The 8th of March, 1862, was a bright, placid, beautiful day--more like a May than a March day. About 1 o'clock in the afternoon, the _Virginia_ came steaming out from behind Craney Island, attended by the gunboats _Beaufort_ and _Raleigh_. As soon as the _Virginia_ was seen, the James river squadron got underway under all the steam the boilers would bear, and proceeded to join her in her attack on the enemy. As Tucker's small squadron approached the Newport News batteries he formed it in line ahead, the _Patrick Henry_, 12, leading; next the _Jamestown_, 2, and lastly the _Teaser_, 1; this order being maintained until the batteries were passed. The batteries were run with less loss than was anticipated; the enemy probably expected the Confederate vessels to pass in the usual channel, about eight hundred yards from the guns of the Federal works, but by Tucker's directions the _Patrick Henry_ was run by much nearer the batteries, and the _Jamestown_ and _Teaser_ followed her closely. Probably in consequence of this deviation from the middle of the channel the Federal guns were not well aimed, and most of the shot from the batteries passed over the Confederate vessels. As the James river squadron ranged up abreast of the first battery, the vessels delivered their fire, and the flash from their guns had scarcely vanished when the Federal works were wrapped in smoke, and their projectiles came hissing through the air. The _Patrick Henry_ was struck several times during the passage; one shot passing through the crew of No. 3 gun, wounding two men and killing one, a volunteer from the army, who had come on board to serve only for the fight. His last words as he fell were, "Never mind me, boys!" Whilst the James river squadron was passing the batteries, the _Virginia_ had rammed and sunk the _Cumberland_, a ship which was fought most gallantly to the bitter end, going down with her colors flying and her guns firing, like the celebrated French ship _Vengeur_. Having run by the batteries with no material damage, the James river squadron joined the _Virginia_ and afforded her valuable aid in the battle she was waging. Whilst the forward guns of the _Patrick Henry_ were engaging one enemy, the after guns were firing at another, and the situation of the Confederate wooden vessels at this time seemed well nigh desperate. The Newport News batteries were on one side, on the other the frigates _Minnesota_, _St. Lawrence_ and _Roanoke_ were coming up from Old Point Comfort, and in front the beach was lined with field batteries and sharpshooters. Fortunately for the wooden vessels, both Confederate and Federal, the _Minnesota_, _St. Lawrence_ and _Roanoke_ grounded, and the smaller vessels which accompanied them returned to Old Point Comfort. The _Minnesota_, though aground, was near enough to take part in the action, and opened a heavy fire on the Confederate squadron.