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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,
On board of the Cumberland sloop-of-war;
And at times from the fortress across the bay
The alarum of drums swept past,

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
Defiance back in a full broadside!

As hail rebounds from a roof of slate,
Rebounds our heavier hail

From each iron scale

Of the monster's hide.

"Strike your flag!" the rebel cries,
In his arrogant old plantation strain.
"Never!" our gallant Hero replies;

"It is better to sink than to yield!"
And the whole air pealed

With the cheers of our men.

Then, like a kraken huge and black,

She crushed our ribs in her iron grasp!
Down went the Cumberland all a wreck,
With a sudden shudder of death,
And the cannon's breath

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.
Ho! brave land! with hearts like these,

Thy flag, that is rent in twain,
Shall be one again,

And without a seam!

W. HENRY LONGFELLOW.

THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.

NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF NEWPORT NEWS, VA.,
MARCH 9TH, '62.

Он, comrades, come gather and join in my ditty,
It's of a terrible battle which happened of late,
Let each Union tar drop a sad tear of pity,

While I think on the once gallant Cumberland's fate,
On the 9th day of March told a terrible story,
And many a brave tar to this world bid adieu,
Our flag it was wrapped in a mantle of glory
By the heroic deeds of the Cumberland's crew.

On that ill-fated day, about ten in the morning,

The sky it was cloudless, and bright shone the sun,
When the drums of the Cumberland sounded a warning
Which told every seaman to stand by his gun;
Then an iron-clad frigate down on us came bearing,
And it high in the air the rebel flag flew,
The penant of treason she proudly was wearing,
Determined to conquer the Cumberland's crew.

Up steps our bold captain with stern resolution,
Says, boys at this monster we'll ne'er be dismayed,
We swore to maintain our beloved Constitution,

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,
Her broadside like hail on the rebels did pour,
The people gazed, and struck with terror and wonder,
When the shots struck her side and they glanced o'er.
But the pride of our navy ne'er could be daunted,
Tho' dead and wounded on the decks were strew,
The Flag of our Union; it boldly was planted,
Sustained by the blood of the Cumberland's crew.
When the traitors found cannon could not avail them,
While fighting our heroes with God on our side,
The power of Secessia had no power to quail them,
Tho' blood from her scuppers crimsoned the tide.
She struck her amid ships, her plank she did sever,
With sharp iron prow, pierced our noble ship thro';
But still, as she sunk in the dark rolling river,
We'll die at our guns, cried the Cumberland's crew.

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
Our flag never floated so proudly before,
For the spirit of those who died for the Union,
Above its broad folds does exultingly soar.

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,
Let me search it o'er and o'er,
From the Alpha to Omega,

Thro' the course of peace and war—
Through the history of nations

Who have raised and passed away

That I may find a precedent
Equaled by this of to-day!

Here we have two armies standing
Face to face, prepared for fight;
Neither falt'ring, neither fearing,
Both declaring for the RIGHT!
Cry it to the waiting nations

Till the sound the world shall fill :
Proves it not, tho' war divides us,
We are human brothers still ?

Here we have two armies waiting

On their arms, prepared for strife,
Ready at the first stern order

To destroy each other's life!
Why is this?-why not the order

Which with war the land shall fill?

Is it not that love of Union

Pleads between the brothers still ?

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