Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-06-24
Naval Fight In Wars avs soaa6- -surren-
der of the Iron- c! o.. -. !, ss,,,.

der of the Iron-c!a as.. - .,.::..;s.. -.
About l0o'clock this. fS1enoan, yis.lsi ii .saace
reached the city which filled evcrY hcai { Will
gegret-it was no less than .te -loss of the
: splendid Confederate Ssa.cs iron ciaI steamer
Atlanta, fortn6 ly the Fingrl. ,nlc ci7rrm.
stances under WHICH LIS s sl...s ..ii.ir
took place, are as. follows - sS
The Government has long desired toput
the Atlanta to active services, and to this end
were made the various otfcial changes in the
Navy which have been noticed in this paper,
the out going officers and the Secretary Of the
Navy differing egarding the capabilities of
the steamer. "A fsw weeks ago Capt. Webb
was placed in command, and from that date
until now has been busily engaged in prepar-
ing the Atlanta iorac,ion. Every thing being
s in perfect order, and splendid crew, rs to ca
pacity ON board, about daylight this NVednes.
day morning, tas Atlansn moved forward
into Warsaw Sound. When OFF Warsaw
Island she encountered two ironclad Yankee
monitors, lying close in shore. -. -. :
The Atlanta fired first shot at ten minutes
to S O'Clock, and second at five minutes after
S. The monitors replied, andthe engagement
was kept up until the Atlanta had fired four
shots and the monitors FIVE. The latter lay SO
close in shore, in shallow water, that our
steamer found it impossible, owing to her
heavy draft, to get rs near as sue would. at
81 o'clock the firing ceased on both sides; at
Is minutes to O'Clock small bosts were seen
TO pass from both monitors; to the Atlanta,
and wooden gun-boat. down the sound was
.signalled to return, which she did. The enc:
my boarded the Atlanta at ten minutes to s.,
and at 6 80 the Confederate flag, which had
Aoated over her until then, was taken down.
and he-Abolltion flag hoisted insits stead;
One shot was seen to strike the Atlanta, tits
supposed near her stern, and q shell burst on
her deck, but with what effect is unknown,
The officers of the Confedera:e States
steamer I>ondga--who were IN sigat and
witnessed the entire engagement anu surre!-
der, state that the Atiapta appeared 10 be
aground several timrs during the action. Iney
think she was Gle ar,y SO when the firing ceas-
ed and perhaps 5bilged, as her pumps were
actively ut work aud she appeared soon alter
the surrender 10 be careening.,
Some suspicious exist. as to the fdelitysof
the crewfA ID it is even rumrred thai diaboli
cal threats were uttered by a portion of them
previous to the departure of the vessel, but
: we QOuDI lI.(HlS 10 oftEuS he OIL S'ehts, ny
shall do them the justice of writing them
down as loyal and true until the contrary
shall have b.en proved. Such, we are inform
ell, is, the o. inion Of all naval cffcers in port.
We hear that Capt. Webb addressed his laep
just before going into action, and ibeS re
sponded with the greatest enthusiasm. g:iag-
to their quarters with alacrity and 10 the Ges,
of spirits. :. 49,
The real csuse of the disaster was, prcbas
bly,, the int tIicienty OF the Atlanta. owl,,g TO
sher heavy draft TO cope successfully with The
foe in our shallow waters, She wss dstrust.
ed by most Of ournapnl officers on tlis>ac-
coun. and 4 he weakness of her hull, compared
with the immense leriiiculube.,t' weight oi
iron. In Gerp water She Is a far better craft
tlan sny ii"aSclad putin commission by the
enemy, though iran' Tie d hicuiiy suggested,
they will ..d it trouble to use her aeai,lst no.
She draws .vcr' fifteen feet Of water, and sin-
ours imminent risks in going aground.
The crew u The e7Ailania consisted of ! 4ll
officers emo men, all told.--Savannah Repbii
can.