The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-21

'.'SS'u aioHS tne WhorNc5 on bplh
sides. Bidding us Sodspecd wIth
cheers ana waving handkcrchicfs
hut All the people were act there. The
churches wcro tu,ongcd with women
ana children. many belonging 10 those
who "crc going into hattie They
were PRAYING for our success and the
preservation Of their loved ones
Against Bii, odds.
Leaving the Virginia for moment
le' us glance at the force that Our
friends. tic enemy" had at ;hcir dis
Dosol for our reception. on Newport
Ncw'. blocking the mouth of The
lanes River. were the niGatc Con-
Sress. of 100 men ana Nfty guns; the
Cumberland. 800 men and twenty two
guns of much heavier calibrc than
those Of the Congress. one small gum
boat and Formidable land batteries
within point blank range Of the @cs-
sells we We're about TO attack
fow miles distant a,ld it, full
view at OLD Point Comfort. lay the
steam frigates Minnesota and Hoa-
noka. each with 80 men and forty
guns, and the sailing friSate st. Law
renee, with $50 men and hfty guns.
making in the aggregate about 5000
men and go guns
Accompanying the Virginia as ten-
ders were two tugboats each mount
They were the Beaufort. lieutenant
Parker. and the Raleigh. Lieutenant
Alexander BIockaded up the james
River were three Confcder;tte vessels,
viz: the Patrick Henry. with sis guns,
commander. John 4. Tucker tho
Jamestown tw" guns Lieutenant
Barney and tho tue boat Tenzcr, one
gun. Lieutenant webb. The first two
vessels naned were walking hea;n bay
tor.
line
Let US return to the Virginia, as
She is threading her way through tho
channel leading into Hampton Roads.
Dead ahead is Fortress Monroe aud
the Rim Raps guarding the channel
that leads past tho mouth Of Chesa :
pcuhc Bay into the Atlantic Ocean OF
;,bou. two points on the port bow the
two Federal Sesrcls. Congress and
Cumberland, are quietly LAYING out
their anchors
Saturday is tho day in which the
yalors Of n inan-of-war wash their
clothes I'm the morning watch and the
washed clothes Of the Congress are uow
stretched upon horizontal lines between
the main and miazen rigEing---tho
clothes OF over 100 mcu-the white
clothes on tho starboard side. inc blue
on the port. according TO naval Gus
t"il.
Many a poor fcilo" VINO scfno bea
his shirt or ms trousers spread OF,
the white deck ms lr"i ning' sha!i
nave u" more use Tor 'ne" atte' the''
day Work sha!! nave neeH cone
had served ON poth sh'ps as iiliu-
siipmin The cumneiiahd hao o~eh
altered beyond recognition rom
nfty-gun fighter 20 a sloop Of war,
but me conFrsss l"oFel as she f,a
""en sne was l"F '!on't'e nome ioi
hearly thrce Neai $ i-i'tt% n'u ~ ~ =
.leh lhu' SHou'" ever 1'i' " nan" io'
Asr ues lrnftl"If'
Attack i>cnt secret.
Only the commander and tho eNecu
tive officer knew the point OF attack
that had been decided upon. but ali
- once the ship is beaded for the two
vessels OF Newport News, and tho
drum ard dfe are sounding the call
10 quarters w see the washed clothes
81 the Congress lowered to her ueck
and hear over the water her drum ana
ME IN the iutnticaI notes as our own
calling her crew 10 quarters
We 80 quieHY TO our stations cast
loose The guns ana stand ready TOR
the neNt ac, In inc drama
coHl'0a"tei me tWo hot ,shot guns
alrec'lY unaer the man halch ana
lLal bN'f me furnace. Nh great GUNS