Naval Engagement

FORT MONROE, March 9.

The Merrimac was signaled this morning, moving down the channel from Norfolk in front of Sewall’s point battery.  All was excitement about Fort Monroe at this news, and the Cumberland, Congress, Minnesota, St. Lawrence and Roanoke exchanged signals of danger.

The Merrimac had nothing above water but her flag staff, flying the rebel flag, and smoke stack.  She moved slowly, steaming directly for the Cumberland and Congress, lying at the mouth of James river.  The Cumberland opened on her with heavy guns, but the balls glanced off having no effect.  At the same time the rebel iron-clad boats, Yorktown and Jamestown, came down James river, and engaged our frigates on the other side.

Our batteries at Newport News opened on the gunboats to assist the Cumberland and Congress, which, being sailing vessels, were at the mercy of the steamers.  They both rained heavy broadsides on the Merrimac, which was slowly approaching, but all the effect visible was to slightly check her progress.  She then ran against the Cumberland, striking her about midships, literally laying open her side.  She then drew off and fired into the disabled ship and again dashed against her with her iron clad prow, knocked in her side, left her to sink, and started for the Congress, lying a quarter of a mile distant, which was engaging the Yorktown and Jamestown.  She, having no regular crew aboard, and being only partly manned by three companies of the naval brigade, seeing the helplessness of continuing the fight, struck her colors.

The Jamestown then took from her all her officers as prisoners.  Her crew escaped in boats.  The vessel was fired by the rebels.  After this the Merrimac and two gun-boats opened with shot and shell on Newpoart News batteries.  Some accounts say the garrison have been compelled to retreat to the woods, others say the gunboats were obliged to retreat.  The Minnesota did not yet have steam up in time to aid the two frigates.  She was followed by the St. Lawrence, and from necessity engaged the rebel vessel at distance of a mile.  It was the impression at the point that both were considerably damaged, but these statements are based on what could be seen with a glass at a distance of 8 miles.

The Merrimac was also believed to be aground when the boat left.  She lay a mile distant from the Minnesota, making no attempt to molest her.  After the last gun was fired from the Minnesota, persons declare they saw dense volumes of vapor rise from the Merrimac, indicating an explosion of some sort.  It is not known if this is so but it is believed she was aground.  It was the intention of the Minnesota to run to close quarters and avoid the iron prow of the Merrimac, and carry her by boarding.  To this, the Merrimac did not seem inclined to give opportunity.

As the Baltimore boat left Old Point at 8 o’clock, she met the Ericsson steamer, Monitor, going in.

LATER.

FORTRESS MONROE, March 9.

The Monitor arrived at 10 o’clock last night, and immediately went to the protection of the Minnesota, aground below Newport News.  At 7 o’clock to-day the Merrimac, Jamestown, Yorktown and several tugs went towards the Minnesota and opened fire.  The Monitor met them and opened fire, when the enemy’s vessels retired, excepting the Merrimac.  These two iron-clad vessels then fought from 8 o’clock till noon, part of the time touching each other, when the Merrimac retreated.

The Monitor was commanded by Lieut. Worden, and was handled with great skill, assisted by chief engineer Steiners.  The Minnesota was somewhat injured, but kept up a continuous fire.  The Monitor is uninjured, and ready for another attack.

WASHINGTON, March 9.

Gen. McClellan received a dispatch from Gen. Wool, dated this evening, confirming the above, also stating that the Minnesota had got off, and the Merrimac was driven off in a sinking condition, towed by the Jamestown, Yorktown, and other boats towards Norfolk, probably to get her in dry dock.

A dispatch was also received by the Secretary of the Navy, from Assistant Secretary Fox saying, in addition to the above, that the Merrimac retreated, but it is impossible to say whether she was injured or not.

Lieut. Worden, commander of the Monitor, was injured by cement from the pilot house being driven into his eye, but probably not seriously.

WASHINGTON, March 9 – 7 P. M.

By Telegraph from Fort Monroe. – The Ericsson arrived last night or early this morning.  She was attacked by the Merrimac, Jamestown and Yorktown.

After an hour’s contest they were beaten off – the Merrimac in a sinking condition.

FORT MONROE, March 9.

The long expected Confederate steamer Merrimac made her appearance, and yesterday afternoon, with the assistance of two gunboats which came out with her from Norfolk, made an attack upon Newport News and the naval vessels stationed at that place.

The Merrimac was first seen from the ramparts of Fortress Monroe, on her way to Newport News at about a quarter before one o’clock.  Two rebel gunboats followed her.  They all carried a rebel flag at the stern, and had a French flag at the mast head.

The Merrimac had a flag at her bows, which was described by some as a commodore’s blue flag and by others as a black flag.  The side bows and stern of the Merrimac were covered with sloping iron plates extending about two feet below the water line and meeting above like the roof of a house.  On her bows on the water line are two sharp iron points, resembling plows, about six or seven feet apart.  The number of guns is stated at twelve, but she might not have had so many.  At her bows were seen two guns projecting from long elliptical portholes.

The design of the enemy did not become apparent till between one and two, and by that time the Minnesota had got under way to the scene of action.

The Roanoke – the flag ship – being disabled by the breaking of her shaft sometime since, was taken in tow by two gunboats.  About the same time the alarm gun was fired at Fort Monroe and the whole garrison promptly turned out.  The rebel boats steadily pursued their way to Newport News and the Merrimac soon turned the point and was to view from the Fortress.

The first shot was fired from the frigate Cumberland at a little past 2 o’clock.

The Sewall’s Point battery then opened on the Minnesota, which was passing, and the Sawyer gun from the Rip Raps replied with a few shots.  At Sewall’s Point a thick smoke was seen to rise above Newport News Point, indicating that the battery there, as well as the Cumberland and Congress, were engaged.  The details of the action could not be seen from the fort, but a telegraph dispatch was received, announcing that the Cumberland and Merrimac were in close quarters.  After firing two guns at the Cumberland, the Merrimac struck her, her sharp bows making a hole in her at the waterline seven feet in extent.  The Cumberland commenced sinking, when the Merrimac, backing a short distance, ran into her a second time, making another terrible hole in her, causing the water to run in at furious rate.

The Cumberland continued firing till the water entered her port holes, when she careened over slowly, and finally sunk about 3 o’clock.  The Newport News Battery and the guns of the Cumberland fired continuously upon the Merrimac, but no apparent effect was produced upon her.  The Minnesota got aground on the way up, and could afford but little assistance.

Shortly before three o’clock the Yorktown and Jamestown arrived from up the James river.  The former was disabled early in the afternoon, and put in shore for repairs.

After sinking the Cumberland the Merrimac turned her attention to the Congress, and in less than an hour afterwards a white flag was hoisted on the Congress.  A rebel gunboat immediately went alongside, and took officers and marines prisoners.  The seamen were allowed to escape to shore.

The frigate St. Lawrence arrived here during the evening, and without dropping her anchor proceeded up the river and followed the example of the Minnesota and Roanoke, in firing on the battery at Sewall’s Point; but like the rest, her shot fell short.  The gunboat Mystic was also towed up in the afternoon, but at sundown the Roanoke, St. Lawrence and Mystic all returned.

After 4 o’clock the Merrimac continued to throw shells into the camp ant Newport News, while the Jamestown and other rebel gunboats commenced firing on the Minnesota.  The latter replied as vigorously as possible, and the conflict was continued without any apparent effect until dark.

During the evening Congress was set on fire.  At midnight she was blown up, making a terrible explosion.

During the evening the Monitor arrived and at once proceeded to take part in the action.  During the night only occasional shots were fired.  Reinforcements of men and ammunition were sent to Newport News early in the afternoon.  But little serious damage was done and no one was killed.

This morning the conflict was renewed.  Until the presence of the Monitor was known to the Merrimac, the latter was engaged with the Minnesota, and but for the fortunate arrival of the Monitor, the Minnesota might have been lost.  The Monitor and Merrimac engaged each other for two or three hours, at long and short range, without any apparent effect on either.  They went along side each other, and seemed almost to run each other down, but they soon appeared again to renew the conflict.  The Ericsson battery finally succeeded in forcing a long hole in the port ise of the Merrimac, and she retired with the whole rebel fleet to Norfolk.

About 1 o’clock the U. S. gunboat Oregon was struck by the Merrimac in the boiler, and was blown up this morning.

The U. S. gunboat Zouave was also seriously damaged, and was obliged to return.

The principal loss was on board the Cumberland, where it is thought as many as 150 men have been killed or drowned.  But 6 lives were lost on board the Minnesota, according to the statement of one of her officers.  A rebel gunboat was cut in two by the Cumberland yesterday.

The Merrimac is understood to have been under the command of Com. Buchanan, late of the Navy yard.

FORT MONROE, March 10.

With the assistance of the steamer Spaulding, the Minnesota has been got off, and she is now on her way here.  She has received numerous shots, but no serious damage.

The Congress is supposed to have lost over 100 men, including but one officer. – The escaped crews of the Cumberland and the Congress have arrived here.

The Monitor has come up to the expectations that were formed of her, and has proved herself impregnable to heavy shot at close quarters.  She behaved remarkably well on her passage from N. Y., and although the sea covered her decks completely, at times, her speed did not seem to be at all diminished.  To her presence here may be attributed the safety of the Minnesota and other vessels in port, and the final disabling of the Merrimac, which had previously been proof against everything.

Capt. Worden, of the Monitor, was wounded in the head while he was looking out of the wheel house.  No other accident of any kind occurred to the battery ro crew.

We have no accurate list of the killed and wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 11, 1862, p. 1