Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-07-03

but one, one OF them striking alongside of one of
lhe ports shatterng ii very much and thereby
wouhdlng most of the crew OF the gun at that
port another struck the pilot house woundinR
very severely both the pilots, the other shots did
l'tlle damage though leaving their marks
oWlng to the pilots being wounded the vessel
soon got aground which fact caused her surrender
mueh sooner than would otherwise have been the
case, presume.
Killed aud fifteen wounded, whereas on ou.
vessels no one was injured or any damage sus-
tanned by the vessels.
Her general appearance il that Of the cele-
DRAFTED ''Merrimnc." the defects ia which thew
presumed to have remedied in the construction
OF this one, but from the Effects Of few of our
htteen inch shot on her they will have to exercise
their utmost endeavors aud ingenuity il they
wish to cope successfully with our Invaluable
ron-cads.
She draws sixteen feet of water has n power-
full double engine, propeller style with surface
condenser, has three ports on ench side and ono
Mt each end but has only four guns mounted.
one each side aud one NJ either tud on n piyot.
40 rs t. be worked at the port on each eide An
well MS at the end, they are what is known as
the Brooks rifle gun, seven inch bore
AT her bow, was arranged on a hinge, n kind
OF arm or lever, extending some feet under the
/
vessel, on the end of which was torpedo, which
would of course be very destructive to anything
ii might come in contact with.
She had ON board very large supply OF am
munillon aud provisions nnd some thirty thous-
anu dollars OF confederate money, and Is repre-
scented to have cost over a million of dollars.
She was commended by Captain Webb, for
merry Lieutenant in the U. S. Navy, had eigh-
teen other officers, with crew of one hundred
and thl1ty'four men principally English and
Irish; the wounded having received every at
tention from the surgeons Of our vessels, tbey
were transferred to the steamboat Island Civ
which had come over from Fort Pulaski with
some army officers, upon hearing the firing, and
conveyed to Port Royal Captain Webb with
several others Of her officers with some sixty of
the crew were transferred to us, and we proceed.
ed with them to Port Royal where we arrived in
the evening
The following afternoon the "Atlanta" camo
INTO that port under steam, alone, gliding
through the water at a fair speed with the stars
and stripes waving in triumph from the staff
over the rebel flag, which was of the style re-
Gently adopted by them consisting of white field
with red Union, with blue stripe extending
from the upper to the lower corners of tho same
crossing in the centre, where there is one largo
white star, with three other smaller ones in each
arm OF the cross, making in all thirteen. She
anchored near the flag ship and of course attract
cd much attention. One of our engineers was
detailed to her TO assist in taking her TO Port
Royal and states that she worked very we'll and
did not appear to be ut all affected by the sea.
We learned from some of her officers thnt their
intention was, to first attack the iron.onds
which they felt positive they could defeat with
out much difficulty, then attend TO the "Cimar-
ron" and capture or destroy her and proceed 10
sea leaving the clearing up of affairs to the two
steamers left in the river, which must indeed
have been pleasant programme for them TO
ihlnk OF, but as the boys say 1--WE didn't see IT,"
and presume Commodore Tatnall will hesitate
sometime before he attempts another such bold,
though frutless excursion.
The defeat and capture of this Ram with nil
on board is of iuestimabe importance to our
government, for if it Ind been otherwise she
would have, ere this been at sea and being, as
already proved, sea going vessel and having
stores and ammunition sufficient for some months
use. 1t is impossible almost even to 'uagile the
grelt damage she wond have done to our block
Ndlng Meet along the coast and hope our poo
pie will fully appreciate The great victory.
Too much praise cannot be awarded Captain
John Rodgers of the Weehawken, for the able
manner in which he conducted the engagement
throughout aud trust the appreciation Of it will
he manifested in a suitable manner.
The officers of the Ram expressed themselves
as being much pleased ms well rs surprised, with
The Kind manner they were treated throughout,
as they expected very different treatment from
U.S. probably their conscieaces told them they were
not deserving of such good tree menL
1t is generally believed that the lphole paiue of
this prize will be distributed among the vessels
capturing her contrary 10 the custom in most
prizes, she being an armed vessel of such magn-
tude, and it is estimated she will be valued ut
nearly half million of dollars as she stands.
Having already written quite n lengthy epistle
l will now close, hoping may be able to give
you something else interesting ere long.
Respectfully Yours, &c,
G. W. q.