Evening journal., 1898-04-23
ON THE CUMBERLAND.

Peter McAleer, Of No. 323 East Fifth
street, an employe in the shops OF the
Pusey and Jones Company, was on the
United States frigate Cumberland when
she was rammed and sunk by the Con-
federate ram Merrimac, in Hampton
Roads, Va. He and William II. Lee,
who assisted in preparing the Merrlmac
for her destructive work. live within
fifteen squares Of each other. The Way
farer has already given to his readers
the story told by Mr.. Lee, and last
evening he went out and saw Mr. Nc
Aleer, whom he found at his East Fifth
street home.
81 was % years old when / enlisted"
said the well-preserved veteran. 1t
was in 1861 that / went on the Cumber-
land as seaman. The commander as
signed me to the ten-inch rifled gun,
known as No. 10. We proceeded to
Hampton Roads and were lying at an
chor there at the time Of the catastro-
phe.
"The Merrimac came out of Elizabeth
river about 10 o'clock in the morning
and steamed towards us. For some
reason, the nature of which l am in
ignorance, she put about and went
back up the Elizabeth river. 1t was
about noon when she came out again,
being conveyed by two tugs, which
showed her the channel. She made for
us with a rush, bow on, firing as she
came. We, Of course, felt apprehensive
until the feeling of fear was dispelled
by the excitement incident to the ac-
tual fighting. We did all in our power
to keep her of, but she was too power
ful an adversary, and she rammed US
on the starbOard side about ten feet
abaft the bow. In doing so she broke
off her ram. For a few minutes after
wards she acted in, a sluggish manner,
being unable to get clear of us. Finally
she succeeded in backing off and
there we lay, side by side, at short
range, and with the guns belching forth
death and destruction, fighting a mem
Orable naval battle at close quarters.
Broadside after brOadside was poured
into each ship by the other. Then our
ship listed. It was due to the vast vol
ume Of water which had poured into
the hull through the gaping wound
made in our starbOard bow by the Mer-
rimac's ram. This list put my gun, as
well as the others on that side Of the
ship, out Of service, giving them an un-
natural elevation, with no correspond
ing power Of depression available. We
realized that the Cumberland had re-
ceived her death wound, but she fought
on. One of the tugs seemed to be
struck, for she left the scene OF action
as hurTiedly se she could We were
also Furnishing the Merrimac more than
she liked, for She changed her position
SO as to present her bow to us. Her
bow guns did deadly execution, while
- nlir.e ehot slauccd of OF hcr iron plated
front Her commander called upon the
commander Of the Cumberland to sur
render. He replied THAI we would die
first. For one hour and thirty minutes
the fight was waged, and then our ship
sunk. There were over 400 men aboard
our ship. About half Of them were
killed or drowned. Most Of the deaths
were due to the Confederate shot and
to flying splinters Dozens who jumped
overheard never reached shore I re-
ceived a slight scalp wound, and. when
we had to leave the ship, / struck out
for shore and reached it after a hard
struggle. Many others who were strug-
Cling in the water were picked up by
the boats of the different ships around
there and taken to Newport News Al
ter our ship went down we could see
our flag flying from the masthead. Next
day and other survivors saw from the
shore the fight between the Monitor
anu the MClIluhcs III Multu lut ldllCl
was forced to retire. 1t was a pleasant
sight for us, assure you. Afterwards
/ enlisted in the Eighth Delaware Regi-
ment and served as a soldier during th5
balance of the war.
Until the gunboat Wilmington was
launched I did not know positively
what made the tug Patrick Henry leave
the scene Of action so hurriedly during
the fight between the Cumberland and
Merrimac. I went to Newport News tC
see the launch, and while there I met 2
man who was on the Patrick Henry
told him / believed we hit her At frs
he denied it, but. later, owned up thai
a shot from the Cumberland ven
through her. penetrating the watel
heater, the result being the killing O.
one man and the serious scalding O.
nve others. 1t was some consolation {,
me to know that"