Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-17
Norfolk Day Book
Egement off Newport
News.

gast eleven o'clock on Satur-
be iron.clad steamer Virginia
I'm her moorings at the Navy
4ade her way down to Hampton
Yards the blockade feet lying off
YFts News. She reached their neigh
DJ0fhood after some detention at the obstruc-
tions below, at two o'clock. Here she found
the two first class sailing frigates Cumber-
land and Congress. With a determination
to pay her respects to the Cumberland first
the Virginia bore Town for that vessel, and
while passing the Congress she gave her a
broadside by way of a salute. Her opera
tons on the Cumberland were performed in
the short space of fifteen minutes time at
the end of which the Cumberland sunk lust
where she had been lying.
The Virginia on approaching her and cet-
ting within point blank range. fired her bow
gun several times, and ran into her. strik mo
her fairly with her RAM, which made her reel
to and fro and sent her speedily to the bot.
tom. The officers and Grew Of the Cumber.
land made their escape as best they conld
many of them being captured by our gun
loGlS. The wounded on board it X be-
lieved went down with the vessel,
The Virginia next turned her attention TO
the Congress, which vessel it is said gal
lantly resisted her inevitable fate for nearly
an hour, but finding the ship rapidly sink
ing, she hauled down her colors and made
for the beach, where she was run as high
aground as possible. Her officers and crew
were taken of by our gunboats, and while
she had her flag Of truce hoisted and was
beiRg relieved of her killed and wounded by
our boats the yankees, on shore at Newport's
News, disregarding the flag of truce, with
Minnie muskets fred into her and killed sew
eral OF their own men and slightly wounded
in the arm Mr.. John Hopkins, one of our
pilots, attached to the Beaufort.
While the Virginia was engaged with the
Congress with her bow gun she poured
broadsidc after broadside into the shore bat
teries of the enemy at Viewpoints News
One discharge from the bow gun of the Vir
ginia, says one of the prisoners, capsized two
of the guns of the Congress, killing Is of
her crew, and taking off the head of a Lieut..
Smith, and literally tore the ship to pieces.
While the engagement was going on be-
tween the two frigates and the Virginia, the
enemy's steam frigate Minnesota put out from
Old Point to their assistance. She got aground
when within a mile or two of Newport's
News Point. There she stuck, unable to get
off, while the Confederate steamers Patrick
Henry and jamestown peppered her with
their batteries, while the Virginia was atten.
ding to the shore batteries at Newport's
News.
The frigate st. Lawrence then came up tc
the assistance of the Minnesota, and she alsC
got aground, and a steam frigate, supposed
to be the Roanoke, put off from Old~Poin'
with the same intention, lit is supposed, bu
seeing the sad havoc which the Virginia was
playing with the Federal vessels, she pu
back to Old Point.
The frigate Congress was set fire to, OF
Saturday night by a boats crew from some
of our vessels. She illumined the who'll
Roads and river, and about midnight, he
manazine exploded. Her conflagration af
forded q rare sight to many thousands O
spectators who had lined the shores of on
harbor to witness the spectacle of a ship Of
fire. Many articles Of value, we learn, wer
removed from her by our gunboats befor'
being fred.
Tugs,a and steamers were sent to the assist
ance of the Minnesota and st. Lawrence from
Old Point after they grounded, but their eff
forts to haul them off were unavailing.
The first gun fired in the engagement i
said to have been fired by the Confederat
grnboat Beaufort at the frigate Congress-
All of our steamers and gunboats are said t
have been managed with the utmost skill
and dexterity, rendering great assistance t
the Virginia in this magnificent and success
full engagement.
By this daring exploit we have raised tn
James River blockade, without foreign assis
lance. and are likely with the assistance c
the Virginia, to keep open the communlca
ton.
THE FIGHT RENEWED ON SUNDAY.
The engagement was renewed again o
Sunday morning, about 81 o'clock, by tn
Jamestown, and several of our gunboats
firing into the Minnesota and St. Lawrence
Some detention occurred on board tn
Virginia on Sunday morning, we learn, @
she would have commenced the engagemer
much earlier than 81 o'clock at which tin
she, together with the Patrick Henry, Jalae
town and our other %gunboats, opened III
on the Minnesota, which still lies hard an
fast aground. The tide being at the ebb, IL
Virginia did not take the channel where tt
Minnesota lay, probably for fear OF grour
ding, but getting within a good range OF ne
she opened fire with terrific effect, complete
ly Kidding her, and rendering constant e1
ertion at the pumps necessary to prevent n
from filing.
Early in the morning the Erriccson Ba
terry, now called the Monltol, "ao ule0o
cred off Newport News Point, she havir
gone up there during the night. A SPA
encounter soon took place between her al
the Virginia. during which time they we
frequently not more than 30 or ~ var
apart. Unfortunately, the Virginia II
aground, and the Ericsson using her adva
tage, poured shot after shot into her, b
without doing any serious damage. In
short while, however, the Virginia succeed
in getting off, and putting on full head
steam ran her bow into the Erriccson, DON
as it is thought, great damage. We are 7
joiced to say tnat Notwithstanding the hri