"Susquehanna" frigate, with heaviest armament in the
Federal navy, laid in the channel at Newport News, blockading the mouth
of James river and cutting off communication from Norfolk. The
"Congress" frigate was lying near her, off the News; while the
"Minnesota" lay below, under the guns of Fortress Monroe. The Ericsson
Monitor--the first of her class, and equally an experiment as her rebel
rival--had come round a few days before to watch the "Virginia," as the
new iron-clad was now rechristened.

The great ship being ready, Flag-Officer Buchanan ordered the "Jamestown,"
Captain Barney, and the "Yorktown," Captain Tucker, down from Richmond;
while he went out with the "Raleigh" and "Beaufort"--two of the
smallest class of gunboats, saved by Captain Lynch from Roanoke Island.
This combined force--four of the vessels being frail wooden shells,
formerly used as river passenger boats--carried only _twenty-seven_
guns. But Buchanan steamed boldly out, on the morning of the 8th of
March, to attack an enemy carrying quite _two hundred and twenty_ of
the heaviest guns in the United States navy!

It was a moment of dreadful suspense for the soldiers in the batteries
and the people of Norfolk. They crowded the wharves, the steeples, and
the high points of the shore; and every eye was strained upon the black
specks in the harbor.

Slowly--with somewhat of majesty in her stolid, even progress--the
"Virginia" steamed on--down the harbor--past the river batteries--out
into the Roads. Steadily she kept her way, heading straight for the
"Cumberland;" and close to her stuck the frail wooden boats that a
single shell might have shattered. On she went--into full range. Then
suddenly, as if from one match, shipping and shore batteries belched
forth the great shells hurtling over her, hissing into the
water--bounding from her side like raindrops from a rock! On she
headed--straight for the "Cumberland;" the crew of that ship steadily
working their heated guns and wondering at the strange, silent monster
that came on so evenly, so slowly--so regardless alike of shot and
shell. Suddenly she spoke.

The terrible shell from her bow-gun tore the huge frigate from stern to
bow; driving in her quarter, dismounting guns and scattering death
along its course. Shocked and staggered, Uncle Sam's tars still stuck
to their work. Once more the "Cumberland" delivered her whole
broadside, full in her enemy's face at pistol range. It was her death
vol