Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-03-25
A Card.
WooDvILLs.' R,pp. Co.,. Va,
March 81 lSa0

NOoDVILLs, h'pp. Co.. Va,
March 81. lss2
10 the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette.
The following article recently msl,ed 10 NAH,
a fried for my opinion will explain Itself AVA
the objec: of my Communication
ACQUISITION CT vARAcITY,
To the editor of the NaShington Post.
IN Jefferson Davis ''kiss and Fall ofthsc.,
federato Government" volums2, pa2e ~ -,
says as to the result Of the Merrimst,s cos,t.s
with ths Cumberland; THE PROV Of tha Vir.i,..
ID was somewhat damaged, her .ncS..
and oil her fagstsfs Gho! away, and he, ,m,S',
stick and seam pipe were riddlet; othe,visst,
vessel was unicjured. Casualties ,e,o,,sd Ss
Lieut.. Jones were two killed and eiph; W.:
ed" And now comes an eye.witne,s ard sr,;a
participant in that fight from the crew Of ma
Merrim.c IA the psrson of your co,respo,1ar,
b. 5. Littlepage. and Gays: 'Ths broed:;Ss
fred BY the Cumberland just as TO Mef,i",e
at the trunnicns, the muzzle off smother tere M
the carriage of her bow pivot gun, swept sv,y
her AZ caols, boats and howltzss ridtl,d Nc.
'mskostack aid stesm.pipe and killed s,i
wounded nineteen men" These hard y Sea-"
like pictures CT the rama occurrence, and III,
question naturally arises from the fair preuro-
ton that Mr.. Lisslepags' 3 account is the co,r,c,
one Is the Historical accuracy Of Mr. D.y;S.
book to be Judged By this sample?
w, :. IsQvlsls.
To head the above IA qu.s:ion Of ysr.s,i,"
is. ia my opinion. putting it 10 too s,rsr,
language. Messrs. DA,i, aad Lulep,r, l,hs
latter gallant young midshipmaa on ho,,,
the Merimac) both wrote 10 general ,tru, s,o
differed MGR, 10 sppssr,nc, than i. ,e.a,y
If Nj. Davis had said tbs: cur l,ss 10 k;Is,
was two, and in wounded si1teeo. add tn, 8,
lost our PROV 10 ramui3e tue Cumberland IN
sustained no se,ious irja'y b-youd thai, t.
would have stated all ttaf was esssoli, IN
work Of history, and if MI. Liulsp,p. tst
stated that the brosdsi3e fred by tho Cunse..
land. lust IS tho MsIrimao rammed -t,tv
one of the Mertimass guas eff about IS i,cSp,
10 feont OF tho t!unnions tie mrzzI, a
another; damaged the oariaga tf h,r bov
pivot quo, aud killed one man, b. scud s,5e
been srio,ly oarrecs. We cid rot lisa all crr
boats and aDohcrs. for ~o dropped 90 srcb,r
that night off SsaeI's Pilot. and CO The tx
morning | myself oorv yad Cenm ia Bur.
ausn and Lieutepsut Miocr sshers 10 cns a. ~,
ship 8 boaia betlrs going into ao,ion With It.
Monitor. Ole Of cur m=p vas killed b.
fragment from on OF cut trac ufsd quo, sh,t
was dliSeu in by the ereny's broad.lds, tskju.
TT nesry the Whcls front Of his ches:. aad x.
rosing the hesrt and luoss; snd sno,hsf VS.
killed by r:f, ball whiua entered biz c,sst
between the cl.vcs aid toltu!, (o,llu-o,oa
ADD shou!dsr-hl.dsl as be was stopping eib
bis hetd Gu. of the g11-por, ard etg,sei !,
spoutiug or losdiog ihe qua. TGcse wsra Ii:
only Two men thst ne lost. and both wers killed
10 tho first day g fight. W. hai DO siisd Q,
wounded 90 the 9 b. Lieutenant Minor wss
Wcuoded ty nA, ball from too Cc1srs,
after that vessel had hauled down be. c,lsr.,
sud be Was on bis way to her to taka Ct hs.
,fhcers and men. Commodore Brchausn VIA
wound=d by miobiA ball, while nst dsssI; =
posing himself on IN, hurroase 4 ck, md
po0r'scsmau Was severely wounded by rh ,
sbnt which, Just Rr! zirg bis temple, ps.Ni
through boih ego sockets irsusverse!y. !.kn.
away psrt If his ocs,. I'D tha so,eri;r Potion
OF both cyt-oslts. The reusipioe ,blrteep ITO
we're wounded received such slight i.i1t;es
that tue mos: ct taen wsss rot iecapsctM.o
for do p ut s'l, ood the rest opy for ts~ tsys.
Oar snek ,ck was riddled, /. is uu,, E1:
seemed 10 do as goad server as o "pnssaur
vcnlIatot" ns i. did whilst iutsc'. Wnso il
Is cons dtr.d that (scaord;ns to the cpemy .
eva s6oSine) &c had nineteen ships Of wM.
mouotlog 29O gucs. to pepper Us 90 The vsIer,
and the tremendous batteries OF Fortress Mar.
roe, Newpor. N ws.sod the Rip Il p,. 70 assaii
us from lsrd. AMI oil wsro flirg upaa q, 8.
the same tine il is wonder that W. hsd col.
b,on eusi,ey .havcd ef ell our EXPOSED gear
instead of simply having it ridd led.
DlNW1DDIE B. PHILLIPS
LIto Surgeon of y, B IroboIad hsrrjc,c