The National tribune., 1911-03-16

were lifted upon racks and mess chest.
ITO keep them from drowning, and a.
the water rose these who fell on the
upper decks awere carried amidship.
and left there. Z
} While the TMerrimac was occupied
with the Cumberland two rebel steam
ers the Patrick Henry and jamestown
and small tug called the Teazer, with
one. large pivot sun, ran down the
James River,oopposfte our water bat
teries. and, joining the other rebel feet
| opened heavy fire upon the Congress
which told severely upon her crew. The
steam transport Wheldon was anchored
at the dock when the Cumberland went
down, and Immediately steamed out in
to the channel to pick up the crew,
when shell disabled her machinery
and she was captured.
Fate of the Congress.
The commander of the Congress, see
| ing the fate of the Cumberland, tried
to escape by running his vessel ashore.
1 but the movement was only escaping
destruction in one form to meet il in
another. No sooner was the Congress
hard and fast aground than the Merri-
mac, taking position astern of her at
a distance of about $50 yards raked
her fore and aft with shells and solid
shot, and the smaller steamers Joined in
the attack with spirit and terrible eff
feet.
| This unequal contest lasted about an
hour The old frigate was powerless;
her decks were covered with dead and
wounded, her commander had been
| killed, and fire had already broken out
in several parts of the ship. The whole
affair had ceased to be a fight: it was
simply slaughter. The white flag was
run up, and the rebel boats Beaufort
and Raleigh ran alongside of her and
took possession, and were just about
| removing the crew as prisoners when
| the troops on shore, who had hastily
erected few earthworks, opened a
heavy fire of small-arms upon them,
and they were compelled to withdraw.
The Merrimac and the rebel fleet then
returned the fire, using incendiary shot
| and shell with grape and canister. The
officers and the crew of the Congress,
who had remained passive while this
contest was going on over and around
| them, manned their small boats and
escaped TO the shore. i-,e7 ,set
The ship, left to herself. continued
to burn slowly until midnight, when
the fire reached her magazines, when
she was blown up.
While these two battles were in prog
ress the two screw frigates, Roanoke
and Minnesota. made an effort to get
into action, but the tide was out and
both vessels got hard and fast aground
fiict; but the mishap probably saved
them from the fate of the Cumberland
and Congress The Merrimac, on ac-
count of her drawing so much more
water than either of them, could not
get near enough to them. and as night
her company ceased firing. and with
drew across the bay under the guns Of
SeWelrs Point batteries.
They had done a terrible half-day's
work-sunk one of their opponents
ships, burnt another, captured one
transport and had the two ether ves-
sells aground and helpless, and only
daylight was needed, with the assistance
of their land forces, to capture and ex-
terminate the rest of us on shore. They
saw their prey within theiFsvery grasp,
and by all human probability the whole
force must fall into their hands on the
next day.
Arrival of the Monitor.
But an event had already occurred
which put a new aspect upon affairs
for the next day, At o'clock that
afternoon the little Monitor had passed
Cape Henry, and. hearing the heavy
firing in our direction, she was imme-
diately stripped of her rigging and her
turret keyed up and cleared for action,
and at 8 o'clock she was anchored
alongside, of the Minnesota. Her COM
maUuer,, Capt. WurivII, immediately re-
ported for duty to the flag officer, and
you may be sure a terrible atmosphere
of gloom perVaded the whole fleet, and
especially the troops on. shore.
The insignificant aspect of the new
arrival did not inspire much confidence,
especially among US who had witnessed
the disasters of the day. At sunrise on
Sunday morning the Merrimac and her
company were discovered off SewelPs
q
and steering direct for the Minnesota.
| At the same time the little Monitor was
on the move.
The Merrimac had passed the night
quietly at Sewelps Point. her crew en-
ioying rest and sleep. The Monitor had
| barely escaped shipwreck twice, and for
IS hours few If any of those on board
had closed their eyes in sleep, with
nothing to eat but wet bareback.
Getting his ship under way. Capt.
Worden steered directly for the enemy's
vessels.
As the Monitor approached the wood
en- vessels all skedaddled, so she. went
straight for the Merrimac, which had
already commenced firing, and when
she came within short range the Moni-
tor, we noticed, changed her course, so
as to come up alongside of the Merri-
mac, and stopped her engines and COM
menced firing at the. shortest possible
range. About an hour elapsed before
the troops on shore could see anything
more of either ship, the Merrimac be-
ing quick to reply, giving our ship 10
guns for the Monitors two every time.
After the close-range firing we no.
ticed the Merrimac made desperate
effort TO get past the Monitor to attack
the Minnesota and Roanoke. In shifting
her position she got aground, but got
off again. The frigates received her as
she approached with discharge from
their full broadsides and their 10-inch
pivot guns, and If it had been a wooden
vessel she would certainly have been
blown out of the water.
The Merrimac answered back with
shells from her rif1ed bow gun, setting
the Minnesota on fire in several places.
The flames, however, were soon extin-
guished. $685. 80
The Fight Between the IrOnclads.
Capt Van Brunt, of the Minnesota,
then concentrated his broadsides again
upon her, and $50 solid shot struck
her sides with no more apparent effect
than the pelting of so many cobble-
stones. The Merrimac, putting on her
full speed, attempted to repeat her sue
cesSful attack on the Cumberland. Capt
Worden, of fine Monitor, saw the move
ment. and suddenly putting his helm
hard aport ne GAVIN his vessel a broad
sheer, receiving haiintended blow him
self on his astarbeard quarter, which
glanced off without injury.
Now the ball was fairly opened, and
they found In the Yankee cheeseboX a
worthy foeman. The fight continued
with the exchange of broadsides as fast