The Saint Paul globe., 1904-11-27

rick Henry. the Teaser and the Beau
fort Lieut.. Parker, of the Beaufort.
stepped aboard the Congress to help
get the crew off the sinking ship. and
Lieut. Minor. of the Virginia, set out
in a cutter to receive the surrender.
Although the white flag was flying
from the cutter, from the frigate and
from the ironclad, some marines on the
lower deck OF the Congress opened fire
and severely wounded Commodore Bu-
chanan. Lieut.. Minor and a number OF
other officers Buchanan was standing
on the open deck just above my open
hatchway when he was shot. and he
called out. sink that id ship,' as he
fell.
I'VE fired a few more shots, but saw
that 1t would be murder to keep on, as
they were defenseless, 50 We ceased
firing without orders.
Now, there were all the horrors OF
civil war IN that battle. The Congress
and the Cumberland were sister ships
OF the Merrimac. and all the officers of
the Merrirnac, now the Virginia. had
served on board those ships 1 had
been midshipman on the Congress, and
I knew every bolt and plank in her.
When we were lying at Rio we used
to swim around the Congress and
climb up by her anchor chains; and
now, as we were firing at her, / no.
ticed especially those same anchor
chains. As Lient. Parker stepped
aboard the Congress. the first thing
he saw was the body OF his old Ann
apolis roommate. Lieut. Joe Smith.
with his head shot Off by one OF our
guns. And. 10 crown all. Buchanan
told US that night that his own brother.
Paymaster Buchanan, was aboard the
Congress. and that he knew 1t when he
gave the order to Sink that damned
ship,'
THAT night. when we had gone back
to Seweli's point to land our wounded.
I had the nfidwatch, and as was look
ing over toward the scene OF the days
engagement saw a sudden big flare of
light, and heard the distant boom of an
explosion. That was the last of the
Congress. One of my hot shot had
started a fire, which had reached her
magazines
Fight With the Monitor
AT early sunrise on the morning OF
the 9Th, looking out over the waters of
the bay, we saw the Minnesota aground,
and beside her the strangest looking
craft we had ever seen. AS she has
been so often described. the Monitor
looked like cheesebox on a raft
After taking early breakfast we
started out to renew the fight The
Monitor came boldly to meet us. and
for six hours the two iFonclads bonn
barded one another. The poetry OF
naval battle was not there; it was
simply a game OF enormous iron bolts
hurled upon thick iron plates by guns
of hitherto unknown dimensions. The
Merrimac was unmanageable, the Mon
itor worked beautifully. She steamed
close up to US and around us. some
times within few feet OF as. / could
see that black hull come past the open
porthole at which stood. with the i'm
mense cheese box upon IL. revolving
slowly We could not see the guns of
the Monitor except when they WERE
ready to fire. The terrific hammering
of her immense projectiles on the iron
work directly outside my station sprung
the woodwork inside. II appeared as
though they were trying to make q
breach there. 1t was only occasion
ally that my guns got a shot at the
monster. The heat was fierce, the at
mosphere stifiing- Finally, seeing that
our shots made absolutely no impress
sion on the Monitors hull, ! ceased mr.