The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-29
ANOTED NAVAL ENGAGEMENT
Battle Between The Monitor and hslrlEnac
Described By an Eye Witness.
A FLAG OF TRUCE FIRED UPON
,y,,u. Eoat From the Merrimac Was
Taking the wouded From The Con-
cress, which Had Surrendered
the Enemy Fired Upon Them
From the shore, Doing
Great Execution.

Great Execution.
The following interesting account oil the
hsttle between the Merrimac and the
Monitor is given in an official report
from the British Vice-Consul at Noiio'A
70 the British Consul at Richmond
British Vice-Consuldte.
Norfolk, Virginia.
sir.-Herewith. / have the hohor 10 &c
mort as accurately as circumstances au-
,,tt an account of the recent action IN
Hampton Roads, between the 1Su''~
and Confederate navies
have the honor TO be, SIR
Your most obodient servant
MYER MYERS,
IT. q. NJ. Vice-Consul.
To Frederick ]. Crioand, ESQ, Sclihs
II. e. NJ. Consul. Richmond Va.
ON Saturday, February SIN, at IL O'CLOCK
the ironclad steamer Virginia. formerly
the Merrimac. left her moorlnss d. w
| navv-yard. accompanied by three smai.
] tnqs Of one gun each. as tenders. ana
| proceeded 10 Hampton Roads. The cum
| iorland and Congress. Federal frisates'
were stationed at Newport News bloc e.
aiding James river. When the Nlftinla
! hove in sight the two irigates each "i'"
q signal gun. 10 notify the TACT 10 'lo
! Minnesota ana iNunAibhf f'N.+i'''' 80
/ ST Lawrence sailing ffigate 81 tnIeo
stationed at Fort Monroe. The guns IN
J Intentionally served also 10 alprfe the
| two small partially ironclad Confederate
! sfeamers. jamestown and yorktown, that
ware about ten miles up James river, mat
| the action was about 10 commence
wheroupon they steamed down ON pass
| Ing. tho Virginia. gave me congress TWO
| broad sides FIN return for several from
| ~tf nh rTnrrrUr1 to The
| Cumberland, giving her several broad
| sides. which were vigorously returned
! tho virginia with her iron PROV then
ran into the Cumberland cutting her
open. then hauled of a short distance ana
| recommended firing. In ten minutes nom
! the commencement Of tho attack me
| Cumberland went down, in the act or
hrirg a broad side. with nearly al on
board, iu about forty feet water.
UNDER HEAVY FIRE.
The Congress and Cumberland now
bravely fought pouring necessarily broad
sides into the Virginia. who was under
| fire simultaneously Of the Congress Cum
berland and Minnesota ffisates and
heavy foit at Newport News. yet She
sustained but trihins damage. Having
sunk the Cumberland the Virginia open
cd on the foit. disisnt about "a OF a
mile. with tefnhc effect. driving many Of
ing this operation they made sail on The
Congress. and ran her ashore. The VIZ
ginia again turned on the Congress. firing
hesvily into her. She returned the ne.
but soon after surrendered, hauling down
her c0lors, and raising white ones in
stead forward and apt-tho Virginia
/ Immediately ceased firing. and dispatched
an unarmed boat also hearing white
flag. o. receive the commanders sword
ID ..a.4 col H.FFf no u Irf nd
| ed ard prisoners. W lille employed iu thif
act of mercy. a company of artillery and
regiment of rifemen came 20 the shore
and fired on the boat that was also fred
on by marines from the quartcrg gallery
| Of the Congress. who wounded the officer
commanding, and killed another. ana
| several of the boats crew, also two Of
their own men who were being passed
down into the boat, she Immediately re-
turned TO the ship.
Captain Buchanan becoming exasper-
ated at this act Of treachery, again OPEN
ed fire on the Congress with hot shot.
which set hor on fire. She burnt until
4. NJ. when the flames reaching the
magazine. she was blown mp \ portion OF
her crew had previously embarked for the
| Minnesota. Thus were destroyed the two
frigatcs. When the Minnesota. Roanoke.
and St. Lawrence, heard the first signal
| guns they Immediately left their moor
/ incs and proceeded up 10 tho scene OF
action. I'm the rotation named. There are
| two channels to Hampton Roads for
heavy ships going from Fort Monroe TO
Now port NeWs.ihc north ana south
channels. The former was used by the
ships going up 1t being most remote from
the Confederate batteries at Sewclls
Point They opened on The ships, as they
proceeded up with heavy rhcd guns. IN
the expectation that TO avoid the shot
tho ships might keep too Tar over and
get aground The effect was as surmisefi
the Minnesota got out Of the channel and
grounded.
LONG-RANGE FIGHT
The Virginia next ran down the south
channel 10 the Minnesota. when an en-
gagomcnt at 21-2 miles distance took
place between these two vessels The Nir-
ginia. aitho' constantly hulled. received
Monroe The example was followed hy
riddled, and would doubtless have been
totally destroyed but for tho lowness
of the tide which prevented tho Viz
einia's nearer approach and selecting q
more damaging position. The Minnesota
was much damaged. losing In Killed and
wounded nearly half her crew. The Viz
ginia designed at leisure 10 complete the
destruction of the Minnesota. LETT her TO
meet the 81. Lawrence, that had been
flowed uD they engaged. and aitcr two
broad sides. the 81. Lawrence turned and
hurried back under the guns Of Fort
Monroe. The example was followed by
the Roanoke. after receiving few shot
from the Virginia. The two frlgatcs soon
reached the Fort. While the Virginia
was engaging the St Lawrence the
jamestown and Yorktown attacked the
Minnesota. approaching which vessel al
the time and distant from her about 300
yards was a Federal gun-boat. she was
struck by a shot from the Yorktown
piercing the boiler which exploded ana
blew her up. and when the smoke cleared
away not a vestige Of the gun-boat, or
her crew. was visible. on returning from
The Roanoke the Virginia fell in with,
and destroyed q gun-boat IL being now
dark the Nirginla's crew rested for the
night from their labours
THE MONITOR ARRIVES.
The next day Sunday morning. brought
an entirely new element into the action
during Saturday night arrived the iron
! clad Federal steamer Monitor with a
Martello tower. The Monitor and Viz
eluia were engaged for several hours,
and early I'm the fight at very close quar-
tors set neither az them appeared 10 re-
1 cs1ve any material injury from shot
Notwithstanding the Monitor distant a
10 few hundred yards, constantly struck the
| Virginia with elevcn-inch round shot,
one OF which carried away the muzzie
Of Nirginia's low-cun. most Of the frag-
ments flying inside, and wounding five
men. but doing no further injury neither
ana q shot that passed through the
! smoko-sfack. The Virginia. finding she
could innict no injury with shot. deter