, 1862-03-17

low, At TWO O'Clock Here she found the two
first class sailing frigates Cumberland and
Congress. With the determination to pay
her respects to the Cumberland first, the Vir-
ginia bore down for that vessel, and while
passing the Congress she gave her hroadzide
by way Of salute. Her operations on the
Cumberland were performed IN the short
space Of fifteen minutes time, at the end Of
which time the Cumberland sunk just where
she bad been lying
The Virginia on approaching her and get
ting within point blank range, fired her bow
gun several times, and ran into her, striking
her fairly with her ram, which made her reel
to and fro, andsent her speedily to the bottom;
but while going down, we understand, the af-
tsr tss snn % 81 the Gambs1land was discharged st
The object in getting nd Of the Cumberland
W2s probably to destroy the very heavy arna-
ment which TINT trigate carried, It being the
heaviest in the Yankee navy. The officers and
crew Of the Cumberland made their escape 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 nexl turned her attention to
the Congress, which vessel, it is said, gallant
u resisted her inevitable fate for nearly an
hour, but finally finding the ship rapidly sink
ing, she hauled down her colors, and made for
the beach, where she was ruu as higa aground
as possible. Her officers and crew were taken
Of By our gunboats, and while she had her
flag Of truce hoistcd, md was being relieved of
her killed aud wounded by our boats, the Yam
the tag Of truce, with Mimic mu5hefs, fired
into her, and killed several Of their Own men,
and Slightly wounded in the arm ME. john
Hopkins, one Of our pilots, attached to the
Beaufort
While the Virginia was engaged with the
Congress with her bow gun, she poured broad
side after brpads1de into the shore batteries of
the enemy at Newport News. One discharge
from the bow gun Of the Virginia, says one Of
the prisoners. capsized two Of the guns Of the
Congress, killing sixteen Of her crew, and
taking off the head Of a Lieut.. Smith, and
literally tore the ship to pieces.
The enemy seemed entirely unaware Of our
intention to attack them, and, it is said, were
so completely lullcd into security thnt the
the Firginia had got down to Sewelrs Point
before they took the alarm.
While the engagement WIS going on be-
tween the two frigatcs and the Virgin il, the
enemy steam f. gate Minnesota put out from
Old Point to their assistance. She laid well
over to Newport News, but not entirely ont
ct tho range Of our batteries on Sewall's
Point, which opened on her, with what effect
We arc unable to say, but she replied to them
without any damage whatever. THE Mime
sofa got aground when within about mile or
two Of Newport News Point. There she
stuck. unable to get of, while the Confeder-
ate steamers Patrick Henry and jamestown
IEtN 3FA LEI h3tA U1LlEI4E1+ Willie LUG
Virginia was attending to the shore batteries
at Newport News.
The frigatc St Lawrence then came up to
The assistance Of the Minnesota, and she also
got aground, and steam fr1gate, supposed
to be the Roanoke, put off from Old Point
with the same intention, 1t il supposed, but
seeing the sad hayoe which the Virginia was
plaIiDE with the Federal vessels, she put
hack 10 Old Point. The Minnesota aud St.
Lawrence, we learn. are hard aground and in
the power Of the Virginia, at high tide, as the
| latter vessel was ut Scwalrs Point after the
tngsgement, where she remained on satur-
day night, ready to commence on them on
Sunday morning. She is between them and
| all assistance from Old Point.
| The Egatc Congress was set fire to, on
Saturday night, By boats crew from some Of
our vessels. She illumined the whole Roads
and river, and shout midnight her magazine
exploded with tremendous noise Her con
| faGration afforded a rare sight to many thou
sands Of spectators who lined the shores of
o,tr harbor to witness the spectacle of ship
ON fire. Many articles OF value, re learn,
were removed from her by cur guuboats be
fore being fired
| Tugs and steamers were sent to the assist.
ance Of the Minnesota and st. Lawrence from
Old Point, after they grounded, but their er
| forts to haul them of were unayailipg. The
inst gun fred in the engagement is said tu
have been By the Confederate gunboat Beau
tort, at the frigate Congress. All Of on,
steamers and gunbuats are said to have beer
managed with the utmost skill and dcxtetity
rendering great assistance to the Virginia II
this magnificent and successful engagement
| Of thp nnern1- in E;i1o1 ana Tnnn5oa +honEf
it is believed to have been very grcat. Ou
total loss in killed and wounded, IS far IS III
can learn, is nine killed and twelve wounded
most Of them slightly.
this city on Saturday nieht T,,cs3: werr ~ Il i
tols, II 41,o f.;a.a+a T,naae tss nSit ~
Rranfr4 1rb;1a onr ntSar ~ one n', -
others, One of tiese n,;soners dia5 Ehs1a -, -,
lis way to the city. He and another on n.
tFt,nnd91 xere shot I,r thair nr.n for.,.s ,rt;,
lpinyr saved from fhe s;nEino fr;,ntc Gon,,ress
The wonnt7n1 nr;snnars %ars ear,;e5 r. r. r.
1,osnital ~ -1
The Yirrinia had tvo men Killed and sorn,
6rc nr wnnnded sh"4 sntaeed Nv evn.' Tn.s
Hne ana ssrnct TIE .,rn 3n te r,e1ia IL En, poi.
ine Of a niscn nin IN ;ne1,es I ~ 1onW Taia nn4 dss :
| bled the gun, which was immcdisfe1y renlece,
h7 another Of thcsame caiihrn CaT,f RncIa1
an and Lieut. Minor. Of the Vi,v;nia aTe 81;
to be wounded. the former Slightly. thc latte
severely. $500
On board the Patrick Henry. a shot cntera
one Of her perts, m " NC T uadcrstaud. e and e pas5e
through one Of her boilers. disabling il. Sh
was compelled to haal of temnoraTi1y for r.
pairs. There were four men killed and fhrr
wounded on board of l,rr. Other fisyuane m
| m1teTinl On 1lrArf f}7a nunhnaf Rsfe5nf
Midshipman Hatter was lzi11ed rc nn;icTsta5d
thouch We did not learn of anv osber casns1
lies, The james river etcomers aTT;rad at ~
scene Of action. IL is sas,l. shout ona bau- sf+e
thc cnra1c,ncnt cnmmance5 Tha," Nv. ,as;i as;i
| missed fhs New1,nrt News I,ottcr;as s1,a a.
fninin1, in tt,. f;;rt rnne1n err "a ,a;st -;
Rv his darinr exnioif re bavc ra;sad -, ~
lanes rirer hioctpie. .r1tbnnf fnraie,, esa;st
a1,re and ere 1il[s1T viii Tho ass;s1onca :
Tho v;r.rin;e to 1-eao nncn 4he Commute.
lion. ~f = ~e1 -AA- '>A~'
Several sma11 nr;zes wcre s.;d Il, 1,.ra h.,
taken hr p11 ~ ~ ~ oo "
of XhicI, thc schoonarps;, "
IN to tfs N.yvTsra ~, Sstrrlo,, ,,;a1st Ias -.
/ ofhnrs xere s3i5 -, ha<e .< s,aas, a.u,5
!; Pip poi,,t nm S,tnrd.v snatfa.n ,.aans. ~ =
hear ssvs that hnt tun narrnne ra.,a f1,ia5
:, board The Yirr;nia. Andrea ! D.3to,
+ printer, who LEFT our Office a few days since
, ,ofn the Virginia and Who Hroe ~ 4ha 6o ~,
t i,srdnrrt n anrtcr and ~ -; oo
4 ernra1 n+hsr anaaaa,nants Ias:pk .t'a ~. ~ ~
Q 3aa~a .rns 80 e f1.a L.1,s5aI w ~:
IS rassat ~, se4a',5 =. ane "oo1oeo oa ooara IN
Is fsSsel ~ eaeusoas.
e a,I e es a1.a. MaS fene"ea asaln On su1
Z nc jamestown and several Of our gunboat
Z ht1ng into tue M1nnesota and St. Lawrence
At high water wt expect the Virginia will pa
e her respects to those vessels.
i Since the above Was written, VIC have bee
+ enabled to gather some additioaal particular
- Some detention occurred on board the vi
4 ginia On Sunday morning, we learn, or 81
+ would have commenced the engagement mut