of in the battle of the iron-clad giants, but in the days of oak walls would have been recorded with honorable mention among the acts of bravery and seamanship which illustrate a navy. Capt. Pendergrast, of the Congress, reported that: "In the meantime the Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, rebel steamers, approached us 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, and slaughtered by the terrible fire of the enemy."

Capt. Wm. Watson, of the gunboat Dragon, reports that:

"Arriving at the Minnesota, took position and opened fire on the Yorktown and Jamestown. Kept it up until dark, when we received orders to cease firing, and lay by the ship until morning. At 2 A. M. tried to tow the Minnesota off the bottom, and succeeded only to ground in another and more exposed place. Made fast for the night. Second day, at 8 A. M., we were ordered to take up position as best we could, and opened fire on the Yorktown and Jamestown with good effect; could plainly see our shells bursting on the enemy. At 12 M. received orders to go alongside of the Minnesota, and be ready to assist in towing her off. Made fast on the port side, being in direct line of the Merrimac's batteries. At the same moment received two shots from her, one taking effect in the boiler, blowing up the vessel, together with the captain and three men; seriously wounding Charles J. Freese; badly scalding Ben. S. Hungerford, and breaking the legs of McDonald, which will have to be amputated. Received orders to get on board the Minnesota. Vessel on fire. Shortly after received orders to get bags and hammocks on board of the Whitehall.”

Capt. Balsir, of the gunboat Whitehall, reported that, "although her heavy batteries had no effect on the iron monster Virginia, still the rebel steamers Yorktown and Jamestown will remember the accurate gunnery of the Whitehall for some time to come.' Capt. Van Brunt, of the Minnesota, reported that," at 4 P. M., the Merrimac, Virginia, Jamestown and Patrick Henry bore down on my vessel. Very fortunately, the iron battery drew too much water to come within a mile of us. She took a position on my starboard bow, but did not fire with accuracy, and only one shot passed through the ship's bow. The other two steamers took their position on my port bow and stern and their fire did most damage in killing and wounding men, inasmuch as they fired with rifled guns; but with the heavy gun that I could bring to bear upon them, I drove them off, one of them apparently in a crippled state."

Mrs. Susan Archer Weiss, an eye-witness, describes "the saucy Teaser" as follows: "By this time the Jamestown and Patrick Henry had joined the Merrimac, taking a position which concealed her from our view. We were told afterward by Federal officers that the little Teaser (commanded by Capt. Webb) pushed her way in between the Patrick Henry and Jamestown, and advancing close to the shore fired her one gun

in face of the battery of sixty guns. Probably her insignificance saved her, for now every shot seemed concentrated upon the Merrimac, and the air and the very ground where we stood seemed trembling with the roar of shot and shells. So dense was the smoke that we could discern nothing except that the Confederate vessels were constantly shifting their position in front of the fleet, which was now lying close in shore."

While the battle between the Virginia and the Federal ships at Newport News was in progress, the small fry of Capt. Buchanan's squadron-the Roanoke and the Raleigh-gallantly attacked the Congress, "killing and wounding many of her crew." Witnessing the easy destruction of the Cumberland, Lieut. Pendergrast, upon whom the command of the Congress devolved on the death of Lieut. Joseph B. Smith, set her fore and top sails, and, with the assistance of the gunboat Zouave, drew the vessel ashore, where it was impossible, on account of her draft, for the Virginia to ram her to pieces. The movement was necessary, for Capt. Buchanan says:

"Having sunk the Cumberland, I turned our attention to the Congress. We were some time in getting our proper position, in consequence of the shoalness of the water, and the great difficulty of managing the ship when in or near the mud. To succeed in my object, I was obliged to run the ship a short distance above the batteries on James River in order to wind her. During all the time her keel was in the mud, of course she moved but slowly. Thus we were subjected twice to the heavy guns of all the batteries in passing up and down the river, but it could not be avoided. We silenced several of the batteries, and did much injury on shore. A large transport steamer alongside the wharf was blown up, one schooner sunk, and another captured and sent to Norfolk. The loss of life on shore we have no means of ascertaining."

But there was no escape for the Congress even in shoal water, for at half-past two the Merrimac took a position astern of us at a distance of 150 yards, and raked us fore and aft with shells, while one of the smaller steamers kept up a fire on our starboard quarter.

The movement of the Virginia to get into position for attacking the Congress was mistaken for retreat, and was loudly cheered by the gunners and crew of the frigate; but their mistake was corrected, when, in a few moments, from her raking position the Virginia opened on the Congress, carrying carnage, havoc and dismay through the ship, and causing a white flag to be displayed at the gaff, half-mast and main.

The report of Lieut. Pendergrast says:

"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 gun to bear upon the enemy, and the ship being on fire in several places, upon consultation with Commander Wm. Smith we deemed it proper to haul

1 Report of Lieut. Pendergrast.

down our colors without any 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. He left shortly afterwards, and a small tug came alongside, whose captain demanded that we should surrender and get out of the ship, as he intended to burn her immediately. A sharp fire with muskets and artillery was maintained from our troops ashore upon the tug, having the effect of driving her off.

"The Merrimac again opened fire on us, although we had a peak to show that we were out of action.

"After having fired several shells into us, she left us and engaged the Minnesota and the shore batteries; after which, Lieutenant Pendergrast states, the wounded were taken ashore in small boats, the ship having been on fire from the beginning of the action from hot shot fired by the Merrimac."

Upon this point there is a difference of report as well as of opinion. Capt. Buchanan says that, on seeing the white flag,

"Our fire immediately ceased, and a signal was made for the Beaufort to come within hail. I then ordered Lieut. Commanding Parker to take possession of the Congress, secure the officers as prisoners, allow the crew to land, and burn the ship. He ran alongside, received her flag and surrender from Commander Wm. Smith and Lieut. Pendergrast, with the side-arms of those officers. They delivered themselves as prisoners-of-war on board the Beaufort, and afterwards were permitted, at their own request, to return to the Congress, to assist in removing the wounded to the Beaufort. They never returned, and I submit to the decision of the department whether they are not our prisoners. While the Beaufort and Raleigh were alongside the Congress, and the surrender of that vessel had been received from the commander, she having two white flags flying, hoisted by her own people, a heavy fire was opened upon them from the shore and from the Congress, killing some valuable officers and men. Under this fire the steamers left the Congress; but, as I was not informed that any injury had been sustained by those vessels at that time, Lieut. Commanding Parker having failed to report to me, I took it for granted that my order to him to burn her had been executed, and waited some minutes to see the smoke ascending from her hatches. During this delay we were still subjected to the heavy fire from the batteries, which was always promptly returned."

It is probably true, as suggested by Admiral Porter,' that the garrison at Newport News did not comprehend the state of affairs on the Congress when it opened fire on that ship, and the Beaufort and the Raleigh, which were engaged in removing the Federal wounded from the burning Congress. But Admiral Porter errs in saying that, "although the white flag was still flying, the Merrimac (Virginia) opened fire on the Congress. This certainly would have been inhuman, since the crew of the Congress were not responsible for the acts of the troops on shore." Capt. Buchanan's report gives full explanation:

"The steam-frigates Minnesota and Roanoke, and the sailing frigate St. Lawrence, had previously been reported as coming from Old Point; but, as I was determined that the Congress should not again fall into the hands of the enemy, I remarked to that gallant young officer, Flag Lieut. Minor, 'That ship must be burned.' He promptly volunteered to take a boat and

1 The Naval Hist. of the Civil War, p. 125.