Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-04-03
From the Norfolk (Va) Day Book. The Great Naval Battle!-Ter.ible Loss
 Of the Enemy.

Of the Enemy.
 At quarter past eleven o'clock on Saturday, the iron clad steamer Virginia cast aloose from way down the Hampton Roads toward the block. adng fleet lying of Newport News. She reach ed their neighborhood after some detention at the obstructions below, at , o'clock. Here she found the two first class sailing trigates Cum beriand and Congress With a determination to nav her respects to the Cumberland first the Virninia bore down for that vessel, and while passing the Congress she gave her a broadside by way ofa salute. Her operations on the Cum berland were performed Ill the short space of l5 minutes time, at inc end of which the Cumber- land sunk just where she had been lying.
 The Virginia, on approaching her and getting within point blank range. fired her bow gun several times, and ran into her, striking her fair ly with her ram, which made her reel to and fro and sent her speedily.' to the bottom, but while going down, we understand, the atler gun of the Cumberland was discharged atsthe Virginia, with what injury we know not.
 The object in first getting rid of the Cumber land was probably to destroy the heavy arma~ ment which that frgate carried, 1t being the heaviest in the Yankee navy. The officers and crew of the Cumberland made their escape as
 
 by our gunboats The wounded on board 1t is believed went down with the vessel.
 The Virginia next turned her attention to the Congress, which vessel 1t is said gallantly ress- ted her inevitable fate for nearly an hour but finding the ship rapidly sinking, she hauled down her coiors and made-sUr the beech, where she was run as high aground as possible. Her officers and crew were takenof by our gunboats, and while she had her flag of truce hoi5ted and was being relieved of her killed and wounded by our boats, the Yankees on shore at Newport News, disregarding the flag oftrace, with Minnie muskets fired into her and killed several of their own men and slightly wounded iQ the arm Mr. John Hopkins, one of our pilots, attached to the Beaufort.
 While the Virginia was engaged with the Con- gress with her bow gun, sine poured broadsde after broadside into the shore batteries of the enemy at Newport News. One discharge from the sow gun of the Nir9nia says one of the prisoners, capsized two of the guns of the Con gress, killing lG of her crew, and taking off the head of Lieut. Smith, and literally tore the ship to pieces.
 The enemy seemed entirely unaware of our intention to attack them, and 1t IS said were 50 completely ulled into security that the Virginia had got down to Sewell'S Point before they took the alarm.
 While the engagement was going on between the two irigates and the Virginia, the enemys steam frigate Minnesota put out from Old Point to their assistance. She laid well over toward Newport News, but not entirely out of the range of our batteries on SewelIs Point, which opened on her, with what effect are unable to say, but she replied to them without any effect what ever. The Minnesota got aground when within a mile CT So of Newport News. There she stuck, unable to get off, while the Confederate steamers Patrick Henry and Jamestown peppered her with their batteries at Newport News.
 The frigate St. Lawrence then came up to the assistance of the Minnesota and she also got aground, and steam. trigate supposed to De the Roanoke, put off from old Point with the same intention, it Is supposed, but seeing the sad havoc which the Virginia was playing with the federal vessels she put back to Old Point.
 The Minnesota and St Lawrence, we learn, are hard aground and in the power of the Vir- ginia, at high tide as the latter vessel was at Sewell's Point, after the engagement, where she remained on Sunday night, ready to commence on them on Saturday morning. She E between them and all assistance from Old Point.
 The lrigate Congress was set on fire 10 on Saturday night by b0at's crew from some of our vessels She illuminated the whole Roads and river, and about midnight her magazine eX- ploded with trgueudonx nOise fer c0niA- grafton afforded d rare s,ght-to many thousand spectators who fined the shore ot our harbor to witness the spectacle of 8 ship on fire. Many articles ot value, VIC learn, were removed from her bv our guIDoats before being fred
 Tugs and steamers were sent to the assistance of the Minnesota and 1t. Lawrence from Old Point after they grounded, but their efforts to haul them of were uuaYaiIEg.
 ! ... .i,7 ,- ,,. ! to have been fired " tEo Confederate gunboat Beaufort at the fcieate Congress. All our steam CTS and guuboats are said to have been managed with the utmost skill and deXterity rendering great assistance to the Virginia n this magnif- cent and successful ngagement.
 We are without lneaus of getting at the loss of the enemy in i.ilio1 and wounded, though t s believed to have been very great. Chr total loss in killed and wounded, as lar as we can learn IS nine killed and twelve wounded most of them slightly.
 Twepsy~three prisoners wee brough. UP to this city on Saturday night These were all taken off the trigate Congress by the gunboat Beaufort, while our other gunboats took off oth' CTS One of these prisoners died while on his way to this city. He and another one wounded were snQt sy their own forces while being saved from tbc sinking frigate Congress- The wound ed prisoners were carried to the hospital.
 The Virginia had two men killed and some five or siA wounded. 4 shot entered tho port hole and struck the gun on the muzze, knock ing off piece nine inches long. This disabled the gun, which was immediately replaced by an other ot tie same caliber.
 Capt. Buchanan, and Lieut. Minor of the Virginia, are said to be wounded, the former slightly, the latter severely.
 On board the Patrick Henry a shot entered one of her ports, we udelstand, passed through one of her boilers, disabling it. She vas cons pelled to haul off temporarily for repairs. There were four men killed and three men wounded on board Of her. Other damage not material.
 On board the gdnDoat itao;gh, l.id4hiFHan IIutter was killed, we understand, though we did not learn of any other casualties.
 The James river steamers arrived at the scene of ncton t a said about one hour liter thes sen> gagemeut commenced They easily passed the Newport News batteries and after joining in the fyh3 rendered very efficient aid By this daring exploit we have raised the James river blockade, without foreign assistance, and are likely with the assistance of the Virginia, to keep open the communication.
 Several spai! prizes were said to have been taken by our gunboats from inc Yankees, one of which, the schooner Reindeer was brought up to the navy yard on Saturday night. Two others were said to have been carred over to Pig Point Oil Saturday.
 Another report we hear says that but two per sons were killed on board the Virginia. Andrew J. Dalton, printer who left our of.