New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-22

Gspe mostly under water with the motion OF t0e
tids6at her starboard suddin sail boom 10 held "
the tacklng below, and projects above, loose, as
does al.o tie hyingjb boom. snapped short on, bus
held below in ike manner. In every other respect,
tie noble ship looks as if about TO rise from the
ground and shaking her ELF dry after her emergence,
to open her wings, whirl on her heel, and head
straight for Norfolk and the mailed Merrimac
1 was permitted to-day the privilege Of long con.
vsrsation with the veteran Gen. Mansfield about the
attack by the Merrimac and her consorts. His as-
count Of it, which carefully paced in my memory,
will have the interest," though not the value, Of n
official report and il is due to the importance Of the
affair that it be made public, even at the risk Of the
repetition in part Of well-kDown facts.
The General said: "The commanders Of the Cum
berland and the Congress, then at anchor in the
stream, notified me in the forenoon that the Msrri.
mac was approaching. Of course instantly made
preparations to receive her from ashore e. those off,
GERS were doing to welcome her aloat Az ?. m.
the iron-clad monster passed the Congress, giving
her two shots as she went BY, which went through
and through her. She then made large detour, got
hssdwsy and dashed straight at the Cumberlands
starboard bow. The scene Of all this action wss
within mile of my batteries. now directed Col
Nsunan my Chief of Artillery, to open on tho Aer-
rimac with foar columbisds and Jsmes's 4@-poand-
er. This fire was kept up on her without intermis-
sion as long as she was within range. She was bit
constantly, but her mail was perfect that my shot
made no impression on her. also had three S-iDch
siege howitzers hauled down by hand from my land
batteries, and brought to bear her from the bank
Of the river. I added to these the tire Of two OF
Howsrds Light Battery rided guns. Though the
shot from all Of these pieces rsined on her, they
bounded from her plating like hsil-stones.
As soon 40 the Cumberland went down with her
formidable batteries, three steamers, supposed TO be
the Yorktown, jamestown, and a tug, came down
the river under full head of steam. l turned all
my guns on them. But they were so far of tho
river here is four miles wde and their speed 20
great, that could neither stop them DOR disable
them. While the Cumberland was sinking, the
Congress slipped her cable, dropped her foresai, aod
Get her spanker and straight for the shore, just
above Signal Point. Many of her crew escapedto
the beach in the boats. Before these could be rowed
back the Nerrimac ranged up TO the frigstss stern,
and poured in rakipg fire. Her flag was struck
Immediately. Two Of the three Rebel steamers then
ran alongside Of the Congress- aud made fast 10 her,
on each quarter, apparently with the purpose OF
hauling her of As coon as I saw this, l ordered
COL Brown Of the Doth Indiana to send his rifle eem-
panes A and X, down to the beach, and drive these
steamers away. / also sent down two rihed guns
under Capt. Howard, and riaed Dablgren hovitser
manned by Master Stuyvesant, aud fourteen sailors
Of the Cumberland. From a rakipg position on the
beach, covered by sand-hills and trees these guns
played effectively the steamers at about 600 yards
The Indiana rihemen, throwing themselves upon
their breasts worked forward in the sand, loading
and firing with deadly aim ss they crawled. The
two steamers quickly let 60 their hold on The Con-
gress and moved out of range having undoubtedly
received great loss and damage. They scon cane
back, accompanied by lannch filed with men; bot
the gunuers and rihemen again beat them off,
| "Tbe Merrmac, finding her prize retaken, nowap-
rroached and fired three hot shot into her, and
then Withdrew TO the other side Of the river. The
Congress was coon absze. The men remaining
aboard of her escaped over her bows, and before
dark the wounded were taken out. II was not until
o'clock in the morning that the burning fngsses
magazine exploded Before this at intervals during
tho night, her "a shotted guns went off, Ono Of them
sent ball through a schooner at the nearest wharf
and sunk her. Throughout the day my whole force
was under arms and my officers and men were en-
gagged in the batteries and on the beach. Wherever
we had show Of chance at anything not covered
with twelve inches six inches Of iros, our brave
men whipped the Rebels, and drove them oil.
Strange TO say no. one Of my command was killed,
and Int one was wounded-a private Of the 7th
New-York, who lost q leg.
"Itwouldbay been utterly impossible, Sir 70 have
united the fate Of the two war.ships. The supen-
ority of the Merrmsc over both, as decided, ~
iron is decidedly stronger than wood"
During this conversation glanced from tine 70 time
with interest the evidence of the passage Of shot
through the room in which Gen. Mansfield was st.
ting. He had indeed a narrow escape. He had On.
tered hs quarters and sat down at his table 10 wrts
telegrsphic dispatch. While lifting bis pen, Q
shell from the Merrimac dashed through the Ids Of
bis room opposite his chair made too.hpieks Of Q
large black-wanut elothes-press; penetrated with
clean cut the mantle.piece carried away about Q
quarter Of the brick chimney, and went bowling of
over the camp. The General was seated only four
feet from tho track Of this proectie and was chow
cred with its passing compliments of splinter and
dust. He bears charmed life here, as at Foys
Brown, Monterey, and Buena Vista.
To return to the Cumberland. She was " bunted'
on her s,arboard bow as she lay at anchor. The
Merrimac did not recoil, and was no. permitted by
her engineer to recoil from the shock. The Cum
bersnd was driven back by it till brought up by the
full strain upon her cable IHen the Merrimac sW
pressing nDon ard goriRg into her rih her iroa
korn the igate heeled over 10 arboard, aud, it is
supposed received the fatal, crushing wound, into