A Naval Engagement—Attack made on U. S. Vessels By the Steamers Merrimac, Yorktown and Jamestown—U. S. Frigate Cumberland Sunk—Capture of the Frigate Congress—Reported Damage to other Vessels—Arrival of the Iron-Clad Steamer Monitor—Second Engagement—The Merrimac in a Sinking Condition.
The Baltimore Sun of this morning says:
The steamer Adelaide, Capt. Cannon, arrived at half-past nine o’clock yesterday morning, from Old Point; having left the latter place at eight o’clock on Saturday night. She brought the important intelligence of an engagement between several United States and Confederate vessels in Hampton Roads, between the mouth of James river and Sewall’s Point. The news, soon after the arrival of the Adelaide yesterday morning, created quite a sensation, and an endless variety of exaggerated reports were put In circulation.
It appeared, after careful inquiry, that passengers who came up in the Adelaide, and seemed to be intelligent, stated that the Confederate steamer Merrimac came out at one o’clock on Saturday afternoon, while the Federal frigates Congress and Cumberland were lying off Newport News point. She headed for these vessels, and was soon within range of the Congress, which opened a broadside on her without any perceptible effect. She passed the Congress, when the Cumberland opened a broadside on her, but that likewise had no Injurious effect, and In a few minutes more the Merrimac struck the Cumberland amidship, and so crushed in her aide that she sunk in a few minutes.
It was reported that one hundred and fifty of those on board were known to have been saved, but how many were lost was not known. The Merrimac next turned her attention to the Congress, which had not ceased to fire on her, and after a short engagement captured her and all on board. The officers and crew of the Congress were sent to Pig’s Point, and the Congress was immediately manned by Confederates.
The frigate St. Lawrence was engaged by the Confederate steamers Jamestown and Patrick Henry, and is said to have been disabled and run ashore in a sinking condition.
The steam frigate Minnesota left Old Point to join In the engagement, when the Confederates turned the guns of the Congress against her, but she grounded, and was still aground when the Adelaide left Old Point. The Congress, after her capture, was found to be in a sinking condition, and her captors fired and burned her.
The steam frigate Roanoke also started to take part in the engagement, but the battery at Sewall’s Point opened against her and so disabled her that she was obliged to put back under canvas. Several smaller gunboat also started towards the scene of action, from OId Point, but withdrew. Capt. Buchanan, formerly of the United States navy, and a native of Maryland, was in command of the Confederate fleet.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says :
Fortress Monroe. March 8.—The dulness of Old Point was startled at 10 o’clock to-day by the announcement that a mysterious vessel, supposed to be the rebel steamer Merrimac, and looking like a submerged house, with the roof only above water, was moving down from Norfolk by the channel in front of Sewall’s Point. Signal guns were also fired by the U. S. sloop-of-war Cumberland and the frigate Congress, to notify the Minnesota, St. Lawrence and Roanoke of the approaching danger, and all was excitement in and about Fortress Monroe.
There was nothing protruding above the water but the flag-staff, flying the rebel flag, and a short smoke-stack. She moved along slowly, and turning into the channel leading to Newport News, steamed direct for the Cumberland and Congress, which were lying at the mouth of the James river. As soon as the Merrimac came within range of the Cumberland, the latter opened on her with her heavy guns, but the balls struck and glanced off, having no more effect on her than peas from a pop-gun. Her ports were all closed, and she moved on in silence, but with a full head of steam.
In the meantime as the Merrimac was approaching the two frigates on the one side, the iron-clad steamers Yorktown and Jamestown came down the James river and engaged our frigates on the other side. The batteries at Newport News also opened on the Jamestown and Yorktown and did all In their power to assist the Cumberland and Congress, which being sailing vessels, were at the mercy of the approaching steamers.
The Merrimac in the meantime kept steadily on her course, and slowly approached the Cumberland, when the latter, as well as the Congress, at the distance cf one hundred yards, rained full broadsides on the iron-clad monster. The shots took no effect, glancing upwards and flying off, having only the effect of checking her progress for a moment.
After receiving the first broadsides of the two frigates she ran Into the Cumberland, striking her about the midships and literally laying open her side. She then drew off, fired a broadside into the disabled ship, and again dashed against her with her iron-clad prow, and knocking in her side left her to sink, while she engaged the Congress, which laid about a quarter or a mile distant.
The Congress had, In the meantime, kept up a sharp engagement with the Yorktown and Jamestown, and having no regular crew on board of her and seeing the helplessness of resisting the iron-clad steamers, at once struck her colors. Her crew had been discharged several days since, and three companies of the Naval Brigade had been put on board temporarily until she could be relieved by the St. Lawrence, which was to have gone up on Monday to take her position as one of the blockading vessels at tbe James River.
On the Congress striking her colors the Jamestown approached and took from on board all the officers as prisoners, but allowed the crew to escape in the boats. The vessel being thus cleared It was fired by the Rebels, when the Merrimac and her two Iron-clad companions opened with shot and shell on the Newport News batteries. The firing was briskly returned.
Various reports have been received, principally from frightened sutlers’ clerks. Some of them represented that the garrison had been compelled to retreat from the batteries to the woods. Another report is that the two smaller Rebel steamers had been compelled to retreat from the guns of the batteries.
In the meantime the steam frigate Minnesota, having partly got up steam, was being towed to the relief of the two frigates, but did not get up until too late to assist them. She was also followed by the frigate St. Lawrence, which was taken in tow by several of the small harbor steamers. It is, however, rumored that neither of these vessels had pilots on board, and after a short engagement both seemed to be, in the opinion the pilots on the Point, aground.
The Minnesota, either intentionally or from necessity, engaged the three Rebel steamers at about a mile distance, with only her two bow guns. The St. Lawrence also poured in shot from all her guns she could bring to bear, and it was the impression of the most experienced naval officers on the Point that both had been considerably damaged.
It was the intention of the Minnesota, with her picked and gallant crew, to have run into close quarters with the Merrimac, avoid her iron prow, and board her. This the Merrimac seemed not inclined to give her an opportunity to do, being afraid to approach her at close quarters when aground.
The Rebel battery at Pig’s Point was also enabled to join in the combined attack on the Minnesota, and several guns were fired at her from Sewall’s Point, aa she went up; none of them, however, struck her, but one or two passed over her.
THE LATEST FROM OLD POINT.
Arrival of the Federal Ironclad Gunboat Monitor—She’s Attacked by the Merrimac, Jamestown and Yorktovm—The Merrimac Driven off and put Back to Norfolk in a Sinking Condition
March 9, 7 p. m.—The telegraph line to Fortress Monroe was completed this evening, and the following dispatch has just been received by the government:
Fortress Monroe, Match 9, p. m.—The Ericsson iron-clad gunboat Monitor arrived here last night. Early this morning she was attacked by the three vessels, the Merrimac, Jamestown and Yorktown. After a five hours’ contact they were driven off—the Merrimac in a sinking condition
The Evening Star, Washington, DC