Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-05-24
T1R mkRalmAC I'D HER EXPLOITS
An Inside View Of tho Rebel
Monster.
lSstss-estSss1 Ste tssssssls Of Too
or AeS. Greco.

lsssss-estsssg Sic esssesses Of TsCe
Or Her Greco.
We find 10 the Philsdelphis Inquirer
of the Goth inet., the subjoined account
of the exploits of the Merrimac in
Hampton Roads. 1t is derived from
the statements OF two of the crew OF
that vessel, who escaped with forty
others at the same time Of the explo.
sion, and, having made their way to
Fortress Monroe, we're sent thence to
Philadelphia. One Of these fugitives
is from Plscataquis county, Maine, and
the other from Louisville, Ky.
PREPARING FOR ACTION.
After leaving the dry-dock at Nor
folk, the Merrimac laid nine days under
the shears at the Navy-Yard; before
she left she was slushed all over with
grease this was done every time af-
forwards whenever she expected to go
into an engagement. When the vessel
left the Navy. Y ard at Norfolk, previous
to the fight with the Monitor, Commo-
dore Buchanan made the following
speech to the men, the crew being called
to quarters Sailors and soldiers
The Secretary of the Navy has placed
me in command OF the squadron Of Vir-
g,nia all eyes are turned upon you to-
day; the people of the South expect every
man to do his duty and more than his
duty" Calling the attention Of the
men to the Federal vessels b.ockading
the river, he said !: "Those two YES
sells, the Cumberland and Congress, are
worth over million dollars apiece we
are going down to destroy or capture
them. Many Of you have families and
6resdes at home there may be others
who have not these inducements but
recollect, whether we sink or capture
those vessels, your prize money will be
the same. No matter whether you cap
ture or destroy them, your compensa-
ton from the government will be sutfi-
cient to maintain you comfortably for
life. Every man to his post. In few
minutes more jou will be in action"
THE ATTACK ON THE CUMBERLAND.
Decks were then cleared for action,
and the guns hauled in and loaded. She
then proceeded down the stream, the
decks in a perfect silence and every
man at his place. As she passed to the
Cumberland, the shore battery opened
on her with much vigor, but ELECTED no
reply from the Merrimac. Soon after
her bow gun was discharged at the
Cumberland, when within few hun
dred yards then the Commodore
shouted, "Stand by the the starboard
battery" and his words were repeated
by the First Lieutenant, g. G. Jones.
The Cumberland returned the fire. The
whole broadside of the Cumberland was
fired at once, which somewhat staggered
the Merrimac, without doing any mate
rial damage.
At this moment the Commodore gave
the command, Fire as soon as your
guns are brought to bear The First
Lieutenant ran along the deck, saying,
"Depress your guns - calm at the
water line !" "ueave the mainmast 7"
She then continued to fire her bow gun
as she passed the Cumberland, and
then wore round to port. But three
shots were fired by the bow gun up to
the time she ran into the Cumberland.
The Cumberland was then sinking, when
the Merrimac poured her broadside into
her and left her. The order was then
passed to "Cease firing" The Commo-
dore then said, "Boys, we've destroyed
the hated Cumberland; she is fast set
Ting !" Daring this time there was no
noise or excitement on board the Mer-
rimac, but each man kept his position,
the guns being admirably worked.
EFFECT OF THE CUMBERLAND's FIRE.
At the time the Merrimac backed
ont, after striking the Cumberland, a
shell from the latter struck gun No. 2
on the Merrimac, breaking about two
feet eff of the muzzle of the gun, and
killed the first loader and wounded two
others. AT the commencement of the
action with the Cumberland the broad
side from the latter carried away two
boats hauled up on the side of the Mer-
rimac. Directly after the loader was
killed at gun No. 2, the first sponger of
the bow gun was killed by the sharp
shooters of the Cumberland, who we're
on the rigging. During the action a
she'll from the Cumberland struck the
chain-cable directly in the hawse-pipe,
cutting it in two and dropping the an
chor. Pieces of the chain struck by the
shell wounded two of the men on the
Menimac, the shock knocking down
and stunning every man standing near.
Lit. Jones remarked during the action,
"Boys, they're giving our smoek.s,ack
hell !"
THE ATTACK ON THE CONGRESS.
No attempt was made by Commo-
dore Buchanan to save any portion of
the crew of the Cumberland. After
leaving the Cumberland, the Commo-
dore OF the Merrimac came down from
the spar deck, and said, "Boys, we have
finished one of them, and now bring
your guns to bear on the Congress. ;"
She then proceeded in the direction of
the Congress, and commenced firing at
her. The Congress was then aground.
Lieutenant Jones kept running along
the deck repeating, "Depress your guns |!
Depress your guns! - ''Load with white
cross shell" and passed the word to
the men having charge of the hot shot
guns ito load with hot shot for the
Congress" During the firing on either
vessel the Commodore would scold the
commanders of guns that did not fire 10