The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-18
to the deck and her drum and fife an

to the deck ana nere drum anu Aiie Gil :
swered ours.
II was at my station, and through the
wide-o open portfolio OF my gun. Whtcneo
the picture OF the waters OF the bay and
the distant shores, framed in that DARK
and narrow opening. with the black
muzzles OF the gun projecting through.
My men were all standing to their posts,
rigid as iron, waiting orders. with only
a whispered word or smothered laugh
to break the strain. Below deck on
the Merrimac it was perfectly still, with
only the churning of the engines and
the creaking of the rudder chains. with
the occasional tinkle OF a bell to be
heard over the water. the sound Of the
drum and fife and hoarse shouts Of
command on the Congress, mingled with
the tapping OF the waves against the
side OF the Merrimac.
Suddenly. across the view of sliding
green shores / was watching through the
open porthole swung the picture OF the
They had been getting in the boats
made fast to her booms clearing the
decks and getting the men to quarters.
"Only for moment was she visible,
for suddenly an immense cloud OF white
smoke shot out from her side, com y
pletely yelling her. The heavy concus-
sion OF twenty-five guns. fired almost 81
mediately the terrific broadside OF heavy
shot and shell rained their titanic blows
on our sides, and the iron framework
4 Of the Merrimac resounded as though
beneath the blows Of a gigantis sledge-
hammer. But her iron clad sides, sloping
so steeply. sent the shot OF the enemy
reboundng high In the air. Our broad
side of guns answered her Immediately.
and fired at distance of not one hun
dred yards they had terrible effect.
"Then paying no more attention to the
Congress, we kept straight on after the
Cumberland. She had fewer guns than
her consort, but they were of heavier
calibre, and Buchanan wished to settle
with her first. At my station could see
nothing but the panorama of the shore.
miles away, but suddenly we felt a
chorus Of Wild yells from forward and
the ship backed away. Constant firing
began at tho forward batteries, and as
the ship rounded to, heavy broadside
was delivered from the portside.
I'VE had no idea Of what was happen
ing, and we stood in suspense until Flag
Lieutenant Minor ran by. waving his cap
above his head, shouting in wild excite
1nent: We've sunk the Cumberland!
Our iron Prov had broken off and
gone down with the Cumberland. Back
ing off, the Virginia drove on forward
to get room inswhich to turn round. The
men on the Congress thought we were
lunnfng away. and began to cheer:
but as soon as we had gained sufficient
distance to turn in. we headed straight
back for the Congress.
Seeing what had happened to her con-
sort the Congress attempted to run
away. Her cables We're slipped and her
lib hoisted, but at the first move she ran
oil ha
stern, we raked her fore and aft, and
after a few shots she brought down her
flag.
..There were five Confederate boats
lying In the James. which had come DASH
ing to our assistance when they hearru
the first shot fired. These were the
Yorktown. the jamestown, the Patrick
Henry, the Teaser and the Beaufort
The Lieutenant of the Beaufort stepped
off the sinking ship, and Lieutenant
Minor, of the Virginia, set out in a
cutter to receive the surrender Although
the white flag was flying from the cut
ter, from the frigate and from the iron-
clad, some marines on the lower deck
Of the Congress opened fire and severely
wounded Commodore Buchanan Lieu
tenant Minor and n 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 the damned ship" as he fell.
Eve fired few more shots, but saw
that 1t would be murder to keep on; they
were defcnseless. SO we ceased firing
without orders
''Now, there We're all the horrors OF
civil war In that battle The Congress
and the Cumberland We're sister ships
of the Merrlmac, and all the officers on
the Merrimac, now the Virginia. had
served on board these ships. I had been
a mldshipman on the Congress, and !
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 ne arc
firing at her, noticed especially those
same anchor chains. AS Lieutenant Park
err stepped aboard the Congress, the
first thing he saw was the body Of his
old Annapolis room-mato Lieutenant Joe
Smith, with his head shot off by one
OF our guns And to crown all, Buch-
a nan told us that niKht that his own