Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-03-21
Gron, the South.
The Confederate Account Ofthe Great
Naval Engagement on the 5th and
9th instant.

Naval Engagement on the Sth and
9th instant.
[From the Norfolk Day Book, March To-.
The James Rtirer Blockade Opened Ttco
Yankee First Class Frtgates Destroy
ed-The Hated Cumberland Sunk---
The Congress Burned to the Waters
Edge The Minnesota and st. La0-
renee aground Great Success of the
Confederate Iron-ctad Steamer Virgin
ia--Large Number Of Yankees Shot
and Drovned, etc., etc.
At quarter past eleven o'clock on
Saturday, the iron-clad steamer Virginia
east loose from her mornings at the Ma
Wy Yard and made her way down to
Hampton Roads, towards the blockading
feet lying off Newport News. She reach
ed their neighborhood, after some deten-
ton at the distractions below, at two
o'clock. Here she found the two first
class sailing frigatos Cumberland and
Congress. With determination to pay
her respects to the Cumberland first, the
Virginia bore down for that vessel, and
while passing the Congress she gave her
a broadside by way Of a salute. Her OPP
erations on the Cumberland were per-
formed in the short space of fifteen min
utes' time, at the end of which the Cum
berland sunk just where she had been
lying.
The Virginia, on approaching her,
and getting within point-blank range,
fred her bow gun several times, and ran
into her, striking her fairly with her ram,
which made her reel to and fro and sent
her speedily to the bottom, but while
going down, we understand, the after
gun of the Cumberland was discharged
at the Virginia, with what injury we
know not. The object in first getting rid
Of the Cumberland was probably to de-
stroy the very heavy armament which
that frigatc carried, it being the hedUiest
IN the Yankce Macy. The officers and
crew of the Cumberland made their es-
cape as best they could, many of them
being captured by our gunboats. The
wounded on board, it is believed went
down with the vessel.
The Virginia next tnrned her atten.
ton to the Congress, which vessel it is
said CALAMITY resisted her inevitable fate
for nearly an hour, but finally finding
the ship rapidly sinking, she hauled
down her colors and made for the beach,
where she was run as high aground as
possible. Her officers and crew were
taken of by our gunboats, and while she
had her flag Of truce hoisted and was
being relieved of her killed and wound
ed by our boats, the Yankees on shore
at Newport-Ncws, disregarding tho flag
of truce, with Mimic muskets fred into
her and killed several of their own msn
and slightly wounded in the arm Mr..
John Hopkins, one of our pilots attached
to the Beaufort
While the Virginia was engaged with
;, the Congress with her bow gun, she
poured broadside after broadside into the
shore batteries Of the enemy at Newport
News. One discharge from the bow gun
of the Virginia, says one of the prison
ers, capsized two of the guns of the Con-
gress, killing sixteen of her crew and
taking off the head of Lieut. Smith.
and literally tore the ship to pieces. The
enemy seemed entirely unaware Of our
intention TO attack them, aud, il is said,
we're so completely lulled into security,
that the Virginia had got down to Sew
all's Point before they took the alarm.
While the engagement was going on be-
tween the two frigates and the Virginia,
the enemy's steam frigate Minnesota put
out from Old Point to their assistance
She laid we'll over towards Newport
News, but not entirely out Of the range
of our batteries on Sewall's Point, which
opened on her, with what effect we are
unable to say, but she replied to them
without any damage whatever. The
Minnesota got aground when within a
mile or two of Newport-News Point
There she stuck, unable to get off, while
the Confederate steamers Patrick Henry
and jamestown peppered her with their
batteries, while the Virginia was attend
ing to the shore batteries at Newport
News.
luz TlSatc 81 JJdWTcuCc bbtu CdhS
up to the assistance Of the Minnesota.
and she also got aground, and steam
frigate, supposed to DO the Roanoke, put
of from Old Point with the same inten-
ton, it is supposed. but seeing the sad
havoc which the Virginia was playing
with the Federal vessels, she put back to
Old Point.
The Minnesota and st. Lawrence, we
learn, are hard aground and in the power
Of the Virginia, at high tide, as the lat
ter vessel was at Sewall's Point, after
the engagement, where she remained on
Saturday night, ready to commence on
them on Sunday morning. She is be-
tween them and all assistance from Old
Point. The frigate Congress was set fire
to, on Saturday night, by boats crew
from some Of our vessels. She ilumincd
the whole Roads and river, and about
midnight her magazine exploded with
tremendous noise. Her coBdagration
afforded a rare sight to many thousands
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