Litchfield enquirer., 1862-03-13
Timely Arrival of the Ericsson Battery.
She Engages shs whole Rebel Fleet.
Ss1,'a'e1sdel. Of 1he CO1aga.e


 - She Engages the whole Rebel Fleet EERRlF7c FIGHT BETWEEN THE MoN- NiIa IToR AND MERRIAAc.
 RETREAT OF THE LATTER.
 THE MONITOR READY TO TRY IT AGAIN.
 s..s.s PARTICULARS OF THE AFFAIR."
 sFoaTsEss MONROE, March g.
 The duiiness Of Old Point was startled to-day by the announcement, that suspicious looking vessel supposed to be the Merrimac, looking like a submerged house, with the roof only above water, was moving down from Norfolk by the channel in front of the Sewali's Point batteries Signal guns were also fired by the Cumberland and Congress to notify the Minnesota, St. Law renee, and Roanoke of the approaching danger, and all was excitement in and about Fortress Monroe. .s
 There was nothing protruding above the wa ter, but flag staff flying the rebel flag, and a and turned into the channel leading to Newport News and steamed direct for the frigates Cum berland and Congress, which were lying at the mouth of James River. is.a fW
 As soon as she came within range of the Cum berland, the latter opened on her with her heavy guns, but the balls struck and glanced off having no more effect than peas from a pop gun, Her ports were all closed and she moved on in. silence, but with full head of steam. In the meantime, as the Merrimac was approaching the two frigates on one side, the rebel iron clad steamers Yorktown and Jamestown came down the James River, and engaged our frigates on the other side. The batteries at Newport News also opened on the Yorktown and Jamestown, and did all in their power to assist the Cumber- la, Lns,, were at the mercy of the approaching steamers. The Merrimac in the meantime kept steadily on her course and slowly approached the Cumber land, when she and the Congress at the distance of 100 yards, rained full broadsides on the iron clad monster that took no effect, glancing up- wards and flying off, having only the effect of checking her progress for moment.
 After receiving the first broadside of the two frigates, she ran on to the Cumberland, striking her about midships, and literally laying open her sides. She then drew off and fired a broad | eide into the disabled ship, and again dashed against her with her iron prov, and knocking in her left side left her to sink, while she engaged the Congress, which lay about quarter q mile distant. The Congress had in the meantime, kept up sharp engagement with the Yorktown | and Jamestown, and having no regular crew on board of her, seeing the hopelessness of resist l ing the iron clad steamer, at once struck her colors. Her crew had been discharged several days since, and three companies of the Naval | Brigade had been put on board temporarily, un- til she could be relieved by the St Lawrence, which was to have gone up on Monday to take her position as one of the blockading vessels of l the James river.
 On the Congress striking her colors, the l Jamestown approached and took from on board | of her all her officers as prisoners, but allowed the crew to escape in boats. The vessel being thus cleared was fired by the rebels, when the Merrimac and her two iron clad companions, opened with shell and shot on the heNewpOrt News batteries. The firing was briskly returned.- | Various reports have been received, principally | from frightened suffers clerks Some of them represent that the garrison had been compelled to retreat from the batteries to the woods An other was that the two smaller rebel steamers had been compelled to retreat from their guns. In the meantime the steam frigate Minnesota, having partly got up steam, was being lowed up to the relief of the two frlgates but did not get up until it was too late to assist them. She was also followed up by the frigate st. Lawrence which was taken in tow by several of the small harbor steamers. It is however, rumored that neither of these vessels had pilots on board of | them, and after short engagement, both of them seemed to be in the opinion of the pilots l on the point, aground. The Minnesota, either Intentionally or from necessity, engaged the three steamers at about mile distance wit h on | ly her two bow guns. The St. Lawrence also poured in shot from all the guns she could bring to bear, and it was the impression of the most experienced naval officers on the point that both had been considerably damaged, These state ments it must be borne in mind, are all based on what could be seen by glass at distance of nearly eight miles, and few panic stricken | non combatants who fled at almost the first gun from Newport News.--ag .l fa dsz- 10 In the meantime darkness approached, though the moon shone brightly, and nothing but the occasional flashing of guns could be seen. The Merrimac was also believed to be aground as she remained stationary at distance of a mile from the Minnesota, making no attempt to at. tack or molest her.
 Previous to the departure of the steamer for Baltimore no guns had been fired for half an hour, the last one being fired from the Minneso ta Some persons declared that immediately l after this last gun was fired dense volume of vapor was seen to rise from the Merrimac, indi- eating the explosion of her boiler. Whether this IS so or not cannot be known, but it was the universal opinion that the rebel monster was hard aground, fears were of course entertained for the safety of the Minnesota and St. Lawrence | in such an unequal contest, but if the Merrimac was really ashore she could do no more damage It was the intention of the Minnesota with her picked and gallant crew, to run into close quar- ters with the Merrimac, avoid her iron brow and board her. Fms the Merrlmac seemed not ln- clined to give her any opportunity to do | At 8 o'clock when thea;Baltimore boat left, a fleet of steam tugs were being sent up to the re- 1 lief of the Minnesota and the St. Lawrence, and an endeayor was to be made to draw them of the bar on which they had grounded. In the meantime the firing had suspended, whether l from mutual consent or necessity, could not be | ascertained H r j,7 'aFf @l
 | The rebel battery at Pig Point was also ena. | bled to join in the combined attack on the Min nesota, and several guns were fired at her from Sewall Point as she went up.-r None of them struck her, but one or two of them passed over her. ''Sf'4.F a'.+-'.'t ..
 The Baltimore boat left Old Point at o'clock last night. In about half an hour after she left the wharf the iron clad Ericsson steamer Moni- tor passed her, going in, lowed by large stea- mer. The Monitor undoubtedly reached For tress Monroe by 9 o'clock, and may have imme- diately gone into service; if not she would be l ready to take hand early on Sunday morning. 1 The Merrimac is understood to have been un- der the command of Commandant Buchanan. I late of the navy yard. .. ..... ..... ar LATER AND BETTER!
 | DISPATCH TO GEN. MCCLELLAN. Hss WASHINGTON, March 9. l The following was received tonight by Major General Mcclellan from General Wool, dated Fortress Monroe, at o'clock this evening: 1.-Two hours after my telegraphic dispatch to arrived. She immediately went to the assist kl.. N .