The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-19

The hottest Of the fight During this
tlnie we were turgct for the entire
| Meet ana the shore batteries In The
heat of the fight we had 10 look in
every direction. One of our shots
blew up large transport steamer ANA
another 'nc sunk tug. We did most
OF TINS damage when we were windiu.,
IN" snip after ramming the Cumbcr-
land
we mad more difficulty in destroying
me Congress than that cXpcriCuced
with the Cumberland. The havoc
wrought by the Merrimac's shells on
mat vesse! was fearful. The ship ran
WIN blood. Her crew stood nnbly by
their guns ana continued TO Gcbt uniil
n majority OF her officers ana mmn w,,n
h!IIed OF wounded The Mcrrlnrac get
ing closer and closer all the time. ms
IL ID ram her rs we did the Cumbnr-
ilhd. The hcrOism of her captain ar,l
crew was simply sublime.
Nhch the Cumberland after such n
| ShoPt engagement WAS sent To the bot
,oh' no one would have criticised
'...a'i,a smith, in command. had he
surrendered. Did he do so" No. hut
instead his crew leaped into The |ri.
eng. gave three defiant cheers nnI con-
tihucd to fight their vessel until pgor
Snnlth was killed with a majority of
MS crew, his ship on fire In several
PAGES every guns crew broken IN
anu ms snip icl danger every moment
~ y, nehS sent 10 the bottom by the
ASilImac's ram. Then ana ONLY thru
uid she surrender. White flags w,rn
hoistercd and her culurs lowered \
s!oriousiy fought ship. manned bv n
EaIiaht crew, and how sad To rniInct
mat so much heroism should have bcrsl
wasted IN literally a conflict between
nio'her ana brother, instead Of being
nccntrated on common enemy.
This Angclo-Siaxon race, WHEN aroused
Is terrible in its wrath.
AS the sailors were cscupInr. swim
ming ashore from the Cumberland and
congress, some one suggested to fire
on them with strapped ana canister
hut buchanan was Indignant at tho
very suggestion. After the surrender
oi inc Congress n number Of officers
ana men. taking advantage OF th,.
truce went on deck 10 get a breath of
ireSh ala, and take view of The sit
"atioh In the meantime we had sent
n hohs to the Congress to take off the
prisoners. While IN the act of doing
tnis the two officers in command were
SHot GOWN by Il fusilldc of mimic
palis from the Newport New batteries,
Notwithstanding the flag of surrnndcr
lEing at her masthead. The batteries
Then turned their attentions 10 our
f'i ~ pil lIie -Nefrimac'S deck and Adj
miiai buchanan was shot down. We
were then lying n flag Of truce. When
ne was being carried below he gave
orders to clear for action again and TO
IRE not shot into the Congress. This
was done and she was soon abaze.
This caused much delay, and ihnugb
we turned our attention to the Mime
sofa and delivered several broadsides
INTO her. but II was growing so late
mat the pilots Insisted upon our draw
ing off into deeper water. So we an
chorcd ici the Roads, near ScwaIl's
Point, for the night
During our first days fight we lost
Two men killed ana seventeen wound
ed, Two of our gun muHHlcS we.c ear
r!cd away. but we never ceased firing
them The damage to the vessel was
wholly !mmatcrial Barring the wound
ifS OF our intrepid commander we felt
VOL satisfied with the result 4 more
gallant commander never trod the deck
of snip. lie was without Il peer ana
his name must go down to nostcrity
coupled with that Of Collingwood
Stuart, Nelson, Decatur and Farragut
Had not buchanan been wounded the