The naval committee of the Senate this morning agreed to report a bill at once for the appropriation of $15,000,000 for iron-clad vessels of war.
Senator Grimes has just received a dispatch from Assistant War Secretary Fox, at Ft. Monroe, declaring his confident belief that the Monitor, in her next engagement, will sink the Merrimac. Mr. Fox confirms the reports that the Merrimac was injured in the fight. He expresses the opinion that another contest between the two vessels is certain, and that the conflict will be terrible.
The official report of Lieut. Pendergrast, of the Congress, addressed to Com. Marston, has been forwarded to the Navy Department. Lieut. Pendergrast states that owing to the death of the late commanding officer, Jas. B. Smith, it becomes his painful duty to make a report of the part which the U. S. frigate Congress took in the efforts of our vessels at Newport News to repel the attack of the rebel flotilla, on the 8th inst. The report says: “When the Merrimac, with three gunboats, were seen steaming down from Norfolk, and had approached near enough to discover her character, the ship was cleared for action. At 10 minutes past two the Merrimac opened with her bow gun, with grape passing us on the starboard side. At a distance of about 300 yards, receiving our broadside, and giving one in return. After passing the Congress she ran into and sank the Cumberland. The smaller vessels then attacked us, killing and wounding many of our crew. Seeing the fate of the Cumberland, we set the jib and top sail, and with the assistance of the gunboat Zouave, ran the vessel ashore.
“At half past two, the Merrimac took a position astern of us at a distance of about 150 yards, and raked us fore and aft with shells, while one of the smaller steamers kept up a fire on our starboard quarter. In the meantime, the Patrick Henry and Thos. Jefferson, rebel steamers, approached from up the James river, firing with precision and doing us great damage. Our two stern guns were our only means of defence. These were soon disabled, one being dismounted and the other having its muzzle knocked away. – The men were knocked away from them with great rapidity, slaughtered by the terrible fire of the enemy. Lieut. Pendergrast first learned of the death of Lieut. Smith at half past four; the death happened ten minutes previous.
“Seeing that our men were being killed without the prospect of any relief from the Minnesota, which vessel had run ashore in attempting to get up to us from Hampton Roads; not being able to get a single man to bear upon the enemy, and the ship being on fire in several places, on consultation it was deemed proper to haul down colors without further loss of life on our part. – We were soon boarded by an officer of the Merrimac, who said he would take charge of the ship.”
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 13, 1862, p. 1
