hampton roads is not the champs-elysées of the south, but a long wet stretch of track east of virginia, the midway plaisance of the salted sea. the merrimac steered for the cumberland, rammed her, and the cumberland sunk like a stove-lid, with all on board. the captain of the congress, warned by the fate of the cumberland, ran his vessel on shore and tried to conceal her behind the tall grass, but the merrimac followed and shelled her till she surrendered.