Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-24
The CAPTURE of the FinpoI.


FLAG-SHIP WABASH, Port Royal harbor.
S. c., June l7.-HoR Gideon WelleS : have
the honor to inform the department that since
mailing my dispatch No. 3l6, have received
further details Of the capture of the Atlanta,
sent through the kindness of Col Barton. by
telegraph from fort Pulaski. The Atlanta,
Capt. VIM. Webb, came down this morning,
via Wilmington river, to attack our vessels in
Warsaw Sound, accompanied by two wooden
steamers filled, it is said, with persons as
spectators. The Weehawken, Capt John
Rodgers, at once engaged her, firing in all
five shots, three of which took effect, pene-
trating her armor, and killing or wounding
the crews of two guns. Two or three of the
pilots were also badly Wounded and the pilot
house broken up, whereupon the vessel
grounded and Immediately after surrendered.
The armament of the Atlanta was two seven
inch guns. She is but slightly injured"
s. f. DUPONT, Rear Admiral,
Cong S. Atlantic Blockading Squadron.
2. S.-The officers and crew of the Atlanta
numbered one hundred and sixty five persons.
NEWPORT News, June 22.-To Hon. Gid
con Wales, Secretary Of the Nagy Your
telegram is just received. Admiral Dupont
sent the Weehawken, Capt. John Rogers, and
Nahant, commander Downes, down to War
saw Sound to look out for the Atlanta. June
18th at A. NJ the Atlanta came down, ac-
companied by two gunboats. The engage
ment was exclusively between the Weehaw-
ken and Atlanta. The latter mounted four of
the Brooke rifles, two 7-inciI on the bow and
stern pivots, and two 6-inch at the sides. She
could fight two ofthe former and one of the
latter on a side. Rogers engaged the rebel at
close quarters. The first l5-inch shot, fred
by himself took off the top of the Atlanta's
pilot house and wounded two of her three pi-
lots Another l5-inch shot struck half way up
her roof iron-plated, four inches thick, kill
ing one and wounding seventeen men. Eleven
shots were fired in all, five by the Weehaw-
ken and six by the Atlanta. The latter got
aground and surrendered. The fight was
short, the victory signal. The Weehawken
sustained no injury of any sort.
The Atlanta steers well and made six knots
against head sea, going to Port Royal. She
was completely provided with instruments and
stores for a regular cruise. She had ram,
saw and a torpedo on her bow. ExLieut.
w. A. Webb commanded her. Her compile
ment was one hundred and siXty-fve souls.
The Atlanta is said to have come down, con-
fdent of capturing the monitors easily, and
her consorts, filled with spectators, were pre-
pared to tow them to Savannah. She will
soon be ready for service under the flag of
the Union.
S. z. LEE, Acting Rear Admiral.
WASHINGTON, June 23,-Capt. John Rod
gers circumstantially relates the proceedings
attending the capture of the Atlanta. On
examination it was found the enemy had been
struck four times, first on the inclined side
by fifteen inch conical shot, which, al
though fred at an angle of fifty degrees
with her keel, broke into her armor and wood
backing, strewing the deck with splinters,
prostrating about forty men by the
conclusion, and wounding several by
broken pieces of armor and splinters.
One man has since died. The second
shot (ll-inch solid) struck the edge of the
overhanging knuckle, doing no damage, ex-
cept breaking plate or two. The third shot
(l5-inch coned) struck the top of the pilot
house, knocking it off and wounding two
OF the pilots, and stunning the man at
the wheel. The fourth shot Supposed
to be seven-inch,) struck port stopper in
the center, breaking it in two and SCATTERING
1t very much, driving many fragments in
through the port. There were on board at
the time OF the capture, as per muster roll,
twenty-one officers and one hundred and
twenty'tou men, including twenty-eight ma