Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-17
TIE CONFEDERATE ACCOUNT OF TIE
CAPTURE OF TIE ATLANTA.

| The Savannah papers contain some interest
ing particulars of the capture OF the Atlanta.
obtained from the crew. The "Ecpubiran"
| learns that the attack commenced at five min.
utes before ) o'clock \. W., there lying in
Warsaw Sound the iron-clad monitors Wc.-
hawkcn and Nahant, and the side wheel steam
er Cimmeron The Wecllawkrn was attacked
first. The shot was fired by the Atlanta from
her bow pivot gun. followed Immediately after
hy a second. The Wcchawkrn then replied
with lj-inch solid shot, which struck the At
lautn on the starboarl side, three feet aft I'll
the plut-housc driving in the iron plates. shat
tcring the wood work on The inside of the case.
mcnt and wounding II men, one Of whom
Barrett--dicl in about two hours from the e.
lects of his injuries. The shot did not enter
the caSemate; 1t passed OYER the spar deck
The starbnard hr"adSidc gun was immediately
fired: the Weehawken replied, and her shot
struck us on the knucklc, four feet aft If the
starboard and broadSidc gun, doing no injury.
The bow gun Of the Atlanta was now fired i"r
the third time. and the Wcchawkcn threw her
third shot, which struck us in our port lust IL
the men had the gun loaded and were in the
act of raising the port cover, which was hro-
ken into pieces. At this moment the Wee
hawkcn fired another .lot, which struck the
pilothou>c, dcmolishns it and w0unlin: two
Of the vi OTIS, Austin and Hernandez. -
Our pivot gun ait was fired from the starboard
side
Capt. Webb seeing that his ship WAS dis
ablcd by being aground, and her guns unable
to bear, ordered her culors to be hauled down
and white flag Ia he run up. At this tinr
the Wcehawken fired another shot, but il did
not take effect. Capt. Webb jumped on the
spar deck and hailed the Weckawkcn. saving.
Il surrender Capt. Rogers, Of the Wchaw-
KEN stated to Capt Webb that he would not
have fired on the Atlanta after the iag was
hauled down but from the fact that he could
not make out what our flag was. Ii was
white, and they took it for blue or black, on
account of the smoke.
The ship, Mt the time of the surrender, was
in an awful condition. Outside no injury WAS
visible, except deep indcntation the size Of Il
mans hat: inside the wood work was driven
oiF from the iron plates to the diameter ofcight
or ten feet, and the gun deck piled mp with
the rubbish. The wounded were lying on all
sides. 1t was impossible to get the men from
their guns to look after them, until Capt. Webb
said To his men, Il have given up the ship
The fight lasted about thirty minutes.
The crew speak in the highest terms orCapt.
Webb, and they are ready to fight under him
again.
After the surrender. fity-eight men were
put aboard the Cimmcron steamer and hand
cuiied in couples.
The News" learns that Captain Wcbh
was on the outside of his ship during the i,a:-
tie, and exposed himself very much. Tn"
crew were all in good spirits. and entertained
the hope of a successful contest Upon hear
ing. the Wcehawkcn, Capt. Webb asked tn"
pilots if there was water enough for tn" A.
lanta to make dash ut her. lie was in.
formed that there was. and he then ordered
all steam up, in order To run into her and
blow her up with his torpedo. In few mo
mcnt- after she had got under full steam, She
brought to upon il sandbank, and carecned
over, which rendered her guns useless and
placed the Atlanta ut the mercy of her Two
ut short ranga: