The New York herald., 1862-03-14

The Merrimac then hauled Off, taking position, and
about 2:so p; y. engaged tho Congress, throwing
while tho shot from the Congress glanced from
her iron plated sopng sides without doing any
PEELED to haul down her coors or the extent Of hor loss
and injury you will be informed from the Official report
At four p. NJ. the Merrimac. jamestown and Patrick
Horny bore down upon my vessel Very fortunately the
iron battery drew too much wator to within mile
of w. She took position my starboard bow, but did
Gre with accuracy and only shot passed through
the ships bow The other two steamers took their posi-
ton On port bow and stern, and their fire did most
damage in killing and wounding men, nasmuch as they
fired with rifed guns; but with the heavy gun that
c9uld bring TO- boar upon them drove
state fred upon the Merrmac with my en-inch pivot
gun without any apparent effect and az p NJ she
too hauled of, and all three vessels steamed towards
The tremendous nrng Of my broadsids guns had
crowded me further upon the mud bank into which the
ship seemed 10 have made for herself cradle. From
ten p. NJ, when the tide commenced to food, until
four A. NJ had all hands at work, with seamtugs and
hawscrs endeavorng haul the ship oil the bank but
without avail and the tide bad then fallen conside
raby suspended further proceedings at that time
AZ TWO a. N. me iron battery Monitor, oommander
at Hampton Roads, came alongside and reported for
duty and then all ON board felt that We had friend
that would stand by US in our hour OF trial.
AT six A. NJ. the enemy again appeared coming down
from Craney Island and beat quarters but they
past my ship aud heading for Fortress Monroe and
the retreat was beaten to allow my men TO get something
10 cat The Merrmac ran down near the Rip Raps and
Then turned into the channel, through which had come.
Again all hards called 10 quarters and opened upon
her with my stern guns and made gna 10 the Monitor
TO attack the enemy. she Immediately down
In my wake right within the range Of the Mcrrimac,
completely covering my ship Far was pos
siblc with her diminutivo dimensions, and, much
the Mierrimac and tho contrast was that OF plgmy
giant Gun after gun rsd by the Monitor, hch
returned with whole brosdsides from the rebels,
with more effect apparently than 80 many pebble
stones thrown by child After whilo they commenced
mapnuvring, and we could the little battery pont
her bow for the rebels, with the intention, thought,
OF sending shot through her bow pvrtho!e then she
would shoot BY her and rake her t pgh her sor. In
the meantime the rebels were pouring broadsde after
broadsdc but almost all her shot few the lit sub
merged propeller and when they struck the bomb proof
tower the shot glanced OF without producing any effect,
clearly establishing the fact that wooden vessels cannot
contend successfully with iron clad for before
anything like IL dreamed Of by the greatest
enthusiast in maritime warfare. The Merrimsc,
riding that she could make nothing Of tho Monitor
turned her attention to Ia the morning.
She had put l1inch shot under counter the
water lre, and now on her second approach opened
upon her with all my brosdside guns and 10inch pivot
a broadsde which would have blown oul OF water any
timber. built ship In the world. She returned my fire
with her rihed bow gun with shell which passed
through the chief engineer staoroOn through tie engi
ncers messroom amdshrs and burst in the boatswains
room, tearing iour rooms all into In its passage
p,oding charges OF powder, which set the ship
IRE, but wss promptly cxtingushcd by party headed
by my nrst lieutenant Her second went through the
boiler OF the tugbcat Dragon, exploding 1t and causing
some CONSERVATION on board my ship fer the mo
ment, until the matter explained. This time had
concentrated upon her incessant fire from my gun
deck spar deck and forocasto pivot guns, and in
formed by my marine olhcer, who stationed tho
poop, hat At least hfy solid shot struck ho~
santing side whort producing apparent effect. BY
The time she had fred her third shell The tlc Monitor
had come down upon her, placing herself between us,
COM ecd her 10 change her pcsiton in doing which
she grounded aud ag IN poured into her all the gs
which could he brought TO bear upon her. AZ
she got Off she stood dgw the bay, the little battery
chasing her with all speed when suddenly the Mermac
turned around and fill speed into her antagonist
Tor moment anxious, but instantly saw shot
plunge the rsn roof ~ tho MerrimaC, which surely
must havo damaged her, fer some time after the rcbos
concentrated their wloc battery upVn the tower aud
pilot the Monitor and after tho latter stood
down FOR Fortress MonrLc and We thought u probable
she had exhausted her supply Of ammunition or s1s
tanCd some injury. on after the McfrimaC AM the
two other steamers headed tor my shir ard then felt
10 the fullest extent my cundcn. was hird aud I'm
movably aground ana they could take Ioiiion unaer
| my stern aud rake Inc. ] had cXphd'd most of ny
gold sh {, and my shiD was badly crippled and my OH
90 and men out with fatlgg,; but even in
ths extreme dilemma determined never TO give w tho
shin o the icbcls and after consulting my orc,s
cd every preparation 20 be made ~ destroy tho ship
after al hope go',c 40 her. on ascending the
| poop deck I observed that tho encinys vessels had
changed their and beading for Crancy Island
then tclcrminc1 10 Tighten the ship By throwing over
board 10Y ght inch gus hosting out provisions strt
inv water &c. ~ two =. NJ. proceeded 10 make an
otbr attempt u save the ship BY The rec " number
az tONcfrnl tnss and ibc tcuncr g Srtld. gk ltly
eeut 4 nt asaf inee nytHrt In ma g', QglrCrGl-trr