Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-17

- eo"IPiCte!J TluUleQ the Minnesota,
ano uisaoied the st. Lawrence and Monitor,
IS oeessuues' as stated above, destroying several
VI the enemys gunboats-ln n word having
accomplished all that they designed. and
having no more material to work upon. our
NOBLE vessels left the scene of their triumphs
anu returned to the yard. where they await
another opportunity of displaying their pow
mo enemy's loss, killed and wounded,
uurlhg the two days battle, is exceedingly
large and estimated at from six to twelve
hundred. The scene around the Congress is
represented as being heart sickening. The
0nlcers of the Beaufort, who ran alongside of
aer on Saturday night, and whosboarded her
if the purpose of removing the wounded
aooard other, and who were brutally fired
upon by the enemy, y lille engaged in this
work OF mercy to their own kith and kin,
represented tbs deck of the vessel as being
literally covered with the dead and DYING
Ohe OF them assures US that as ne went from
fore to aft, his shoes were we'll nigh buried in
blood and brains. Arms, legs and heads
we're found scattered in every direction, while
mere and there, in the a~sonies o fdeath, would
De found poor, deluded wretches, with their
breasts torn completely out.
vi the crew of the Cumberland, but few
- W VII GlIC lhlC. "A SllC hcjtL dbNI
her crew went with her, excepting some few
who were taken as prisoners by US, and a few
others who escaped to the shore. Out of the
i've hundred aboard of her, it is estimated
that not over a hundred at most escaped, the
remainder either being killed by our shot or
drowned as the vessel went down.
VI course the greater part of those on board
the g%unboats were also drowned, as there was
not sufficient time for them to have made
thelr escape. Added to this, very many in
the camps of the enemy at Newport News
were Killed by the shells which the Virginia
$ threw among them.
4 On Our side the loss was indeed small, and
: when We consider the storm ofshell, to which
d at times they were subjected, we can but
r wonder whilo we rejoice that SO few Of them
suffered Injury.
e On the Virginia there were two killed ant
eight wounded. Among the wounded, We
regret to mention Capt. Buchanan and Lieut.
= Minor. These wounds, however, we are hap
Ply to state, are but Slight.
o On the Raleigh, Midshipman Hutter wa:
IF killed and Captains Tayloe and Alexander
wounded, the first mentioned quite sever ely
On the Beaufort, Gunner w. Robinson ant
: two seamen were wounded. This was al
lie the damage sustained by this vessel amoag
m her men. Two Yankee prisoners aboard o
Id her were struck by the balls Of their friends
IS one of them killed and the other ~severel,
ct wounded.
* On the Teaser one man was wounded yer
h slightly.
n On the Patrick Henry, four men were xii
IS ed and three wounded. While the loss {
the enemy is connted by hundreds, ours, a
to will be seen from the above, amounts to onl
so seven killed and seventeen wounded. Tn
ed loss on our part, as small as it is, was not til
Mt work of the enemy's shots from their vessel
ut but the result for the most part Of the fire
as muskets from there.
ut The report that the Congress was fired b
the Federals to prevent her falling into oil
on hands, is without a shadow Of truth. ST
ne was fred by hot shot from the Virginia, f
lie firing into our boats while she bad a flag
er truce at the time flying, after she had struc
f. her coldrs and surrendered to US.
of On the arrival of the Virginia at the Var
ur her men were mustered and addressed b
on the commanding officer in terms of praise fl
re their noble bearing during the engagement
re They responded with hearty cheers and ex
pressed a desire to again re-enact the scene
through which they had just passed when
m ever opportunity presented.
ef- The injury sustained by the Patrick Hel
ry was not as great as at first supposed
is being so trihing that a few hours repair
tie were sufficient to place her in readiness ft
action.
to The officers of the Virginia are representa-
ill as having acted with the utmost couras
to and bravery during the contest. 1t is rel
S. ted of Captain Buchanan that during tt
thickest of the fight he remained on tt
he deck of the Virginia. and that he discharge
is musket after musket at the enemy as the
of were handed up to him. 1t was while tn
exposed that he received the wound of whic
mention is made above.
1t is said that all of the batteries on Ne
on ports News were silenced except one al
he that our shot and she'll were thrown wi
is, such unerring aim and precision among t
ce. enemy that great numbers of them we
he killed and wounded.
or
INF FrRTRFR PARTICULARS.