New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-05

summoned Commodore Goldsborough, and 1t was
then determined that an attack should be made
on Sewell's Point After the order had been given
the President, Mr.. Stanton and ] went over TO
the Rip-Raps in tug TO observe its execution.
The Seminole took the lead followed by the San
JacintO, the Dakota, and finally, the Susquehanna,
whose captain, Lardner, was the commanding
officer Of the vessels engaged With these ships
were the Monitor and the little gunboat Stevens.
By and by the Seminole reached her position and
belch of smoke and a report like distant thunder
announced that the cannOnading had begun. Then
came the guns from the Rip-Raps, where we were,
and soon the Monitor and Stevens joined. In a
short time the small battery on the extreme point
was senced and the attack was directed against
a battery inside OF the point, nearer Norfolk.
While this was going on smoke curled up over
the woods on Sewell's Point and each man said
TO his neighbor, There comes the Merrimac," and
sure enough the Merrimac was coming. Before
she made her appearance we had left the Rip
Raps and had reached the landing on the way TO
headquarters, and just as we were going ashore
the monster came slowly over from behind the
point and all the big wooden vessels began to
head off. The Monitor and the Stevens, how
ever, held their ground. The Merrimac came on
slowly, and in little while there was clear
space Of water between her and the Monitor. Then
the great rebel terror paused, turned back, and,
having finally obtained a safe position, became
stationary. This the end of the battle, and
the result-nothing One certainty is, however,
that the Merrimac does not want to fight, and
won't fight if she can help it, except with more
advantage than she is likely to have in her favor.
This has been a very interesting day. l will
write more tomorrow"
A letter doted May IL, and written by Mr..
Chase Z" on board the Baltimore" runs thus
" closed my letter to you with an account Of
the bOmbardment. That was thought 10 have
showed the inutlity of an attempt TO lind at
Sewes Point while the Merrmac lay watching
it, and the next question was. what could be done
| Three plans only seemed feasbe-nrst TO send
all troops that could be spared to Burnside and
let him come in upon Norfolk from the south;
second, to send them mp James River to aid Cen
eral Mcclellan; third, TO seek another landing
place out of reach of the Merrimac. In tits state
of things | offered to take the Miami and tug
of less draught capable of putting in nearer Shore
and make an examination Of the coast General
Wool and Colonel Cram offered to go with me, and
we soon arrived opposite point which l mark
"a on the poor draught I send you-don't laugh
at it-and sent a boats crew ashore TO find out
the depth of water The boats went very near
land, and then, TO our great surprise, pulled rap
idly away. When they returned the mystery
explained. They had seen an enemy's picket and
had pulled off to avoid being fired at. 1t was
plain enough that there was no use in landing
there 10 he fired at by superior force; so the
order given to return to the fortress; but just
as we vera going away a white flag was seen
waving over the sand bank and General Wool
ordered 1t to be answered So bed-sheet was
fastened to line and run up Thereupon num-
Der of colored women and children appeared On
shore. Fearing an ambush, however, two boats
went ashore with crews well armed, and pretty
soon saw Colonel Cram talking with the people
These simple folk and the men on horseback were
the enemy who had alarmed our men. But we
had made one important discovery. good and
convenient landing place some four miles distant
from Fortress Monroe, capable of receiving any
number of troops and communicating with Nor
folk by quite passable roads. When / got back
to Fortress Monroe, I found the President had
been studying a chart with a pilot, and thought
there was a nearer landing which he wished to in
spect at once so we started again and soon reached
the shore taking with us twenty armed as
an escort The large boat from the Rip-Raps
was manned with men fully armed, but before
starting several horsemen who seemed to be sol
dels of the enemy appeared. The Miami's guns
were turned on shore and l asked the President
if we should open fire he replied negatively, as we
had found what wanted, another good landing
which, however, proved to be not much nearer
than the one we had already discovered, and as
General Wool preferred the latter, it was deter
mined that advance on Norfolk should be ini-
nlediately made for that point. IL was now
night, but the work proceeded with great rapdlty;
Two regiments sent off, others were ordered
to follow. Colonel Cram went down TO
make bridge of boats to the landing
and placed the Miami at his disposal to protect
the troops. General Wool asked lie tO accom-
pany him Oh the expedition, and the next morn.
ing | was up early, We breakfasted at and
got away as promptly as possible When we we
body Of troops had already gone forward. l then
took the tug and went along the shore where the
Presidents boat had attempted to land the nlght
before, and found il only half mile distant.
then returned to the Miami and found that the
General had gone ashore. followed and met
General Viele, who gave me horse, and we were
not long in getting far as | had been with the
President and even some distance beyond; here
we found traces showing plainly that the enemy
had withdrawn but few hours previously. Re
turing, ! made report to General WOOL MI;
Stanton had arrived in the meanwhile and asked
me to go with the expedition. accordingly
asked General Wool for a squad of Dragons and
for permission to ride on ahead with General
Viele
After about five miles we came up with the
rear Of the advance and soon heard artillery firing
i'm the front. As we continued we met Generals
Mansfield and Weber returning the bridge which
we expected to cross having been burned. he
turning together, we met General Wool, who de-
terminCd TO leave guard on this route and take
Of confusion, TO remedy which General Wool
whom ! now attached myself a sort of volun-
teeT ald-Sent General ManSneh 10 Newport News
to bring forward his brigade and then divided his
own troops into two brigadeS assigning General
Viele 70 the command Of and General Weber
to the other. Affairs now went much better The
cavalry, under Major Dodge, were IN the advance
General Wool and his staff neNt-then body OF
sharpshooter skirmishers-then the main body Of
Viele's brigade-then Webcrs. We stopped every
body from whom we could obtain Information,
and it was not long before were told that the
camp where we expected the enemy would tight
if anywhere had just been evacuated and the bar
racks fired. This agreeable news was confirmed
by the arrival of of Major DOdges dragons.
who told US that the cavalry were already III the
cnemy's abandoned camp We soon arrived our
selves within the worll-a very strong One-de-
Tended by many heavy guns, of which twenty-ohe
remained in position. The troops, as they came