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

| shell, hot shot, aud grape shot into |
our port holes, killing and wound. |
ing many of us. AS soon as the |
Cumberland went down, We started |
after the Congress. She ran ont
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
encm,'S ships fought desperately
aud they had ten guns to every one
of ours. Bnt 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 white flag.
The men were most all killed,
wounded or drowned. We boarded
her and brought oil some prisoners.
1t was while we were on the Con.
gress that the Yankees dnl one of
the most cowardly things | ever
heard of. They fred Oh the Con
gress while she had up Write
flag, raised by 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 ut Newport
News. We set the Congress on
fire and burned her up. We then
opened a terrible fire on the New.
port News batteries and soon made
the Ianks leave all their land bat
teries and scamper oil III double
quick time. BY this time night
came on and the firing ceased.
We retired to Sewelrs Point to
await till daylight to renew the en-.
gagement. 1t was while we were
lighting the Congress aud 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 rs brave man as
lives. During the whole fight,
until he was wounded, wherever
the danger was greatest he was to
he found. He chcered and encOnr-
aged the men and set them such
noble examples of hcroism that the
most timid men were willing To FOL
low him 10 the lannon's mouth.
When Commodore buchanan was
wounded the LIST Lieut.. Jones took
command. He, too, is II brave
man. As soon as we had cast an
chor on Saturday night all hands
were called mp and took drink OF
old rye whisky, and then YOU
ought To have heard them talking
70 about the fight. and how they
thought it would go the next day
Some thought the Yankees would
e telegraph tor number of ships
i floating batteries, &c, and sink ms
Others said they believed we couf'
, whip the whole Yankee Navy.
said nothing myself but waited t.
II see how it would be. Every body
was up and ready for action lonl
before day light on Sunday morn
ing. As soon az it was light w
:. saw the Minnesota and st. Law
h renee aud several other Iankc
d ships LAYING about four miles of
!. The Minnesota and st. Lawrenc
: were aground and could not get of
n Not far from the above nance
ic ships lay the great Yankee i!oatln
Is battery called the Monitor. 1t hat
,r arrived nj Old Point during ID
vi fight and had been sent np tor tn
To purpose of sinking US the frS
IS thing on Sunday morning. Th
ne fight commenced early Sunda
I'd morning. During the night "
v had taken all our killed and wount
III ed of the ship and sent them, t.
ht gethcr with a lot of prisoners, up
vc Norfolk on one of our gun boats
ne Everybody expected to have
a hard fight and everybody wa
80 right. We went up as close to n
nv Minnesota and st. Lawrence rs "
nc could get and commenced bombar'
rs ing them in fine style, they returl
ed ing it. Pretty soon, however, II
on floating battery ran right alon
"a. side of us and within a few yart
re of us. Then there was tghtln
,rt No child's play, no foolery, but re
rs hard fighting. The largest guns
.er the service on both sides, and with
ct. few yards of each other, tiriI
DIT into port holes and trying TO sma'
nd up things generally. And they Il
ce it too. The fight between the "
lin floating batteries lasted aho
I three honrs. when the Yankee ba
,ur terry had to haul off for repall
he We ran against her once aud car
zen very near sinking her. We sh
ar. the Commanders eyes out and $
we left.
ore We had now nothing to conte1