370 The Story of the New England Whalers 



gun at whales. But the shot, though aimed with 

 deadly accuracy, made no more impression than 

 if he had fired a musket instead of a cannon. 

 Wholly uninjured, the great ironclad came on 

 until, with a mighty crash, her bow was driven 

 into the side of the Cumberland. Then she drew 

 away, and with her crew working her guns she 

 passed on, steamed up the James a little way, 

 turned around, and came back beside the old 

 sloop-of-war. 



The Cumberland was settling by the bow 

 rapidly, and the whole crew could hear the water 

 roaring in through the hole that had been made 

 in her. But when the Confederate ranged up 

 and demanded that she surrender, Lieutenant 

 Morris replied: 



"Never! I'll sink alongside." 



Then "the gun crews kicked off their shoes 

 and stripped to the waist. Tanks of cartridges 

 were hoisted on the gun deck and opened, and 

 round after round was fired at the ironclad. 

 Never did a crew fight a ship with more spirit 

 and hardihood than these brave fellows of the 

 Cumberland while the vessel was going down." 



