M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-03-13
SHiRp SEIRNlSHlyG NEAR NASHVILLE.
SIX WAGONS CAPTURED BY
TIE REBELS, BCTCAP.
TURED AGAIN.

The following is a summary Of the
official account OF the first days fight
at Newport News:
At ten A. NJ, on Saturday the enc.
my's vessels coming ont, Capt. Mars
ton, tue senior officer on the station,
ordered the Minnesota and Roanoke
under weigh. Two tugs aided the
Roanoke, whose steam power was
injured. The Roanoke with difficul.
ty was towed toward the enemy, but
her broken shaft made her progress
slow. ..
The Merrimac Immediately attack
ed the Congress aud Cumberland par.
ticulary the latter. The Mennesota
grounded about seven miles from Fort
ress Monroe. The Roanoke pressed
forward. On getting in sight OF the
Cumberland, it was evident that she
WAS sinking The Merrimac was
then joined by the jamestown and
Yorktown, wooden rebel steamers
from Jumes'river. Both altackted the
Congress, which surrendered at ten
minutes past four o'clock being a.
ground and unable to bring her guns
to bear. The Roanoke, about the
same time, ran aground. The tugs
pulled her off, and then went to The
Minnesota's aid. Ats L, NJ the fry.
ate st. Lawrence, in tow of the Cam.
bridge, posted mp above the Roanoke,
the Minnesota being then aground
and engaged with the Merrimac.-
The st, Lawrence also grorn1ed, The
Cambridge got her ahoat, but being
unable to renlertbe minne esota assist
ance, returned down the harbor. The
enemy's batteries at Sewell's and Pig
Point opened fire on all our vessels as
they past up and the fire was return.
ed. The range was too great for our
guns, but those of the battery went far
over our ships and several shells struck
AT seven and a half was discovered
that the Congress had been fired by
the rebels. Size continued to bnrn
until one A. NJ, when she blew
up. At eight P. NJ. the Monitor ar
rived, and Capt. Marstor instantly
ordered to tue assistance Of the Min
ncsola. . . IL
From an eve witness wa learn in al
dition that the Cumberland was run
into twice and the Congress once by
the Merrimac, which struck and de.
lvered brOadsides alternately. After
the second blow the Cumberland sunk
in five minutes. She fought splen.
didly, delivering her last broadside as
her guns sank below the water. All
the officers but the Chaplain escaped
in launches. One hundred and fifty
men were probably lest, including
the killed and wounded. The Con-
gress. was then ordered to surrender,
but answered with broadside. The
Merrimac hauled off and ran into her,
but she she did not surrender till size
sunk so low that the magazine was
flooded.
The officers was taken off prisoners.
The .Merrimac had no. room for the
men.
Acting Com manjer Smith (Com.
modore Smiths sony Was killed.
SUNDAYS FIGHT.
The official account OF yesterdays
fight is very imperfect. An eye wit,
ness pronounced it magnificent. The
Yorktown, jamestown and
several tugs cane down at half past
eight, evidently expecting the Mime
sota tc be an easy prey. They start.
sd back at the Monitors first shot.
The battle ragged till ten minutes past
twelve, the Pig Point batteries taIiDg
part. f
The jamestown and Yorktown
threw occasional shells, but kept their
distance. The Minnesota. though
Aground kept up a constant broad.
aide. The W 'litehall and Union gun.
boats, and other small vessels, joined
but the great fight was between the
Merrimac and Monitor, the latter MIN.
bly, running around the former, and
bammering with her two immense
guns, seeking to get at the stern, the
weakest point, but didn't sncceed in
hitting it. She fired eighty or ninty
shots, OF which Lient. Worden thinks
three went through. Anyhow, after
firing two hundred shots, the Merri-