Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

As we looked up toward Newport News we saw the spars of the Cumberland above the river she had so long insolently barred; but of her consort there was not even a timber-head visible to tell her story. But this was not all she had done. The Minnesota lay there riddled like a sieve. What damage she sustained will never be known, but it must have been frightful. And within eight and forty hours she had successfully encountered — encountered, defied, and beaten — a force equal to two thousand eight hundred and ninety men and two hundred and thirty guns, as will be seen by the following table: [82]

Here, perhaps, in this short table is a better picture of what she did and what she dared than any word-painter, though he were a Vernet, could ever give. That some of the makers of this great piece of history may be known to the public we append a list of her officers:

Action of the Eighth.

Staff.--Flag-Officer, F. Buchanan; Flag-Lieut., R. D. Minor; both wounded; Secretary and Aid, Lieut. D. F. Forrest, (Army); First Lieut. and ex-officio, C. ap R. Jones; Lieuts, C. C. Simms, first division, H. Davidson, second division, J. T. Wood, third division, J. R. Eggleston, fourth division, W. R. Butt, fifth division; Capt., R. T. Thorn, C. S. M. C., sixth division; Paymaster, Semple, shot and shell division; Fleet-Surgeon, D. B. Phillips; Assistant-Surgeon, A. S. Garnett; Chief-Engineer, W. A. Ramsey; Master, Wm. Parrish; Midshipmen, Foute, Marmaduke, (wounded,) Littlepage, Long, Craig, Rootes; Flag-Officer's Clerk, A. Sinclair; Engineers--first, Tynans; second, Campbell; third, Herring; Paymaster's Clerk, A. Ubright; Boatswain, C. Hasker; Gunner, C. B. Oliver; Carpenter, Lindsay; Pilots, Geo. Wright, H. Williams, T. Cunnyngham. W. Clark.

Action of the Ninth.

Lieut.-Commanding Jones; First Lieut. and exofficio, C. C. Simms; Lieut. H. Davidson, first and second divisions.

All the rest unchanged, the flag-officer, attended by his staff--one wounded, the other bearer of despatches — having left.

Capt. Kevill, with thirty volunteers from his command at Fort Norfolk, was on board during both days, and his men manned number seven gun, and gallantly served at that and several others. Capt. K. fought number seven, in Capt. Thomas's division, and shared the perils and honors of the fights.

And now we ask, is not the ship worthy her illustrious name?

Terribly Deceived.

It is said that the captain of the Congress, on seeing the Virginia bear down toward his ship on Saturday, mustered his men, and addressed them thus: “My hearties, you see before you the great Southern bugaboo, got up to fright us out of our wits. Stand to your guns, and let me assure you that one good broadside from our gallant frigate, and she is ours!” When that broadside was poured into the Virginia, the captain in dismay witnessed its effects, and seeing it did not even faize the armor of the Virginia, he again addressed his crew, and said: “Well, my hearties, that was a terrific fire, but I have been mistaken. They have got us, unless we can give 'em Bull Run.” This is said to be a positive fact, as reported by one of the prisoners on board the Congress.

On board the Cumberland, we learn that many of the crew were looking on the Virginia as she bore down upon them, and making all manner of derisive and contemptuous remarks, many of them aloud, and within the hearing of those on board the Virginia, such as, “Well, there she comes,” “What the devil does she look like?” “What in hell is she after?” “Let's look at that great secesh curiosity,” etc. These remarks were cut short by a discharge from the Virginia's how-gun, which swept from one end of the Cumberland's deck to the other, killing and wounding numbers of the poor deluded wretches; and in a few minutes after the most of the remainder of them found a watery grave from the effects of the terrible work of the object of their merriment and contempt.