approached the Cumberland when she and the Congress
at distance Of one hundred yards raned iui brlasde
on the ron-cl mo ster that took eff Ct gsucing up
wards aud flying Of having only the effect of checking
/ her progress for moment.
After receiving tho first broaisids the two fgatss
she ran on 10 the Cumberland striking her about mid
ships, aud literally laying open her sides She then
drew of and fired broadside the disabled ship and
again dashed against her with her irou-cad Prov and
knocking in her side left her sins while she engaged
the Congress which laid about quarter of mile dis
taut The Consress bad in the meantime kept sharp
| engagement with the Yorktown and Jamestown and
having egular board of her seeing the hope
lsssness Of resisting the -ou-clad steamer az once struck
her coors Her crew had been discharged several days
since and three companies Of the naval brigade had been
put on board temporarily until she could be- relieved by
the St. Lawrence which to nave gone up Monday
20 take her position one Of th bloc adug vessels Of
the james river
On the Congress striking her colors the Jamestown
approached aud took from on ooardofher all her officers
as prisoners, but allowed the escape ia boats
The vessel being thus cleared fired Dy the rebels
when tbe MeI-uac aud her two iroucial cOup pauious
opened with shell and shot the Newport News bat
teries. The firing 5riskly returned
IN the meantime the steam frgate Minnesota, having
partly got up steam being towed up the relief of
the rgates but did get up until late
TO assist them She also followed az by the gats
St Lawrence which taken in tow by several OF the
small haroor steamers L is, however, ruInored that
neither OF these vessels had pilots board and after
short engagement both Of them seemed to be, in the
/ opinion OF the pilots on the point, aground
The Minnesota either Intentionally from necessity,
engaged the three steamers about mile distant with
only her two bow guns The St Lawrence also poured
in shot from al the she could bring bear aud il
was the impression Of the most experienced naval Of
teers on the point that both had been considerably dam
/ aged
In the meantime darkness approached though the
moon shOHe out brightly and nothing but sDecasond
flashing Of guns could 6e seen. The Merrmaewas also
DeeNed 10 De aground as she remained 81 stonary 81
distance Of mile from the Minnesota, making
tempt 20 attack moiest her.
Previous che departure Of the steamer f1r Baltimore
guns had been fired for half hour the last be-
ing fred from the Minnesota Some persons declare that
inn uedatey after this last gun was fred dense volume
of from the 3erimac indicating
the explosion Of her boiler Whether this i- not
cannot be known but the unanimous opinion that
the rebel monster was hard aground
Fears Of course entertained for the aety of the
Minnesota aud ST. Lawrence in such unequal contest
but 81 tho Merrimac really ashore She could DO
u'9Ie damage II was the intention Of the A lnss0ta
WITH her picked and liant crew, 20 into close quar-
ter with the Merruac, avoid her ro PROV and board
her This the Merriuac seemed inclined 90 give her
I
The rebel battery at Pig Point was enabled to join IN
tho combined attack hs Minnesota, aud several shots
were fired at her from SewelIs Point she up
None OF them struck her, but two Of them passed
over her
The Baltimore boat left Old Point at eight oeloes last
night IN about half IN hour after she left the wharf the
iron oa3 Ericsson steamer Monitor passed her going n
| towed by large steamer
| ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
FORTRESS MONROE, March s--About noon to.daythe
rebel Meuimac and two gun boats were seen
Half hour after the naval lookout boat u the roads
gnalized te fact to the Minnesota and Roanoke hela
/ ter, Captain Marsion being the Gag ship
The Minnesota had steam up. The Roanoke having
lain four months with broken shaft ta
sen 20 to" het II was slioe tlis before taey were un-
der way, the minnesota leading he Roanoke when
near the Rip Raps, was caught by the tie, and half
an hour spent in getting her head right again.
The gunboat Whitehall also got under way. Mean
] while the HerTimac making good time for Newport
News where the sailing rigare Congress and the Cum
berand were the only sail n vessels Asthe Minnesota
!
opened on her. Its fire returned vigorously The
firing being AT long range no pereept5e effect was pro
duced.
Ia little more than one hour from the time Of getting
under way the Merrimac within a mile Of New
port News, when the firing commenced Simultaneous
y with these movements the rebel steamers yorktown
aud jamestown down james river and joined their
ire with that OF the Merrnac upon the Congress and
the Cumberland
The Merrimse seemed t. proceed past the Congress
and engage the Cumberland which was also under the
fire Of the Yorktown aud jamestown. Oar battery at
Newport News opened vigorously on the iron-c ad
enemy.
In about half an hour the masts # the Cumberland
which visible over the point Of land were seen TO
list and finally 90 over prov ing hat she nid sums Auo
this time the Congress, with sails spread, seen TO
come down short distance and stop on the point, ap
parently aground.
Soon after the Merrmac reappeared and engaged her
at short range aud, after keeping the contest fifteen
or twenty minutes the white aa of surrender was seen
to float the Congress deck Meanwhile, if the
day ared 90 be of successive disasters TO our
ships the Minnesota had grounded about two miles from
Newport News where she lay making trute endsaysrs
The Roanoke by this time had reached within two
miles OF her but seeing the current Of events turned
back The guno0at Mystic which mad Also gone up,
being in a disabled condition account Of b. boiler
giving out, also turned back, lowed by tug
Having accomplished this much the Merrimac and the
two rebel zunboats commenced sheiug our camp a.
Newport News with what effect it is Of course, mpossi
bic to say now
men, nearly one-half Of whom perished when she went
down
AE
supposed that General Mansfield on shore prevents the
r. bells from doing IT,
One of the guns Of the Merrimac was dsabed early
in the action The Merrimac aud Cumberland were en-
gagged at close quarters when the latter commenced sink
The Merrmac now lies half a mile below, Nsv-Dort 1
News and the firing between her and the Minnesota At
about miles, is kept up hriszy. The Congress has
not been boarded
rifles been (six oc0c dispatched to support Gen
Mansfield should be be attackedby Land The ST. Law
renee has gone into action and is engaging the James
town. The Elerrimac does not feel disposed 10 come
her The Roanoke has returned 10 her station opposite
the fortress
A negro just in (seven o'clock from Newport News
states that the Merinac square into the Cumberland
which imne -iately went down The negro states that
some Of the crew, who ashore the loss the
Cumberland about one hundred
There is some DOUBT about the burning Of the York
The firing is still kept mp the Msrrimac sim lying
near the Congress which appears not TO have been
boarded yet
Another person who left Newport News reports that
them errimao did not fire tin within hundred yards
of the Cumberland when she fired aud into her bow
causing her to sins Immediately She had previously
been set on fire It IL confirmed that about one half Of
ali on board were lost
When my informant left the Congress had been boarde
by the Merrimac and the white hag h0isted over
her. Her guns were then turned on our camp.
At the present hour the firing has aasrd. When last
seen the BerTimac and the rebel guuboas to have
drawn off toward Crauey island, and t Is appreheuded
that she may attempt 20 20 sea tonight Prepara
tiona have be made ACCORD iug.y.
The Minnesota is still aground
The St Lawrence and the Whitehall are her. tt
stated the shells that struck the Merrimac had no
effect upon her, but glanced on Ike pebbles.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
FORTRESS MONROE March 9--The Monitor arrived