Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1862-03-14
IMPORTANT PROM FORTRESS
bIOAROb.
THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE CF
SATURDAY.
FULL y4.AE LATERESTIYG P.aRTIC-
UL.4kS.
The Congress Barnt and Blown up.

The Congress Barnt and Blown up.
FoRrREss NoNaoE, March g. The long
tzpeelsd rebel steamer MsFr itnae has at last
made her appearance, aud yesterday aftorpooh,
VITA The assistance Of two gnn-b9ats shich
cane opt wish her from Norfolk, aut the james
town and Ycstown whi,h eamo down FROM
tic James river, made al attack upoa Newport
News ana tbe uayul vessels sta'iouvd s. tast
place.
The M4.riaa3 was FIRST seen from the ran
p3r,s OF Fortres- MoDroe, on b r way 10 New
port News, at about quarter before I o'coek
Tvs rebal gun-to.ts icLowed her. Taeg an
carried tue Confederate fl e at the stern. Tee
/ gua boats haa ttcuch flg Al tue na bead,
aud the Mcryim. e h-d f at her bows, which
was descFlbed Is some Ccmuodoye's 4 2,
aud s. Others IS q black fig.
She ppear.d to be very low IN the water.-
| Her sides, bow, and stern were covered ni.h
sloping iron p.agcs extending two tet tow
| lbs water line, aud meeting above Ike tie
roof Of a aoase. n ber b0Es ou tie aager
Ina weretg sharp it0n poiuts resembling
plaagas about sizor seven tsut apart
Her eGus are estlasz,ld .t twelve, bot she
might lot h4ye had Sc many. At her b5ws
two guDs vsso seen projecting f.oD bar cliplI
cal port -i.olas. lac desien of the enemy DID
not become eplare.t uuil between ] ard 2
o'elocE, aid by that sine the aIiunezot4 Lad
g5l uoaer way FIR ,hc scene of ae,lon
Pie heauo4e Il y ship having tge1 disabled
! b. tde 0Fcaklug of Ger shaft soma tine since,
was tskeu IL lo@ ay the tag-boats Dfagoa aud
Yoan, AmsriC4. 4 about The same lime The
aIsrn-gtiu Il tic Fortress vas fred, aud he
whole gsrtisJu tnruod car uuder arms. Tue
1'cuIh New York vas briefly I'd 3reY cd by Col.
BeDgoix, pnd all testified tae greatest delight
n The prospect # au action. After beng uU-
der orders fr some time, tie garrison w@s dis
missed uati. iAes shoul5 be wanted.
The reoe, boats steadily pursued taeif say
10 Newport n IS, aud tae Asrrinac soon torn-
ed tire pyu, and vas lost 10 view from the
Fortress, TIE 6gsJ shot WAS fred from the
ffieate Cumberland at .t;!o past O'clock
Tue Sew ll's Point Battery then opened 1pon
the Minnesota, wuieh was passing, aud the
| Sawyer gun at lhc Rip Raps replied With few
| shots at Saw4lfs Point.
4 thick smoke was soon seen to arise above
Newport News Point, indicating that the bat
terry there, as we'll As the Cumberland aud Con-
gress, was engaged.
IS she latter approached th9 Cumberland
she did not pay any atteation 20 the Congress,
tut after firing two guns, struck her 1.-THE Cum
belland) with ber sharp oows, making iaesed
I hole 10 her side ii the water line, seven feet
/ 10 cxtsut.
TIE Cau4heriana inmediately began to sink.
when tie Mermacr lacking short distance,
ran i9to her q second time making another ter
.-It. Al
Gus rate. Sac eontiuued firing until the water
| began to eutar the pott holss and soon after
| she careeued over and finally sank at about
o'clock.
The Newport News battery aud the guns
OF the Cumberland fred continuously upoo
tho Sierriulae, bat no apparent efFsot vas pro,
dnced
The Miuposo,a unfortunately got aground
on the way up and could utfsr but little assist
snce
Shortly before 8 o'clock tho jamestown aud
Yorktown arrived from up the James river
the latter was disabled early 10 the afternoou
BY tbs Cumberland and pat into shore for re-
pairs. After sinking the Cumberland, the
Merriinac turned her attcution to the Congress,
aud IN less han an beur afterwards whlt4
flag wps hois,ed on board the latter
a rebel gun-boat Immediately went along
side Of her, aud the off .ers ond arines being
taken prisoners the sean3o were allowed to os-
cape to shore.
The Uuited States frigste St. lawrence ar
rived here during the afternoon and wilbou;
dropping aucbcr proceeded up the river. Sue
followed the example Of The Mnnesota and
the Rosnoko in firing upon SewaI's Point, but
her shot fell short Ia ike mannOr vita the
others.
The gan-boat Mystic was also towed up IN
the afternoon.
At suudouu the Roanoke, ST. L4vrencs and
Mystic al returued.
After 4 o'eleck the Merrimac continued 10
throw she'll into the camp az Newport News,
while the .sDestown and other rebel enh boats
comm need tiripg upon The Minnesota. The
latter replied as Vigorously as possible aud the
conflict wa. continued without any apparent
efsot uafil dark
During the evening the frigste Congress was
SIT ou fire aud presented Brilliant spectacle.
At midnight she WIS bio@n Up, eausing tre-
nigndous explosion
During tao evening the Ericsson steamer
Monitor arrive vefy oppoitunely aud ii once
proceeded Dp the FLYER, although she was
rot prepared tor aesiun, 10 take her part.