Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-25
THE REBEL IRoN-cLAD ATLANTA.

THE REBEL. IRON-CLAD ATLANTA.
The C,nfed, rate iron,clld Atlanta, lately cap
tured near Savsnnah, was the British steamer
Fingal, bought by the Confederate Government, and
ran the blockade with large and valuable cargo
Of arms, blankets, ammunition, medicines, &c.
She is two thousand tons burden, and neither
expense nor skill has been spared to make her a
most formidable vessel-the rebels asserting that
we had nothing that could cope single-handed
with her The importance of the capture, there
fore, can hardly be overes.imated, and her loss
to the rebels is irreparable. The following is an
extract of letter giving an account of the cap
ture by the brave and fortunate Commander
RODGERS.
Extract of letter from an officer of Admiral
Duponts Squadron to the Editors of the Ma
tional Intelgencer, dated
PORT ROYAL, JUNE 49, 1868
The capture in Warsaw Sound Of the Confederate iron
clad Atlanta alias Fnga BY Capt Rodgers, Of the Wee
hawken splendid affair and the most important naval
capture of the She the fnest and most powerful
vessel the Conederates have had and far for
mdable than was the Merrmac and the result of the
action has proved the advantage aud terrible efficiency of
the 5uch guns and fully sustans the Department IN the
introduction of these guns notwithstanding the great OPP
position to them
The Atlanta came down with the most confident expec-
taton of promptly capturing iron-cadsthe Weehaw
KEN Capt Rodgers, and the Nahant Capt. Downs. She
was fret discovered approaching in the gray of the morn
ing. when the Weehawken slipped her cable and stood
down the sound, but turned towards her gigantic
opponent, closely followed by the Nshant The Atlanta
fred three of her heavy red guns before the Weehaw
ken opened upon her with her l5nch gum. throwing
solid shot of four hundred and forty pounds that first
shot virtually decided the action for the terrible missile
tore through her thick iron plating backed by twenty
four inches of solid timber if 1t stubbe and pros
taed about forty of her crew. by spnters but the
most part by the concussion without being person
ally touched One of her eutenants told was struck
down by it, and though untouched he could not get up
for ten minutes The next shot struck of the iron port
shoppers, knocking it into fragments and wounding
ten The third shot smashed the top Of the pilot
house, woundng two of the pilots and stunned the two
men at the Wheel prostrating the whole four the
of the pilothouse The fourth shot struck her the
knucke that where the iron casemate jns at sharp
angle the iron plating of the side; and the fifth shot went
through her smoke-stack Every shot struck her. the
precision of fire being admirable The first gun point
ed by Capt Rodgers himself After the fifth gun she
hauled down her flag and up white The whole
thing from the firing of the first gum in fifteen
minutes and never were men utterly COMPOUNDED and
surprised at result her officers. SO confident
they of that two steamers down to
the prizes back to Savannah, and they filed with
ladies to witness the fight and certain victory.
The Atlanta has cost the rebel Government million Of
dolarsof money not Confederate paper-and she is
filled with valuable stores Their plan was after capur-
Charleston harbor and the blockade of all the South
ern ports, for they consider her going cruiser
What infinite mischief has been saved by her capture to
nothing of its great moral effect by demonstrating the
immense effectiveness Of monitors and cowing the
rebels in their future movements with their ironoofed
Merrimacs
Capt Downs, in the Nahsnt CALAMITY endeavorng
to close alongside the Atlanta to give her an
effective fire at very close quarters, believing from the
advces they had Of her. that his shot would not
at distance which greater than that Of the Weeha
ken, but the fight promptly settled that he had
the opportunity Of firing single shot, and the Weehawken
only fve
The machinery Of the Atlanta is untouched and she
will be at added to this squadron for her other in
iuries do not interfere with her active services.
This vessel has been perfect thorn 10 the esh for she
has required constant watching and might at any time
have taken advantage Of the absence Of the roncads
other service to here and destroy all wooden
vessels not only storeshps and Transports but also
wooden vessels Of and great credit is due to her cap
tors for they handled their vessels with
and the result ia Of great and general conaratula
ton throughout the squadron