Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-18
Che Obio 9tatesmta,r
T Z \ n o
The GREAT NAVAL FIGHT.
FULL DETAILS OF THE ArFAIH.
statement OF the Pilot OF the Oum-
berland.
The Fight RetWeen the Monitor and
the morrimRc.
[FrOm the New York World !

From the New York World
Mr. A. B. Smith, pilot on board the United
states steamer Cumberland at the time of heI
patue with the lron.plated steamer Merrimao
srrived In this city last evening, and we obtain.
ed from him the following authentic statemen,
OF tne great naval battle Of last Saturday and
Sunday, In Hampton Roads.
aTATEhEET OF THE PnoT
On Saturday morning, the United States
steamer Cumberland laid Of In the Roads At
newport Newe, about three hundred yards from
the shore, the Congress being two hundred y ssd.
south Of US. The morning was mild ard pleas.
ant and the day opened without any note .wor.
thy Incident. About eleven O'Clock, a dark
looking object was desotied comiug round Cta.
ney Island, through Norfolk channel, and pro.
ceedtng straight Ia our direction. IL was il.
stantly recognized 40 the Merrimac. We had
been on the lookout for her for some time, and
we're as well prepared for them aa we could
have been at any other time, or as we have
been during the last six months.
As she came ploughing through the water
right onward toward our Ior: bow, she looked
like huge, half-submerged crocodile. Her
sides seemed Of solid iron, except where the
guns pointed from the narrow ports, and rose
alantingly from the water like the roof OF a
house orthe arched back of a tortoise. P,oba.
bly, the extreme height of the apex from the
waters edge, perpendicularly, was ten feet
At her bow could zee the iron ram, projecting
straight forward, somewhat above the water 3
edge, and apparently mass of iron. Small
boats were slung or fastened to her sides, and
the rebel flag dosted from one staff, while
Psnnant was fixed 70 another at the stern -
There wac smoke-stack or pipe near her mid
Ole, and sbe was probably propeller, no side.
wheels or machinery being visible. She Is
probably covered with railroad ircn.
GETTING READY FOR ACTION.
Immediately on the appearing Of the Merrimao
the com Dand was given to make ready for in.
slant acton. All hands were ordered to their
places, and the Cumberland was sprung acros,
the channel, 90 that her broadside would bear on
the Merrimac. The armament we could bring
to bear on the Merrimsc was about eleven nine
and ten inch DAhgreen and two pivot guns Of
the same make. The gunpers were az their
posts, and we waited eagerly for her approach
within range. She came up at the rate Of four
or hVe knots per hour.
OPENING THE BATTLE.
When the Merrimao arrived within about
mile we opened on her with our pivot guns, and
az soon as we could bear upon her, our whole
broadside oommanoed. Still che came on, the
balls bounding from her mailed sides like India
rubber, apparently making not the least impres.
sion, except to out OF her flagstaff, and thus
bring down the Confederate colors. None Of
her crew ventured at that time on her outside
TO- replace them, and she fought thence forward
With only her pennant flying. She dgpssyed 70
ooey her helm and be D.Ty reedily handled, maxine
al heT HovgReRts and evOLEti0ns ,Citk apparent
4 nsnd l. 4 n 4
six or eight broedsides when q shot was receiy.
ed from one OF ber guns which killed Eve of
our marines. Ii was impossible for our vessels
to get out Of her way, and the Merrimac soon
crashed her Iron horn or ram into the Cumbsr.
land, just starboard the main chains, under the
blum OF the port bow, knocking hole In her
side, near the water line, as large as the head
OF hogshead, and driving the vessel back up.
on her anchors With great force. The water
came rushing Into the hold. The Merrimac
then backed out and discharged her guns at us,
the shot passing through the main bay and xii.
ling five sick men. The water was all the
while rushing In the hole made By the ram 50
that 10 i've minutes it was up to the sick bay on
the berth deck. 10 the meantime her broadsides
swept our men eway, killed and manned, end
also set our vessel on Ale In the forward part
The hre was extinguished,
cannot tell how many we're wounded The
aick bay, berth deck and gun deck were almos
literally covered With men killed and wounded
out the surviving ones still fought we'll, anc
every one, officers and men, displayed the ut.
most heroism. The dght lasted about three.
quarters of an hour, the Cumberland firing rap.
idly and ell the time, the water pouring in the
bold, and By the ports, % her bow kept sinking
deeper and deeper. Near the middle of the
light when the berth deck Of the Cumberland
bad sunk below water, one of the crew Of the
Msrrimac came out Of o port to the outside Of
her iron plated roof, and ball from one of oul
guna Instantly cut him In two. That waa the
last and only rsbel that ventured within sisht
the rest remaining In their safe, iron.wslled 10.
closure. We fred constantly, and the Merrimac
occasionally, bat every ahot told upon our wood.
en- vessel aud brave crew. Her guns being with.
out the least elevation, pointed straight at us
along the surface of the water, and her near.
nesss she being much OF the time within three
hundred yards, made 1t an easy matter to send
each ball to It's exact mark. Probably her guns
would be useless ct q considerable distance. as
it appears impossible to elevate them, Finally.
after about three.fourths Of an hour Of the
moot severe fighting, car vesstI saak, tks Stars
and NtTtPes StM raviRg. That fag Wss finally
submerged, but after the hull grounded on the
eand, 6tty.fouP feet beleW the surface of the
water, our pspuant was still ayipg from the ton.
mast above the waves. None OF our men were
captured, but many were drowned az the yesssl
went down. We had about four hundred and
afty on board, and I suppose from one hundred
and tfty TO two hundred we're killed during thu
engagement and drowned at the sinking Lieu.
tenant @. v. Maurice was In command of the
vessel Captain Radford being absent on the
Roanoke, ct court of inquiry, and though be
hurried back to reach hia vessel, he could moi
arrive till after she mad sunk. Very few of our
men swan ashore, most Of those who were ree.
eusd from the water being saved BY small boats
The Merrimao seemed 70 be unipiursd. al
though her email boats and 9sg.stafi were sbo
away In the commenoement Of the action.
rhsAaEMEHF wiTH THE CONGRESS.
The Merrimao then turned her attention tc
the Congress, which lay probably two hundred
yards to the south Of where the Cumberland
ives. The Mertimac came up under her sterr
and her crew 6red their pistols inSo the ports o.
the Congress aa she approached. Isaw her ir,
on the Congress. The sailors on that vessel ca,
that che struck heri but Of this am not sure
The Congress- had good crew Of City mel
from the Cumberland, previously taken Of
board, 6fty from the Minnesota, fifty Of th
Naval Brigade, hfty from the Roanoke, an,
some others. Lieut. Joseph Smith, who was Il
command, was killed BY shot. A great man,
of the Naval Brigade were also killed. Th'
entire command seemed 10 have acted bravely
during the engagement, which probably Iastet
not over half an hour, when the white Dag wal
run up, Doring that night some sailors an,
man Of the Congress returned and set Hte i
her, and she blew up about twelve o'clock. =
Neither the shot of the Cumberland or Congress
Iappoared 70 have any effect on the Mntri nnat