Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-03

''Si et'Se the teHutncy OF fhe pTOJectiles
| 70 glance. All preparations were made.
| iheiuuhg nights at Instructions
| After dark the pilots declared
J mat they could not PILOT the ship du.
ring the night They had high sense OF
| their responsibility. In justice TO them
Ilt should be stated that it was not easy
to pilot a vessel OF our great draught
under favorable circumstances and that
the difficulties were much increased by
'he hbsence OF lights, buoys, ETC., 10
which they had been accustomed.
me attack was postponed 10 Saturday.
March Sth. The weather was favorable.
We left the navy-y--1 at II A. NJ,
against the last half of the fcod-tide,
steamed down the river past our bat
teries. through the distractions, across
Hampton Roads, TO the mouth Of the
James river, where, off Newport News.
lay at anchor the frlgates Cumberland
and Congress, protected by strong bat
teries and gunboatS. The action com
monced about II. N. by our firing the
bow gun 90 at the Cumberland, less than
mile distant. a powerful fire was i'm
mediately concentrated upon US from all
the batteries afioat and ashore. The fri
gates Minnesota, Roanoke, and st. Law
renee with other vessels, were seen com
ing from Old Point. We fired at the Con-
gress on passing, but continued TO head
directly for the Cumberland, which YES
sci we had determined to run into, and
In less than fifteen minutes from the firing
Of the first gun we rammed her, Just for
ward Of the starboard fore chains. There
were heavy spars about her bows, proba-
bly, 10 ward off torpedoes, through
which we had TO break before reaching
the side OF the ship. The noise OF the
crashing timbers was distinctly heard
above the din Of battle There was no
sign of the hole above water 1t must
have been large. and the ship soon com
menced 10 careen. The shock to us on
striking was slight. We Immediately
backed the engines. The blow was not
repeated. We here lost the prov, and
had the stem slightly twisted. The Cum
berland az fought her guns CALAMITY as
long as they were above water She went
down bravely, with her colOrs flying. One
of her shells struck the sill of the bow
port, and exploded; the fragments killed
two and wounded a number. Our after
9-inch gun was loaded and ready for
firing. when its muzzle was struck by
a shell, which broke it off and fired the
gun. Another gun, also, had its muz-
ze shot off; it was broken off so short
that at each subsequent discharge its
port was set on fire. The damage to
the armor was slight Their fire appear
ed to have been aimed at our ports. Had
1t been concentrated at the water-line we
would have been seriously hurt, if not
sunk. Owing to the ebb-tide and our
great draught we could not close with
the Congress without first going up
stream and then returning. which was a
tedious operation, besides subjecting us
ha ftt51 Of no no.
some Of which We silenced
We were accompanied from the yard
by the gunboats Beaufort, Lieutenant
Commander w. IL. Parker, and Raleigh,
Lieutenant Commander J. w. Alexander.
AS soon as the firing was heard up James
river the Patrick Henry, Commander
John Il. Tucker; jamestown, Iieutenant-
Commander j. n. Barney, and the gum
boat Teaser Lieutonant-Comma w.
A. Webb, under command of Captain
John II. Tucker, stood down the river,
joining us about 4 o'clock. All these yes
sells were CALAMITY fought and handled,
and rendered valuable and effective ser
vice.
The prisoners from the Congress stated
that when onboard that ship it was seen
that we were standing UP the river three
cheers were given, under the impression
that we had quit the fight. They were
soon undeceived. When they saw us head
ing downstream, fearing the fate of the
Cumberland, they slipped their cables,
made sail and ran ashore bows on. We
took a position off her quarter, about
two cables length distant. and opened
deliberate fire. Very few Of her guns
bore on us, and they We're soon disabled.
The other batteries continued to play on
us, as did the Minnesota then aground
about one and one half miles OFF. The
st. Lawrence also opened on us shortly
after. There was great havoc on board
the Congress. She was several times on
fire. Her gallant commander Lieutenant
Joseph u. Smith G) was struck in tho
breast by the fragment of q shell and
instantly killed. The carnage was fear
full. Nothing remaiped but TO strike their
colors, which they did. They hoisted the
white flag, half-masted, at the main and
at the spanker gaff. The Beaufort and
Raleigh were ordered 10 burn her. They
went alongside and secured several of
her officers and some twenty of her men
as prisoners. The officers urgently asked
permission to assist their wounded out
of the ship. 1t was granted. They did
not return. A sharp fire Of musketry
from the shore killed some of the prison.
crs and forced the tugs TO leave, A boat
was sent from the Virginia to burn her.
covered by the Teasor. a fire
was opened on them from the
shore, and also from the Con-
gress. with both of her white flags
flying, wounding Lieutenant Minor and
others. We replied TO this outrage upon
the usages Of civilized warfare by re-
opening on the Congress with hot shot
and incendiary shell. Her crew escaped
by boats, as did that of the Cumberland.
Canister and grape would have prevented
it. but in neither case was any attempt
made TO stop them, though il has been
otherwise stated, possibly from our firing
on the shore or at the Congress.
We remained near the Congress 10 pre-
vent her recapture. Had she been re-
taken it might have been said that the
flag officer permitted IT, knowing that his
brother 60 was an officer of that vessel.
A distant and unsatisfactory fire was
at times had at the Minnesota. The gun
boats also engaged her. We fired canister
and grape occasionally in reply to mus
kerry from the shore. which had become
annoying.
About this time the flag officer was
badly wounded by u rife bali, and had
TO be carried below. His bold daring ana
intrepid conduct won tho admiration Of
all on board. The executive and ordnance
officer, Lieutenant Catesby Ap. X. jones,
succeeded to the command
The action continued until dusk, when
60 1t killed and wounded ten men at
the after-pivot gun OF the Cumberland
The second shot from the same gun killed
n