Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-03-20
sesnnas "a tha cumberland.

wTheeaas of the Merimac did terrible
execution on the Cumberland. Bravo tars
on board the latter report that almost at
the moment of the first collision the Mer-
p;mac discharged from her forward gun an
.j.v,n.incb she'll It rsked the whole
puu deck. killing ten men at gun No. l,
among whom was Master Mate John Har-
rinrton, and cutting off both arms and
both legs of Quarter gunner Wood. The
second time the Aerrimac came up she
again raked the Cumberland with q heavy
frs. AT ibis FIRE sixteen men at gun No.
10 were killed or wounded, and all were
carried down in the sinking ship. The
secoud crash stove another hole below the
water line.
The ship now began to rapidly settle,
and the scene became most horrible. The
cockpit was filled with the wounded, whom
il was impossible 10 bring up. The for
ward magazine was under water, but pow
der was sill supplied from the after mag
aazine, and the fireipg kept steadily up by
men who knew the ship was sinking under
them. They worked desperately and un-
,ssmitinely, amidst The din and horrors of
the conflict gave cheers for their flag and
the Upion, which were joined in by the
wounded. The decks were slippery with
blood, and arms and legs, and chunks of
hesh were strewn about. The Merrimac
laid. off at easy point blank range, discharg-
ing her broadsides alternately at the Cum
bsrIand and Congress. The water by
this time had reached the after magazine
of the Cumberland. The men however,
kept at work, and several cases of powder
were passed up and the gus kept in play.
Several of the men in the after shell room
fingered there too long in their eagerness
to pass up shells and were drowned. The
reader must bear in mind that these Incl
dents of the fight which we briefly detail,
occupied some time in transpiring, it being
about one hour and half from the time
of the first attack upon the Cumberland
until she finally sank.
The water had by this time reached the
berth or the main gun deck, and it was
felt hopeless and useless TO continue the
fight longer. The word was given for
each man to save himself; but after this
ordsr gun No. was fired when the ad,
Joining gun No. 6, was actually underwa-
Ter. This last shot was fred by an active
little fellow named Matthew Tenpy, whose
courage had beer conspicuous throughout
the action. As his port was left open by
the recoil Of the gun, he jumped to scram-
bic out, but the water rushed in with SC
much force he was washed back and drown
ed. s~,--. -,-
When the order was given to cease fire
ing and to look out for their safety in the
best way possible, numbers scampered
through the port holes. whilst others reach
ed The spardeck by the companions-ways
Some were incapable TO get out by either
of these means. and were carried down by
the rapidly sinking ship. Of those who
reached the upper deck some swan off to
the tugs that came out from Newport
News, some, kept afioat by seizing floating
fragments of the wreck, others escaped 1t
= ,he rigging and masts, and still Others
sank never to rise again.
The whole number lost of the Cumber
lands crew was one hundred and twenty
of which number about thirty were drown
ed. Only two Of her officers were lost
Masters Mate Harrington, killed by th'
first shot, and the Rev. Mr.. Leinhardt
who was drowned.