The lieutenant who succeeded to the command, seeing there was no prospect of help, and that resistance was hopeless, hauled down the flag.

A gunboat was sent alongside, with orders that the crew should leave the _Congress_ and come on board, as the ship was to be burned.

But the troops and artillery lining the shore now opened fire on the little gunboat, which consequently hauled off.
The _Merrimac_, after firing several more shells into the _Congress_, moved away to attack the _Minnesota_, and the survivors of the 200 men who composed the crew of the _Congress_ were conveyed to shore in small boats.

The vessel was set on fire either by her own crew or the shells of the _Merrimac_, and by midnight blew up.
Owing to the shallowness of the water the _Merrimac_ could not get near enough to the _Minnesota_ to use her own small guns to advantage, and the gunboat was driven off by the heavy ten-inch gun of the Federal frigate, and, therefore, at seven o'clock the _Merrimac_ and her consorts returned to Norfolk.

The greatest delight was felt on shore at the success of the engagement, and on riding back to Norfolk Vincent learned that the ram would go out again next morning to engage the rest of the Federal fleet.
She herself had suffered somewhat in the fight.