New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-13
OTcisi Reports OF Cur Commanding


w.sHiSG1o- Wcdresday March I2 1872.
The official report Of LEM. Pendererast of the
Congress addressed 20 Commander Matston hes
been forwarded TO fle Navy Department. Lieut..
Peudorgrasi sintes:
Owing TO the death Of the late commanding officer
joeerh u. Smith, it tecomss my painful duty to
make q report 10 you Of the part which tie United
States frgate Congress took IA the efforts Of
sell &, NewTor, Newsto rerelhe attack Of he Rebel
fotDl on TIE sth inst.
The Ieron says tiat zen The Merrirnfc, with
ibr-e nall guu-boats. vas seen stoauing down
from Norfolk and hld aprroscled near enough
70 discover her character, rho ship was cleared for
action. At zen minutes fast two tie Nerrifnac
opened With her bow guu, with grape, passing MS
Oh the st..riolrd side a. q distance Of about 800
yard, receiving our broad. de and giving in
torn. After pacing the Congress, she into and
sunk tie Cumberland Tie smhller vessels then at
tackled us, killing aud woa,6ing many Of our crew.
S,eipq tie Ete Of the Cu4LeilaId, We &c. tie jib
and tops l and, with tie assistance Of lie tas boat
zouava, Ian tie vessel oshCIe. At @fpast TWO the
Merr- &c 10 position astern Of VI, at distance
OF about 80 Yards, fakcd us, fore and 1T, With
she'll, while one OF the rlialer steamers kept up
lire On our rartoaid quarter. In the mean tIfuo the
rauiCk HeoIy and he Thomas jefferson, Rebel
stesner- approached from upihe jane, River firing
WITH precision, and doing u. great damage. Our
two stern guns were our only means o. defense.
ilose were nov ds4ti.d one being dismo united,
and tue ether having iis ml.ale knocked away. The
neu were kuocked away from them with great
ispidiy snd slaughter, by ire terribl, fire OF the
enemy.
Ideui. psndergrast frst learned Of the desth Of
Lieut.. anlib at a. oolooa. Tie death happened ten
minutes previous. seeing talt cur men were being
killed without the pro'peot OF any relief from the
Minnesota, which vessel bad run ashore in attempt.
aug 20 .ct up to us from Hampton Road. not bciDg
able 90 got single gun 70 bear upon the enemy and
soe sbip being on fire in several places, upon con-
sUltai on with Commander WIN. Smiih. We deemed
il proper to haul down colois without any fur.
Their oss of life 90 our part. We were soon boarded
by al officer Of the Mernmac. who said be would
take charge Of the sbip lie left shortly aferward,
and Il s1nan lug came alongside whose captain Dc.
nauded tlAt we shoad surrender and get out Of the
ship, a. 10 intended 10 burn her immediately.
sharp IRE with muskeis and artillery was inain-
tanned from our troops ashore upon the tug, having
the e:sct Of driving her of. The 3lerrimac again
opened upon us, although we had peak to show
chat we were out Of ACTON. Aiier having fired sew
en.i shells into US, the left us and engaged TIE bin.
nesOa and the shore batteries, after which, Lieut..
Pendeferss. states, tie wounded were taken ~ bore
m snH Loats, the ship having been on fire from tie
beclnuiig of the action, from hot shot fired by tie
Merr;nnc. Hc reports The death Of the following
officers: Lieut. Joseph Is. Saith, Acting Master
1h0uSs Moore and Pilot Wul. Rhodes
The allowing extract from the report Of Com.
puryiasce Of the United States fngae ST. Lawrence.
in regard TO the action with the Rebel iotilla al
HauTtou Roads, will prove interesting:
Al 8. we got under way, in tow Of the Cam-
bridge, and, when abrDasi # the Rebel battery al
Sewshs Point the battery opened fire; one Of the
shells exploding fore foot Of The St. Law
renee, doing however, material Injury. The fire
was returned, aud IL is beiieyec with tolne effect.
Tie Cumberland had at t,is Time gone down. having
been lon i1to by too Neriinae, aud the Congress
had surrendered after IS terrible slaughter of her
men, aud wien rendered Perfectly powerless By the
IRE u tie Rebels The Minnesota was aground
and was engaging tie enemy, whose fire consisted oe
Tic Rebel stCam-ran aud four Or five side-whee
gunoosts. When neaf the Minnesoia, the ST. Law
renee groonded, and - tlai time oJened fre but
ger shol did no execution.
i0s a'l.os Of tie Ne,1@ac proved inv aneI;.5le IL