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THE FIRST FIGHT OF I RON-CLADS.

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THE “MERRIMAC” RAMMING THE “CUMBERLAND.”

and Midshipman Hutter, were killed while assisting the Union wounded outof the Congress. A number of the enemy’s men were killed by the same fire.Finally it became so hot that the gun-boats were obliged to haul off with onlythirty prisoners, leaving Lieutenant Pendergrast and most of his crew onboard, and they all afterward escaped to the shore by swimming or in smallboats. While this was going on, the white flag was flying at her mainmast-head. Not being able to take possession of his prize, the commodore orderedhot shot to be used, and in a short time she was in flames fore and aft.While directing this, both himself 'and his flag-lieutenant, Minor, wereseverely wounded. The command then devolved upon Lieutenant CatesbyJones.

It was now 5 o’clock, nearly two hours of daylight, and the Minnesota onlyremained. She was aground and at our mercy. But the pilots would notattempt the middle channel with the ebb tide and approaching night. So wereturned by the south channel to Sewell’s Point and anchored, the Minnesota escaping, as we thought, only until morning.

Our loss in killed and wounded was twenty-one. The armor was hardlydamaged, though at one time our ship was the focus on which were directedat least one hundred heavy guns, afloat and ashore. But nothing outsideescaped. Two guns were disabled by having their muzzles shot off. The ramwas left in the side of the Cumberland. One anchor, the smoke-stack, and thesteam-pipes were shot away. Bailings, stanchions, boat-davits, everythingwas swept clean. The flag-staff was repeatedly knocked over, and finally a