Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-07-02
Captur. of In. Rebel Iron Clad Atlanta.

Capture of she Rebel Iron CLAD Atlanta.
Extract of letter from an officer of Admiral Du
points Squadron TO the National Intelpencer dsted
Port Royal June 10th :ez..- g. ,.
The capture IN Warsaw Sound of the Confederate
iron Glad Atlanta, alias Fnga, by Capt. Rodgers of
the Weehawken. Is splendid affair, and the i'm
pertant naval capture of the war. She is the finest
and most powerful vessel the Coleferates ever had,
and far more formidable than was tue Merrmac, and
the result OF the action has proved the advantage and
terrible efficiency of the 15nch guns and fully
tains the Department in the introduction of these
guns not Notwithstanding the great opposition to them
The Atlanta came down with the most confident ey-
pectation of promptly capturing our iron cIads-the
Weehawken, Capt. Rodgers, and the Nahaut, Captain
Downs She was tlrst discovered approaching in the
gray of the morning. when the Weehawken slipped her
cable and stood down the sound, but soon turned
wards her gigantic opponent closely followed by the
Nahant. The Atlanta fred three of her heavy rfled
pieces before the Weehawken opened upon her with
her l5inch gun, 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 twentyour inches CT solid tim
Der, if it stubbe, and prost-aed about forty
of her crew. some by spnters, but the most part by
the mere concussioD without being personally touch
ed
One of the Leutenants told me be was struck down
by it, and though untouched be could not get up for
ten minutes The rext shot struck thr0uG Oh one OF the
iron port-stoppers, knocking 1t into Fragments and
wounding seventeen men, The third shot smashed the
top of the pilot house, woundng two of the pilots and
stunned the two men at the Wheels prostratng the
whole four the floor of the pilot house.. The fourth
shot struck her the knucke that is where the iron
casemate joins 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 ad
mrab'e The first gun was pointed by Capt. Rodgers
himself After the fifth gun she hauled down the flag
ard up a white one. The whole thing, from the
firing of the first gum in fifteen minutes, and
never utterly COMPOUNDED and surprised at
result as were her officers. So confident were they
of success that two steamers came down to tow the
prizes back to Savannah, and they filed with Ia
dies to witness the fight and certain victory.
The Atlanta has cost the rebel government million
of dollars-of money! not Confederate paper-and
she is filled with valuable stores Their plan was after
| capturing the Weehawken and Nahant, to Join the
ron-cads in Charleston harbor and raise the blockade
of all the Southern ports, for they consider her sea-
going cruiser What infinite mischief has been saved
by her capture to say nothing of lis great moral effect
by demonstrating the immense effectiveness of rnOn
tors, and cowng the rebels in their future movements
with their iron rooted Merrmacs
The machinery of the Atlanta is untouched and she
will be at added to this squadron, for her other
injuries do not interfere with her active service
This vessel has been perfect thorn in the flesh, fol-
she has required constant watching and might at any
time have taken advantage of the absence Of roncaGl
on other service to here and destroy all wood
vessels not only storeships and Transports but also
our wooden vessels of war, and great credit is due tC
her captors for they handled their vessel with cOnsum
mate SKILL and the result is of great and genera
coDgratulation throughout the squadron.
DETAILS OF THE SURRENDER.
+ The Port Royal correspondent of the Philadelphia
Inquirer, gives particulars of the surrender:
! Upon seeing the white flag our men cheered mos
8 Justify, and Capt Rodgers Immediately despachec
Capt Harmony, of the WeehaWken, in small boat t.
the Atlanta to receive the commanders sword and ta
possession of her in the of the Navy of the Uni
s ted States. AS soon as Capt. Harmony arrived OF
board he received the sword of Capt. Webb haule,
down the new Confederate flag which was flying at he
STERN and up victorious ensign. lie thet
went forward and ordering his 20 cast anchor
when Capt. Webb exclaimed, " For Gods sake, Cap
tain, don't cast off these anchors for have TORPEDO
> underneath the bow Capt. Harmony turned to hin
with the utmost nonchdLance and said, &c don't carr
any thing about your torpedoes !; l can stand them
you can, and if you don't wish to be blown up witt
me- you had better tell how to raise the torpedo
! EThis is Yankee lie of course. To thi
Captain Webb readily assented and calling com
of his men, pulleys attached to large iron ROD
which out from the prov, and soon there appcaro
coming out from the water huge torpedo attached t
the end of this rod which projected 30 feet beyond TIT
bow. Capt. III. ordered his men carefully to remove
the from the torpedo and then fill it with water, II
, order that the powder might be destroyed. 1h
was done, and the torpedo, holding fifty pounds OF pow
der raised alo this rod and was secured at al
! angle of about forty-fve degrees from the deck.
A remarkable circumstance in this affair is the Ac
! that Capt. VIM. Webb, formerly Lieutenant in on
Navy, and commanding the Atlanta is old classmat
. of Capt. John Rodgers, who commands the Weehaw
ken. Captain Harmony also found that the other oil
GERS old and intimate acquantances OF his betor
the rebellion occurred. | have no doubt but thai
these discoveries lent additional zast to the vic