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This desirable portrait bears the printed title on it’s face: ’George U. Morris Lieut. Com’g CumberlandEntered according to the act of Congress in the year 1862 by M. Brady’.. The image remains in wonderful condition with sharp contrast and crisp focus. The early Civil War mark of the Brady, Washington studio appears on the back of a mount that has been trimmed with clipped corners but not so as to impact on the photograph. The subject, Lieut. Geo. U. Morris will be familiar to Civil War history enthusiasts as the young Union Navy Officer who was in command of the USS Cumberland when she was lost in action against the Confederate States Ship Virginia 1862 at the Battle of Hampton Roads on 3/8/1862. Though an older ship Lieut. Morris’s Cumberland had been altered to a fast-sailing corvette of 24 guns, one of which was a new rifled pivot gun that was considered particularly devastating. Morris and his crew were confident they would crush the lumbering Confederate ship’s heavy iron shield. As the Virginia steamed toward the Cumberland Lieut. Morris’s guns roared, scoring direct hits on the Virginia yet the Cumberland’s deadly shells only careened off the Confederate ironclad to harmlessly exploding in the air. The Virginia’s first strike though, smashed the starboard rail, killing or maiming nine marines aboard the Cumberland and the second shot exploded among the 16 men of the forward gun crew, killing all but two. The Cumberland's men were ultimately mowed down, leaving a bloody trail as the dead were removed and the wounded were carried below. As each gunner fell, another stepped up to take his place. After raking the Cumberland with it’s guns the iron clad Confederate war ship plowed directly into the wooden ship punching a huge hole in her at the water line. The Cumberland immediately began to sink. Of this action Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Wells reported ’ Lieutenant Morris and the gallant crew stood firm at their posts and delivered a parting fire.’ The Cumberland ’ wrote Wells. It was recorded that when the CSS Virginia hailed the sinking Cumberland demanding its surrender Morris yelled back ’No, damn you! I will never surrender!’ and his crew, some in water up to there knees, continued pouring round after round into the side of the Confederate ironclad. When the thick smoke of battle cleared, 121 of the 376 Union Navy crew were dead or missing with an estimate another 80 or more wounded. A desirable Matthew Brady photograph.
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