Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-03-08

battle, but was of no service, and was
tOwed back to her anchorage.
There was no evidence of panic
among the sailing vessels until after
the Cum erland went down. The
navy, as we'll as the army, had faith
Newport News could take care OF the
Merrimac, but these gallant sailors
soon learned that the rebels had sent
out war engine capable OF sinking
all the wooden vessels in the harbOr.
SURRENDER OF THE CONGRESS.
The frigate Congress gave the Mer-
rimac powerful broadside fire as she
passed on, headed for the Cumber-
land, which was rammed and sunk.
The Merrimac then turned her at
tenticn to the Congress, which had
slipped her anchor and drifted down
on the bar, where she lay helpless. in
ran up a white flag. 1t was during
the surrender preliminaries that
Capt. Buchanan, OF the Merrimac,
was wounded in the leg by rifle ball
from the soldiers on the beach, and
this violation Of the white flag caused
Buchanan TO order hot shot fired into
the helpless frigate full of wounded
and dead men, and the tire thus start
ed ragged until midnight, when the
magazine exploded with terrific force.
After the Congress began to blaze
the Merrimac steamed down the har-
Dor toward the Minnesota, and gave
that unfortunate vessel a rough time
of it, sending mum her of shots thro-
ugh her hull, the Minnesota respond
ing with broadsides Of twenty-five
guns. but the shots that would have
sunk an ord mary vessel only bounded
harmlessly from the iron sides of her
antagonist.
When the Cum berand went down
thousands OF men on land and water
realized with amazement that new
war monster had been launched whose
power OF destruction could only be
guessed at. When the Congress was
set on re a panic took place among
the hundreds OF sailing vessels. Their
anchors and sails were raised and all
headed for the ocean and safety.
There was no wind to help them, but
they drifted out with the tide.
THE HORRIBLE GRANDEUR OF WAR.
1t was scene never to be forgotten
when the Merrimac at long range
poured her merci!esS fire into the big
hull of the Minnesota, while a few
miles farther down the bay fully 100
sailing vessels were fleeing the rebel
monster. The Rip Raps was pouring g
steady fire into Sewell's Point, and
| further away in that circle of death
and destruction the Craney Island,
Pigs Point and Newport News bat
teries were doing what they could to
add grandeur to the scene.
The Merrmac, not being able to
approach the Minnesota within half a
mile or more, drew off early in the
evening and anchored under the
Sewell's Point battery for the night,
| with her consorts, the jamestown
and Yorktown, two paddle wheel
steamers that escaped out of the
James river after the Cumberland and
Congress had been disposed of.
The sun went down upon dis.
hearted navy and an army powerless
to render any assistance. The Cum
= II l,aI afh N
lost: the Congress burning and her
gallant commander. Joe Smith, lay
ing headless on burning deck cover
ed with blood and hundred or more
brave men beside him food for the
flames: the Minnesota fast aground
the Roanoke with broken shaft ane
the st. Lawrence, a dfty.two CUR
relic of .ths older navy, with mum.
ber OF merchant steamers at anahol