though they
could feel the deck sinking beneath them. Every man was at his post;
and even when the waters were pouring in on the gun-deck, the guns
were loaded and fired. Indeed, the last shot was fired from a gun half
buried in the waves. Then the grand old frigate settled down to the
bottom, carrying half her crew with her, but keeping the stars and
stripes still floating at the fore.

The destruction of the "Cumberland" being completed, the "Merrimac"
steamed over to the "Congress." This frigate fought well and
valorously, but was soon pounded into a helpless condition by the
shells of the "Merrimac," as shown by the story of her officer,
already quoted. When a white flag, floating at her peak, told of
surrender, the "Merrimac" left her to the attention of the smaller
vessels in the Confederate flotilla, and set out to find further
victims. But by this time the remainder of the Federal fleet had taken
alarm, and fled into a safe position under the shelter of the Federal
batteries on shore. The "Minnesota" only had been unfortunate in her
attempted flight, and was aground on a bar near the scene of the
fight. But now only two hours of daylight remained, and the tide was
low, and still on the ebb. The heavy iron frigate could not get within
effective distance of the "Minnesota," her crew were weary with a
day's fighting, and so she turned away and headed up the river for
Norfolk.

In taking account of injuries on the ram that night, it was found that
the injured numbered twenty-one; many of whom had been shot while
alongside the surrendered "Congress." Not an atom of damage was done
to the interior of the vessel, and her armor showed hardly a trace of
the terrible test through which it had passed. But nothing outside had
escaped: the muzzles of two guns had been shot off; the ram was
wrenched away in withdrawing from the "Cumberland;" one anchor, the
smokestack, steam-pipe, railings, flagstaff, boat-davitts--all were
swept away as though a huge mowing-machine had passed over the deck.
But, so far as her fighting qualities were concerned, the "Merrimac"
was as powerful as when she started out from Norfolk on that bright
spring morning.

It can easily be understood that the news of the engagement caused the
most intense excitement throughout this country, and indeed throughout
the whole world. In the South, all was rejoicing over this signal
success of the Confederate ship. Bells were rung, and jubilees held,
in all