What did the _Merrimac_ mean? Why did she not fire her guns? The crew on the _Cumberland_ soon found out, when the great ram struck their frigate amidships with a shock that threw every man down on the deck, crushed in the ribs, and heeled the ship over till her topsail yards almost splashed the water. The _Merrimac_ reversed her engines and backed away under a murderous broadside, replying as she too turned her broadside with a deadly volley of shot and shell, which swept her enemy’s decks of guns and men. Meanwhile the water was pouring into the terrible gaping wound in the side of the _Cumberland_; but Lieutenant Morris, who was in command, fought her to the last with unflinching courage. Yet once again the _Merrimac_ turned her prow and crushed in close upon the old wound, and the great oak ribs snapped like twigs under the weight of iron. The _Cumberland_ began to ride lower in the water, but still aimed with calm accuracy at the _Merrimac_, riddling her smoke-stack and bending her anchor. But the _Merrimac_ lay off a little and poured a storm of shot into the sinking frigate, dealing death and mutilation. Yet Morris refused to yield, and the whole crew in their desperate plight thought of nothing but saving the honour of the flag. One sailor, with both his legs shot off, hobbled up to his gun on bleeding stumps and pulled the lanyard, then fell in a swoon by the gun. “She is sinking!” was the cry; but they still fought on, though the frigate was settling deeper every minute. Then the water came gurgling into the portholes, and choked the guns and drowned the gunners. The last gunner was knee-deep in water when he fired the last shot, and then the _Cumberland_ careened over on her side. Down she sank amid a whirl of circling waters, a caldron of wave and air--caught in one, and vomiting steam all around and over the dying vessel, and in a moment 400 men were on the verge of death, some being carried down into the revolving vortex, some being cast up on the outside, some swimming frantically towards the shore, or reaching desperately for fragments of wreck. About 100 went down with the ship. The chaplain went down with the wounded who were below deck. It took forty-five minutes for the _Merrimac_ to finish off the _Cumberland_, and she now turned her ram towards the _Congress_, which spread all sail and endeavoured to get clear away. But at this moment the _Congress_ grounded and became helpless. The gunboats of the Confederates were still firing heavily at her from a respectful distance, but as they saw the _Merrimac_ approaching they too drew near under her protection.