Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-06-27
MORNINGLEADER.
MORNING, JUNE %. 1888.
Capture Of the Rebel Monster Atlanta.
The following inlerestine particulars are
rom The Tribune Correspondence

The following interesting particulars are
from the Tribune correspondence:
HrLToN HEAD, S. c., June 19, 1868.
For months we have been expecting a
visit from the Rebel ram Fingal (Atlanta.)
Last evening she came quietly into the
haTbor, not with the rebel flag floating from
her turret but the stars and stripes spresd
TO the breeze; not with the roar Of cannon
and the crash Of wooden hulls, but under
the command Of Yankee Captain, q
Yankee pilot, and q Yankee engineer.
The Ringal, or the Atlanta, as she is
known to the rebels, was captured BY the
monitor Weehawken, on the morning Of
the l7th inst, in Warsaw sound, together
with all her officers and crew, numbering
: 165 souls, three months provisions, an i'm
mense amount Of ammunition, four heavy
Brooks guns, resembling much the 2O0-
pound PARROTS on the Ironsides, and pa
pers of much value.
She left Savannah on the evening Of the
10th inst, accompanied by two pleasure
parties on board Of small wooden trans
ports, who desired to witness the engage
ment between her and the Weehawken and
the Nahant known 10 be lying in the
sound, awaiting her approach. So san
Fingal would succeed either in capturing
the monitors OF. successfully pass by them
and reach the sea that 1t was not until she
had been captured more than half an hour
that they came to the conclusion that it
would be better for them to return.
The Ftngal came forward boldly to the
contest, and did not in end 10 fire q shot
until within one hundred yards of the Wee
hawkeu. But the Weehawken anticipated
her. When within four hundred yards,
she let fly one of her 15-ineh solid shot,
which struck the pilot house of the Fingal
square, Knocked it clean off the vessel, Sc
verely wounded two Of the three pilots,
and threw her at the mercy Of the tide,
which in few moments drifted her ashore.
In rapid succession the Weehawken fred
two more 15-inch shots and one ll-inch
into her starboard side, Que Of the first of
which entered near her forward port-hole,
and wounded II meu at the gun. The
others struck her solid sides, but did not
enter.
Before the fifth sho. was fired, Captain
Webb, discovering that his vessel was en-
tirely at the mercy of Captain John Rod
gers, Of the Weehawken, put out the white
flag and surrendered his vessel and crew
to Captain D. B. Harmon, Of the Nahant.
This capture of the Fingal is altogether
the most brilliant naval achievement we
have had in this Naval Department for
many months. Admiral Dupont has been
watching her ever since the capture of
Port Royal It will be remembered she
was q Clyde-built steamer, which ran the
blockade at Savannah early in the com
mencement Of the war, was raced and
changed TO the most formidable ram N the
rebel service. One Of her officers, With
whom ] have just eonversed, informs me
that she cost the rebel Government nearly
one million in specie. This, of course, is |
exaggerated. She is probably worth half
the sum.
She is 2O9 feet long, 55 feet wide engine
Of 500 horsepower, sides built at an angle
Of 30 degrees AMI is thought by naval Of
hcers here TO be more imprevious TO shot
than our Monitors The outer plating
consists Of four inches of solid iron, and
is firmly bolted upon Is inches Of pine
timber. Her bulk head, from which the
long ram projects, is 3 feet thick Of solid
iron and pine.
The Ericsson torpedo, which we have at
the bows Of our own Monitors, she has
upon q much more practical plan, at the
point of her ram.
The machinery of the Fingsl was not
damaged in the least during the engage
ment. She sailed into port last evening at
the rate Of eight knots an hour, and the en-
gineer inferms me that he could have made
ten if he had desired 10.
In this fight the loss was entirely on the
side Of the enemy. Neither the Weehawk-
en- or the Nshant were hit. The first shot
Of the Weehawken may be said to have
captured the Fingal.
The officers and crew are now on board
Of the Fingal. VERMONT.