turned up the James river. The Congress and Cumberland were lying off Newport News, and were riding to the last of the flood tide. They had their boats at the booms, and 'washed clothes' up; evidently not expecting anything unusual to happen. In fact, Captain Radford, of the Cumberland, was at this time attending a court-martial on board the frigate Roanoke. The Cumberland could not have been better defended than she was by her executive officer, Lieut. George U. Morris. The Congress was lying immediately off Newport News point, and tho Cumberland was a few cable lengths higher up. As soon as our vessels turned up the James river, they saw that our attack would be upon them, and they got ready for it.
"At 1 130 p. m. we cast off the line from the Merrimac, and all three vessels steamed for the enemy. The Beaufort maintained her position on the port bow of the Merrimac, and exactly at 2 p. m. she fired the first gun of the day, at the same time hoisting the battle flag she had used at Roanoke island. The Merrimac now hoisted the signal 'close action,' and from that time she made no signal, nor did she answer one, until the close of the action. As we approached the enemy, firing and receiving their fire, the Merrimac passed the Congress and made for the Cumberland, which vessel was either just turning to the ebb tide, or had her broadside sprung across the channel."
Commander Catesby Ap. R. Jones says (Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol. XI):
The action commenced about 3 p. m. by our firing the bow gun at the Cumberland, less than a mile distant. A powerful fire was immediately concentrated upon us from all the batteries afloat and ashore. The frigates Minnesota, Roanoke and St. Lawrence, with other vessels, were seen coming from Old Point. We fired at the Congress on passing, but continued to head directly for the Cumberland, which vessel we had determined to run into, and in less than fifteen minutes from the firing of the first gun. we rammed her just forward of the starboard fore-
