, 1862-05-26
THE MERRlMac AID Her EXPLOITS.
In luside IlcW Of. tie Rebel Monster
Statements Of Rer Grew.

In Inside I1cw -af tie Rebel Monster
Statements Of Her Crew.
We find In the Philadelphia IAQxizr, the |
euhjoined account Of the exploits of TIC Mez- /
r1lnac in Hampton Roads. It is derived from
the statements Of two Of tue crew Of that ves- |
Eel, Who escaped With forty others at the time /
Of the explosion, aud having made their way
to Fortress Monroe, Herc sent thence to Phil t
adelphia- One Of these iugitivcs is from Pts |
cataquis county, Maine, aud the other from |
Louisville, Kentucky:
PREPARING FOR ACTION.
Aflcr having the dry dock ct Norfolk the |
Mer5imac laid nine days under the shears at
the Navy Yard; heior. she l,:f she was slush- |
ed all oTer VITA gr>as@; This was done every
time attcrwasts Whenever sue expected to 50 |
into an engagement When The vessel left |
the Navy Yafd at Norfolk, Previous to the |
tight with the Noui.u Lo'u1a asdJrr Bn:hanan
made the to1ao~ir:s sH'sc'' 10 :hc :nen, the
crew being ca!!ed t, quarters: "S.ilors and
soldiers: !" :'he SecTet;ry Of the Navy has
llaced 1.- in co.n1us,!u af *1s= squadron of
Virgins all eyes ara turned Epon you today;
the people ii the South expects every man 10 |
Go his duty and more than his duty" Calling |
the attcn,inr o1 the men TO The Federal YES !
two vessels, fhc Cumberland and Congress,
are worth ovcr raillion dollars apiece, We
are s.irE down to destroy or capture them. /
Many OF Sou have families and 6resides at
home: there may br others who have not
these Inducements, but, recol1ect whether VIC
sink or capture those vessels, your prize
money will be the same. No matter whether
you capture or destroy them, your compensa-
to maintain you comfortably for life. Every
man to his post In a few minutes more you
Will be in action"
TIE ATTACK On TIE CUMBERLAND.
Decks were then cleared for action, and the
guns hauled in and loaded. She then proceed
cd down the stream, the decks in perfect 81
lence and every man in his place As she
passed Oh to the Cumberland, the shore bat
itry opened on her with much rigof, but
elected no reply from tho Merinlac- Soon
after her bow gun was discharged at the Cnm-
hcrlaud, when within few hundred yards;
then the Commodore shouted, stand bS inc
etarboard battery" and his words were IT,
peatcd hy the FIRST Lieutensnt, c. G. Jones.
The Cumberland returned the fire. The whole
broa6sidc cf the Cumberland was fired at once,
which somewhat staggered the Merrimac,
without doing any !patsEia 1p 5 damage a..
command: Fire as soon as your guns are
brought to bear.'' The First Lieutenant ran
along the decks saying: "Depress your
guns" Aim st the tFater inc!'' "Heave
IlG QlaiRlGlSL.' cuc kuEu E0utAAuEA w Alc
her bow gun as she passed the Cum
ber1and, aud then wore round to port.
But three shots we're fired by the bow gun
up the time she ran into be Cumberland.
The Cumberland was then sinking, when the
Merrim4c poured her broadside into her aud
left her. The order was then passed to Cease
firing" The Commodore then said: Boys,
we've destroyed the hated Cumberland; ane
is fest setuing;'' During this ttme there was
no noise or excitement on board the Merri-
mac, but each man kept his position, the guns
being admirably worked
EFFECT OF TIE CCMBERLASD'S FIRE.
At the time the Merimac backed ont, after
striking the Cumberland, a shell from the lat
ter struck Ern No. 9 Oh the Merrimac, break
ing about two feet of the n1uzz!c Of the gun,
and killed the first loader and wounded TWO
Others. At the commencement OF the action
with the Cumberland the broadside from tie
latter carried away two boats hauled up or
the side Of the Merrimac. Directly after the
1otdtr was killed at gun No. 2thc first sponse1
OF The bow gun was killed BY tie sharpshoot
crs g! the Cumberland, who were on the rig
:ing. During this action a ehe1l from tht
Cumberland struck the chaiR-cable directly II
tl.e lla&sc-pipe, cutting it in two and dropping
the anchor Pieces Of the chain struck by TIL
eacll, ~oaEdcd TWO ofthe men on tue MetTi
mac the shock knocking down aud stunnin:
every 1uan standing near: Lieutenant Jonc
remarked during tie action :: - Boys, they r
giving OUT suoEe~st1ck he1l.''
THE ATTACK on THE CONGRESS.
No attempt was made by Commodore Bu
chanau to aaTe any portisn Of the crew Of tn
Cumt.rland. Alter leaving the Cuulberlan
the Commodore Of the MerTinac came dow
from thu spar deck aud said, Boys, We hav
flushed ole of them, aud now hrlug your gun
to bear Oh the Congress- She then proceed
ed in the direction Of the Congress, and con
mcnced firing at her. The Congress was tile
agrourd- L1cutcUant Jones Kept ruuniD
~. 3.Au1- T1anr
guns! Depress yonr guns = 'Load viii
white cross shell ~ and pa6sed the word to til
men lavlI:y Charge Of The hot shot guns Il t
load with hut shot for the Congress" Duriu
the firing on either vessel The Commo1oI
would scoll LIS: nu4.la1eds vf .:uss tua. di
not fire to suit him. and would come dow
from his position and give words Of praise I
those WHO fired accuratefy-
The M1crrimac took position about OF
hundred yards from the Congress, and COZ
linucd to pour in broaasidcs On the devote
vessel ut1il she struck her co1ors- The Cor
mGd,1c tl,tn caiue down and directed tue III:
to cease firing on the Congress, and dire,
tlcir guns TO tut batteries On shore, s2Jfu:
1.-THE Congress has surrendered; cease firing
At this time oue Of the men proposed talr'
chctrs, " hich we're about to be giycu, Wht
the Commodore stopped them, aud the Fir
Lieutenant shouted, "No noise; stand
your guue.'' As the Me.ri1nac was hauli1
of trom tue batteries Oh shore, which We
playing Oil her, the Commodore said, ttTl
Congress is hard and fast aground. We ca
NOT get her OFT have sent Lieut. Minor, Il
haG-0thcer, with orders 10 burn her" At th
time the Beaufort, d rebel gl1nboat was 81
oEcr5.
CAPTAIN BCCHANAE WOUNDED.
Is the Beaufort YVES approaching the Co
gress the ritiemen on shore opened IRE on b
AID also on small boat belonging to the M'
rimac. Containing tlie flag officer, the res!
wounded, and smother had lis eye shot Ol
The Commodore then became very much {
cited, ran down among the men. sud ga
<*The ~- scound1e1s have surrendered, q
are firing on our boats; direct your batter
c,oee up 10 The Congress, and fired 3 terri
hro..dside, white dag being displayed ali
time from the Congress, and an officer Tavd
white handkerchief from the deck ct
vessel. The command was then given, 't3ha
Shooters AWAY" when they ran up on
spar deck to return the fire Of the shArpsho
ers On shore It was just then that Cont
dorc Buchanan got wounded In the left tn
III 1iileman tom the shore; he Was Il
eaIra.d btlo" Without making any lems
Before being wounded Lie is reported to b
s I'D. al have a lro1her on the Congress
would llc to get him In my power"
Al this tine the Minnesota and St. L
renee 7serc seen approaching, and commen
:. deck and sald: "Boya, / am eoEry to say
! brave old Commodore Is wounded, bnt
( doctor sa.s rot mortal1y; and As says contl
. fighling, Us be hopcs 70 ee with you BET
! the tight is over yet" Tie Me1ritn2c t
ADVANCED to meet the approaching yesse7
Mipoesota aud S. La~rence-and all tt
vessels opened fire At this time the fl
war very general and terrific from ali di
tions. Sh. received the broads,des of til
vessels. and passed on TO her destin.tioi
SewAn's Point
THE S.GuT AF1EE TILE FIGHT,
On arriving III Sewalls Point the Com
dore expressed desire TO he carried on d.
to eee the burning of the Congress, which
sel was then O., fire, bu the doctor refd
By this lime night was fast setting in.
ing the night I'LL the rebel gunhoats anch,
around the Merri1nac aud continued .r.
11g backwards and forwards took place. II
jolliticasion, drinking, &C., was Kept Il!
Night All the officers, and many Of the
vert drunk. Grog was set out for the I
and every license given for them 70 do as