Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-03-19
.,T,sER FROM THE NAVAL
ENGAGEMENT NEAR FORT
prSs N0ERGE.

Tho H~u- expected Tetet steamer he.h-
.l,ss e last made her appearance, and
-. aFterr-au, with the assistance Of
,,r,.-,,s vl.cb came out with her from
81 ana th- Jamestown and Yorktown,
= came down from the James river.
=. 10 attack upon Newport News and |
vessels stationed at that place The .
- was frs. scaa from the rsmPartS |
p.-.--s5 Monroe. on her way TO Newport |
n at about quarter before one O'Clock.
r.r.I runboats followed her.-They all |
,-.5 the Confederate flag at the stern.
a. Gun boats had a French fagat the mast
r. and the Nerrimac lal a flag at her
which was described by some as
&-nalore's blue flag. She appeared to be
- low in the water. her 81 es, bows and
r. were covered with s'opiEg iron plates,
r,arl7in, two feet be,ow the water line and
Il ,ss.fr- above ike the r0Cf Of house. At
L. hoUs on the wafer line, were two sharp
Il N points resembling plouEhs, about six or
,rrrn feet apart. Her number of guns is
s,el 1t twelve, hut she might not have had
i many. At her bows two guns were seen
,,,;ectina from her elirtical port holes.
The design Of the enemy die not become
.-r,r4n. until hetv cen one and two O'Clock.
H. Br that time the Minnesota had got un>
h. wav Ea- the scene OF action. The Roam
ssc fa- snip having been disabled ~ tie
l-eski-. If her shaft some time since, was
asen IN tow by the tug beats Dragon and
N'.rnc America. At about the same time
alarm gun Of the Fortress was fired, aud
b.. whole garrison turned out under arms.
The Tenth New York was briefly address
Il hv Col. Beudix. and all testified the great
,, delight 1T tire prospect Of al action
|Aiter heiug under orders for some tine, the
.esrrisoa was dismissed until they should he
| wanted. Ire rebel boats steadily pursued
their wey to Newport News. and the Merri-
mac saoa turned the point and was lost to
view from the Fortress. Tie first shot was
4 fred fr--n the fri-ate Cumberland a. ij:tle
ras. . o'clock. TIE Scweli's Point battery
hen cnenal ! upon the Minnesota, which was
passing. and tie SAWYER gun at the Rips
Raps replied with a few shots at Sewcll's
Po;as. 8 ta;rk smoke was soon seen ts
arise above Newport News Point, indicating
that the bajfesv there dc well rs the Cum
berlani and Congress were engaged. De
tris Of action could not he seen frsm tn
fort, but tc,ogrlphic dispatch was T ceive,
announcing thai the Cumberland and N ri
mac were IN chs" quartsrs, as the latter ap
preached tic Cumberland she did not pa,
sny attention H. the Congress, but after f
rig two guns struck ne (the Cumberland
'.th her slap bows, making a jagged hol
70 Ter side. at the water line. seven feet j
eIt.2s. The Cumberland Immediately com
meaoei o. sink, when the Merrinac bacEir
short distance run into her a second tirnt
maxim zurther terrible hole which admitte
watc7 IT a furious rate. She continued
rng l,atil the water began 20 enter her POI
ho.a-. and soon after she careene1 over slow
II. and finally sunk at about three o'clocl
The Newport News battery and the guns
TIE Cumberland fred continually upon Il
A.rr.maC but 10 apparent effect was pr
dncei- The Minnesota unfortunately g
sgroaal OF the way up and could offer br
LITE assistance.
Shortly before three o'clock the Jane
town anl Yorktown arrived from up {
James river. Tho latter was disabled earl
n the afternoon by the Cumberland, al
put ou shore for repairs. After sinking {
I'm erisnd. the N,rrimac turned her a
'enI.on to the Congress, and in less than
hour white flag vas hoisted on board t
LATTER. The Confederate gun boat imme,
A'a-y went alongside her. the officers a
ua'Hes being taken prisoners.-The seam
we're allowed 10 escape to the shore.
The United States frigate St. Lawrer
AFHyei here during the afternoon. and wit
cut dropping anchor proceeded up the riv
H@e followed the example of the Minnest
sud Roanoke, in firing upon SeweIl'S Poi
ont Ike the o,ke- shot fell short The g
coat Mystic WAS also towed up in the aft
hooA.-At sundUwn the Roanoke. ST. L.
renee and Mystic all returned After f
ociocS the Merrimac continued TO thu
sne'l into the camp at Newuort News, wi
'Ae Jamestown and the other Confeder
snnooats commenced firing upon the NJ
-sSota. The latter replied as vigorously
possible, and the conflict was contin
"'hout any apparsn, effect until dark