had other work on hand than giving aid
to their imperilled countrymen. For aught they knew the ironclad would
next be trying her terrible ram on them, and they had need to prepare
for her onset.

Having disposed of the ill-fated _Cumberland_, the _Merrimac_ now gave
her whole attention to the _Congress_, whose commander, realizing the
impossibility of resisting the assault of the ram, had, with notable
presence of mind, slipped his cables and run his ship aground upon the
shallows, where the deep-draught ironclad could not follow her except
with cannon-balls.

Although the _Congress_ had four times as many guns as the _Merrimac_,
and was well supported besides by the land batteries on Newport News,
it was an unequal contest; for while the projectiles showered upon the
ironclad glanced harmlessly off her cannon-proof walls, her powerful
rifled guns raked the _Congress_ from end to end with terrible effect.

There could be only one termination to such a struggle. Gallantly as
the Northern sailors served their guns, their commander presently was
killed, and her decks were strewn with dead and dying. At the end of
an hour her colours came down, and white flags appeared at the gaff and
mainmast in token of surrender.

Meanwhile the _Merrimac_ had been joined by a number of smaller vessels
that had come down the James River after running in gallant style the
gauntlet of the Federal batteries which lined the northern bank. They
were only gunboats carrying ten guns at the most, and could not take
any prominent part in the battle, but they now proved useful in
completing the work of the ironclad.

Two of them steamed alongside the shattered _Congress_, to make
prisoners of the crew and set fire to the ship. But they were unable
to accomplish either of these duties owing to the heavy fire kept up by
the land batteries, and had to beat a retreat; whereupon the _Merrimac_
sent hot shot into the frigate, that soon had her blazing fore and aft,
while her crew escaped on shore either by swimming or in small boats.

All this was watched with keen anxiety on board the _Minnesota_, and
the question her men asked themselves was,--

"Will the _Merrimac_ be content with the damage she has already done,
or will our ship share the same fate as the other two?"

They were not left long in uncertainty. Swinging slowly around, the
huge ironclad, after pausing a few minutes as though to take breath,
came down the channel heading st