Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-03-19
Official Report Of Lieut.. Pendergrast OF
the Congress.

AsHINGroN. March l2-The official re-
port OF Lieut. Pendergrast of the Congress.
addressed to Commander Marston. has been
forwarded 10 the Navy Department. Lieut..
Pendergrast states That owing to the death
OF the late commanding officer. James B.
Smith 1t becomes my painful duty to make
report to Jra Of the part which the United
States trigate Congress took in the efforts Of
our vessels at Newport News tn repel the at
tack Of the rebel iotilla en- the Sth inst
The report states that, when the Nerrimac
and three small gunboats were seen stcaming
down from Norfolk, and had approached near
enough to discover her character. the shin
was cleared for action. At ten minutes be.
fcre O'clock, the Merrimac opened with her
bow gun with Crane, passing on the starboard
side at distance Of about three hundred
yards, receiving our broadsde and giving one
IN return. After passing the Congress, she
ran into and sunk the sloop-ofwar Cumher-
land. The smaller vessels then attacked US.
killing and wounding many of our crew. See
ing the fate Of the Cumberland. we set the
lib and top-sail, and, with the assistance of
the tugboat Zouave, ran the vessel ashore.
At half past . o'clock, the Mcrrimac took a.
position astern Of us, at a distance Of about
one hundred and fifty yards, and raked US
fore and aft with shells while one of the small
steamers kept up q fire on our starboard quar-
ter.
In the meantime the Patrick Henry and
Thgr1as Jefferson (rehel steamers) approach
ed US from up the James river, firing with
precision, and dCius great damage. Our
two stern guns were our only means of de
fence. These were soon disabled. one being
dlsmounted, and the other having its muzzl le
knocked away. The men were knocked away
from them with great rapidity and slaughter
by the terrible FIRE of the enemy
Lieut.. PendergTast first learned Of the death
OF Lieut.. Smith at 4! clock. The death haI .
pened ten minutes previous. Seeing that our
men were being killed without the prospect
Of any relief from the Minnesota, which yes
sci had run ashore in attempting to get up to
Us from Hampton Roads; and not being able
to get single gun to bea- upon the enemy,
and the ship being on fire in several places
upon consultation with Commander VIM
Smith. we deemed it proper to haul down
our cQlors without any further loss of life on
our part We were soon boarded by an Off
Ger OF the herrimac, who said he would take
charge Of the ship, lie left shortly after
wards. and a small tug came alongside, whose
captain demanded that we should surrender
and get out of the ship as he intended to burn
her Immediately. A sharp FIRE with muskets
and artillery vas maintained from our troops
ashore upon the tug. having the effect Of dri-
Wing her off. The Merrimac again opened on
US, then left US and engaged the Minnesota
and the shore batteries After which Lieut..
PcnderGrast states the wourded were taken
ashore in small boats, the ship having been
on fire from the beginning ofthe action, from
the hot shot fred by the Merrmac He re.
ports the death of the following aficers: Lieut.
Joseph 3. Smith, Acting Master Thomas
Moore, end Pilot VIM. Rhodes