The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-11

None of her crew ventured at that time on her
outside to replace them, and she fought thence
forward with only her pennant flying She
appeared to obey her helm and be very readily
handled, making all her movements and eyolu.
tions with facility and readiness. We had
fired six or eight broadsdes, when shot was
received from Of her guns which killed
five of our marines.
1t was impossible for our vessel to get out
of her way, and the Merrimac soon crashed her
iron horn or ram into the Cumberland. inst
starboard the main chains, under the bluff of
the port bow, knocking hole into the side
near the water line as large as the head of
hogshead. and driving the vessel back upon
her anchors with great force. The water came
rushing into the hold. The Merrimac then
backed out ard discharged her guns at us, the
shot passing through the main bay and killing
five sick men. The water was all the while
rushing into the hole made by the ram, so that
IN five minutes it was up to the sick bav on
berth deck In the mean time her broadsides
swept our men away, killed and manned, and
also set Our vessel on fire in the forward part.
That firc was extinguished. 1 cannot tell how
many were wounded. The sick bay, berth and
gun deck were almost literally covered with
men Killed and wounded, but the surviving
ones still fought well, and every one, officers
and men, displayed the utmost heroism.
The fight lasted about three fourths of an
hour the Cumberland firing rapidly, and all
the time the water pouring into the hold, and
ny and 10y the ports, as her bow kept sinking
deeper and deeper Near the middle of the
hight, when the berth deck of the Cumberland
had sunk below water, one of The crew of the
Mcrrmac came out of port to the outside Of
her iron plated ROOT, and ball from one of our
guns instantly cut him in two. That was the
last and only Confederate that ventured within
sight; the rest remained in their safe, IRON
walled enclosure. We fired constantly. and
the Merrimac OCCASIONALLY, but every shot told
upon our wooden vessel and brave crew. Her
guns being without the least elevation, pointed
straight at us along the surface of the water
and her nearness, she being much of the time
within three hundred yards, made it an easy
matter to send each ball to its exact marx
Probably her guns would be useless at con-
siderable distance, as it appears impossible to
elevate them
Finally about three quarters of an hour of
the most severe fighting, our vessel sunk-the
stars and stripes still waving. That flag was
finally submerged; but after the hull grounded
on the sand, fifty-fonr feet below the surface of
the water, our pcnnant was still fving from
the topmast above the waves None of our
men were captured, bit many were drowned
as the vessel went down. We had about four
hundred on board, and suppose from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred were killed
during the engagement and drowned at tbe
sinking. Lieut.. George V. Maurice was in
command of the Capt. Radford BEING
absent on the Roanoke at court of INQUIRY.
and, though he hurried back to reach bis vessel
he could not arrive till after she had sunk.
Very few of our men swan ashore. most Of
those who were rescued from the water being
saved by small boats. The Merrimac seemed
to be un:nJured, although her small boats and
flag staff were shot away in the commencement
of the action
A SOLDIERS LIFE SAVED BY A TESTAMENT.