Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-05-21

shell, hot shot, aud grapeshot into
our port holes, killing aud wound
lug many of us. AS soon as the
Cumberland went down, We started
after the Congress. She ran out
in shallow water to prevent our
running against her. BY this time
several other large Yankee ships OF
war had come up from Old Point.
Now the fight ragged like fury. the
enemNs ships fought desperately
aud they had ten guns to every one
| of Ours. But we were behind a |
thick iron.clad wall and they were
all in ships of war, which, though |
very strong, could not stand the
fierce charges of iron hail that we
gave them. Finally the Congress
gave it up and raised a white flag.
| The men were most all killed,
wounded or drowned. We boarded
her and brought oil some prisoners.
Ii was while we were on the Con-
gress that the Yankees drl one of
the most cowardly things | ever
heard of. They fred Oh the Con
crcss while she had up white
flag, raised hy their own friends,
killing some of their own friends
and one or two of ours. This was
not from any of their ships but
from the land batteries at Newport
News. We set the Congress on
fire and burned her up. We then
opened a terrible fire Oh the New
port News batteries and soon made
the Ianks fcave all their land bat
tcrics and scamper OIL in double
quick time. By this time night
came on and the firing ceased.
We retired to Sewelrs Point 10
await till daylight to renew the en-
gagement. 1t was while we were
lighting the Congress and Minneso
Ia that our Commodore was wound
ed and his aid killed. am really
glad they did not kill the Commo'
dorc for he is as brave a man as
lives. During the whole fight,
until he was wounded, wherever
the danger was greatest he was to
be found. He chcercd and cncOnr-
aged the men and set them such
noble examples of hcrOlsm that the
most timid men were willing 10 tnl'
low him tn the cannons' mouth
When Commodore buchanan was
wounded the LIST Lieut.. Jones tool
command. He, too. is Il brave
man. As soon as we had cast an
chor on Saturday night all hand'
were called mp and took a-drlnk %
old rye whisky, and then Io'
ought To have heard them talking
- about the tight. and how the,
thought it would 60 the next day
Some thought the Yankees woul'
,c telegraph tor n number OF ships
II floating batteries, &c, and SINK us
,s Others said they believed we coul'
whip the whole Yankee Navy.
u said nothing myself but waited I
of see how it would be. Every bod
was MP and ready for action Ion
before daylight on Sunday mon
inc. As soon az it was light W
=. saw the Minnesota and ~. Law
IN renee and several other lankt
ID ships LAYING about -four miles oil
n. The Minnesota and 81. Lawrent
IS were aground and could not get o'
i'm Not far from the above name
tie ships lay the great Yankee fioatln
as battery called the Monitor. 1t In
or arrived at Old Point during Il
cd fight and had been sent ny Tor Il
10 purpose of sinking us the m
.rs thing on Sunday morning III
he ticht commenced early Sunda
nd morning. During the night v
IL. had taken all our killed and woun
on ed of the ship and sent them, I
,bt ccthcr with lot of prisoners, up
we Norfolk on one of our gun boat
he Every body expected to have
, a hard fight and everybody W
wo right. We went up as close to {
lax Minnesota and st. Lawrence as
ing could get and commenced bombaI
os. ing them in fine style, they retui
led ing it. Pretty soon, however, I
ION floating battery ran right alo
.sa. side of MS and within a few var
re of MS. Then there was tghtil
.ort No child's play. no foolery, but II
ers hard fighting. The largest guns
rer the service on both sides, and will
pct. few yards of each other, fri
,ort into port holes and trying 10 sina
and up things generally. And they
roe il too. The fight between the /
hin floating batteries lasted alb
n n three hours, when the Yankee b
our tery had to haul off for repa
the We ran against her once and ca
cen very near sinking her. We $
ear. the Commanders eyes out and
we left.