DEATH OF HIS SON. SINKING OF THE U. S. FRIGATE CUMBERLAND, AT HAMPTON ROADS, VA., MARCH 8TH, '62. AT anchor in Hampton Roads we lay, Or a bugle-blast From the camp on shore. Then far away to the South uprose A little feather of snow-white smoke, And we knew that the iron ship of our foes Was steadily steering its course To try the force Of our ribs of oak. Down upon us heavily runs, Silent and sullen, the floating fort; Then comes a puff of smoke from her guns, And leaps the terrible death, With fiery breath, From each open port. We are not idle, but send her straight As hail rebounds from a roof of slate, From each iron scale Of the monster's hide. ร "Strike your flag!" the rebel cries, "It is better to sink than to yield!" With the cheers of our men. Then, like a kraken huge and black, She crushed our ribs in her iron grasp! For her dying gasp. Next morn, as the sun rose over the bay, Still floated our flag at the mainmast-head. Lord, how beautiful was that day! Every waft of the air Was a whisper of prayer, Or a dirge for the dead. Ho! brave hearts that went down in the seas! Ye are at peace in the troubled stream. Thy flag, that is rent in twain, And without a seam! W. HENRY LONGFELLOW. THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC. NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF NEWPORT NEWS, VA., Он, comrades, come gather and join in my ditty, While I think on the once gallant Cumberland's fate, On that ill-fated day, about ten in the morning, The sky it was cloudless, and bright shone the sun, Up steps our bold captain with stern resolution, And to fight for our country we are not afraid, We'll fight for the Union, for our cause it is glorious, To the Stars and the Stripes we'll ever prove true, We will sink at our quarters or conquer victorious, He was answered by cheers of the Cumberland crew. Our gallant ship opened, her guns roared like thunder, Oh! slowly they sank in Virginia's waters, Their voices on earth will never be heard more, They will be wept for by Columbia's sons and daughters May their blood be avenged on Virginia shore, In that blood stained grave they are silently lying, And their soul has forever to this world bid adieu; Yet the Star Spangled Banner above them is flying, It was nailed to the mast by the Cumberland's crew. Oh! Columbia the birth right of freedom's communion And whenever in battle, our sailors assemble, God bless our dear banner the Red, White and Blue, Beneath its bright stars we'll cause tyrants to tremble Or die at our guns, like the Cumberland's crew ONE OF THE CREW. TWO ARMIES, BUT ONE NATION STILL. BEFORE THE EVACUATION OF MANASSAS JUNCTION, VA., MARCH 10TH, '62. LAY before me now the volume, Thro' the course of peace and war— Who have raised and passed away That I may find a precedent Here we have two armies standing Till the sound the world shall fill : Here we have two armies waiting On their arms, prepared for strife, To destroy each other's life! Which with war the land shall fill? Is it not that love of Union Pleads between the brothers still ? |