Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-10
The President views the
Affair from q Tug!
FROM NC CLELLAN'S ARMY
BATTLE AT WEST POINT !
The hardest Battle Of the PEN
lnsUla.
The REBELR TOTALLY DEFEATEDI
Last Nights Rspert.
PROaI FORTRRss MONROR.


Point moving slowly forward and firing. The
enemy are also firing briskly from Sewalls Point
at the Monitor and shells are falling thickly
around her. Crany Island is also Joining in the
fight and has just thrown several shells at the
Monitor, one of which exploded directly over
her. The Monitor moved steadily forward, Oc-
casionally firing and receiving shells and shot
from the rebel Batteries with perfect indifference.
The Monitor has fallen back and lays alongside
the Susquehanna, probably for the purpose of
communicating with her. The Nauga uckin the
meantime has been throwing shells into Pig Point
and the feet has also thrown some shells In the
same direction.
Els P M-The Monitor and Decotah are moving
along again slowly up the mouth Of the Elizabeth
river.
A dense blaSk smoke has commenced to arise from
SeWRls Point, indicating that incendiary shells
thrown there have fired the barracks.
The Deeotah continues to throw her shells directly
into the Point The vessels by constantly changing
their positions destroy the range 81 the rebel gun
ners. They are however making quite determined
hght from their works, giving Us almost shell for
SHE'LL shot for shot.
The Monitor has laid out of sction for nearly an
hour, and Is probably cooling her guns.
The Zip Raps battery has the range Of seWalPs
Point perfectly.
2s45 P. M-The Merrimao now makes her ap
pearance on the scene. She has just passed from
behind Sewalls Point, and Is slowly running
down towards the Federal feet. Simultaneous
ly, with the appearance of the MeTrimao, the
Monitor started from behind the wooden vessels,
and moMXsa M pR II @eeki tes E 8s the MonlloT
and Naugatuck, who are now in the approaching
path of the Merrimao.
TIE vessels Of the feet had been lying quietly
at anchor for the last half hour, when the signal
from the flagship ordered Them all to return
San Jacinto, Seminole, Dacotah, and the Moni-
tor bringing up the rear, all apparently using the
greatest speed towards the fort.
10 the spectators this seemed rather mortihying
but as they moved down in q line the Monitor
was seen to halt, and the San Jacint0 and DaeO-
| tab also followed her example, leaving the Sus-
quehannah and Seminole moving ahead. The
four steamers and the Monitor having taken their
position the Merrimac also halted and the I've
vessels stoJd thus not more than g mile and
half apart. The Merrimae apparently unWill
/ ing to come further down and the Monitor IN
willing go further UP. The Minnesota also steam
ed up In front Of the Fortress wharf, followed by
| the Vanderbilt, when both stopped
After laying in this position some time, the
Minnesota turned round aud steamed back, and
| the Vanderbilt, without turning, slowly backed
water down the river. Whilst the manRuFering
was going on, firing had entirely ceased from ell
s30P. M.-The Merrimac now turns round and
steams back toward Norfolk, with her rebel flag
flying.
Herrimac, and the Monitor starts towards the
i mouth of Elizabeth river, ....
The Dacotah Is now within easy range Of Sew
/ ALPS Point, but the batteries there do not open
on her. She and the Monitor have both stopped,
Il and the Merrimac is lying stationary about q
1 mile from the CrRney Island batteries.
Here commenced an important movement which
1 cannot be made public just now.
The Vanderbilt vnd Arago have now steamed up in
| front Of the wharf The Merrimsc has run back un-
der the guns Of Craney Island, and the Monitor Is
steaming on towards her at full sped. The Mime
sofa Is also coming up again at full speed The effort
being to daW the rebels out again. For the past two
hours the deet has been moving back and forward,
but the Merrimac sti Hes under the guns Of Craney
TES Minnesota, Arago and vanderbilt have
gone back to their anchorage and there Is no
prospect of fight TO night.
The troops are going aboard the transports and
the war vessels, including, the Monitor have all
returned to their anchorage.
The President viewed the action from g tug
He has Just returned and as he passed up the
wharf he was cheered by the troops. r..-
Our feet having retired the Merrimao is again
stesming uot. The Monitor, Dacotah and Nau-
gatuck, however are stil in position on SsWalla e
An officer OF the Seminole states that the rebel
flagstaff on SeWalps Point was twice shot away
/ during the bombardment The first time Il fell
Il was picked NJ BY a rebel in a red shirt, who
jumped on the ramparts with stump OF the stan
and the flag, and waved It, when another shell
struck him, killing him, and, II ssuPPosed, Others
OF the many shots fred at the fleet by the reb
els, not one struck any of our vessels, seme
went over their masts, but most fell short.
The rebels could be distinctly seen from the
vessels carrying of their dead and wounded.
LATER FROM YORKTOWN.
1 learn by steamer from Yorktown that Gen
McCleilrn has advanced u miles beyond VII
| liamsburg and hes had several skirmishes witt
] | the enemy, routing them with heavy loss;
The embarkation Of troops for West Point wa
. progressing with great rapidity, and heavy bat
: | lie had taken place on Wednesday afternoon be
tween the troops under Gems. Franklin and sedg
wick and the rebels under Gen. Lee, who Werl
endeavoring to make their wayto Richmond /
is said to have been the severest battle fought OF
the Pepinsula, and the rebels were totally de
tested and fAnked, being driven back toward
!, the forces under Gen. johnson, on the Chicka
: homny.
8 The whole number Of fsdsrals killed and Wounds
; 1 was 800. The enemy were driven back BY our gun
BOATS with great slaughter. They had not less thai
$1,000 men, whilst our whole force not over 700
landed Had It not been for the gunbOatB they Woul
3 have been defeated
. DeserterB from the enemy ranks report that ther
was gieat excitemen: at Norfolk q IS morning. oo
casioned by q rumor that Gen. Burnside, with laTg
force was within few miles Of Weldon, and that th
rebel troops were eyacuating the city with all poaan
speed. sswRlrs and Pig Points, they say are alread
b abandoned, and preparations making TO oeetro
: the Navy Yard and other public property.