he _Congress_ she went, both ships firing. But the great
guns of the _Congress_ did no more harm than so many pea-shooters; while
the shot of the _Merrimac_ went clear through the wooden ships, leaving
death in their track.

Then the iron monster headed for the _Cumberland_. That was a terrible
hour for the men on the neat little sloop-of-war. They worked for their
lives, loading and firing, and firing as fast as they could, but not a
shot went through that grim iron wall.

In a few minutes the _Merrimac_ came gliding up and struck the
_Cumberland_ a frightful blow with her iron nose, tearing through the
thick oaken timbers and making a great hole in her side. Then she backed
off and the water rushed in.

In a minute the good ship began to sink, while the _Merrimac_ poured
shot and shell into her wounded ribs.

"Do you surrender?" asked one of the officers of the _Merrimac_.

"Never!" said Lieutenant Morris, who commanded the _Cumberland_. "I'll
sink alongside before I pull down that flag."

He was a true Yankee seaman; one of the "no surrender" kind.

Down, inch by inch, settled the doomed ship. But her men stuck grimly to
their guns, and fired their last shot just as she sank out of sight.
Then all who had not saved themselves in the boats leaped overboard and
swam ashore, but a great many of the dead and wounded went down with the
ship.

She sank like a true Yankee hero, with her flag flying, and when she
struck bottom, with only the tops of her masts above water, "Old Glory"
still fluttered proudly in the breeze.

That was the way it went when iron first met wood in naval warfare. The
victor now turned to the _Congress_ and another fierce battle began. But
the wooden ship had no chance. For an hour her men fought bravely, but
her great guns were of no use, and a white flag was raised. She had
surrendered, but the Confederates could not take possession, for there
were batteries on shore that drove them off. So they fired hot shot into
the _Congress_ and soon she was in a blaze.

It was now five o'clock in the afternoon, and the _Merrimac_ steamed
away with the Confederate flag flying in triumph. She had finished her
work for that day. It was a famous trial trip. She would come back the
next and sink the vessels still afloat--if nothing hindered.

For hours that night the _Congress_ blazed like a mighty torch, the
flames lighting up the water and land for miles around. It was after
midnight when the fire