The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-27
SAVANNAH. GA. WEDNESDAY. APRIL p. 1898

on the top and sides and. wounding both
pilots and two helmsnen. Little or the
Wechawken's firing was wasted; with two
exceptions, the missiles all sped swiftly
and surely to the mark, and worked havoc
in the carefully planned opponent. one of
them smashing in port shutter and start
ing the joint of the casemate where il
united with the deck.
The Atlanta fired In all eight shots, no
one of which struck either monitor, an
ploughlng into the water as unavailing
though fired at random. After an action
lasting only fifteen minutes. Lieut.. Com
mander Webb of the Atlanta hauled down
his colors. After the usual formalities,
prize crew was placed aboard the defeat
ed cruiser. and the famous Confederate,
with whose anticipated aexpl6its .rumor
had been so busy for months. and on
whose prewess the South had counted so
confidently, was lowed ANONYMOUSLY to
Port Royal which place was already in
possession of the Federals.
In February of the same year, this some
time British and Confederate ship having
undergone thorough repair. was stationed
al Hampton Roads, and the Union flag
1oated from her Flagstaff or the super.
structure
This defeat of the Atlanta by the Wee
hawken occurred In June. On Aug. II the
now famous monitor figured In an attack
on Fort Wagner, during which she with
the Catskill, Nahant, Montauk and New
Ironsides ran in with the flood tide to
within only 400 yards of the batteries on
Morris Island and opened fire. Seven gun
boats off in the Background also aided
in the assault. Fort Moultrie from the
other side Of the harbor occasionally
reached the monitors with her guns, and
ii was not long before the commander of
the Catskill and another officer were
killed. os ,sf
Their bodies were simply transferred to
friendly tug and the monitor went on
firing, nerved TO new endeaver by de-
sire for revenge. Thisfattack was not
decisive victory for the Federals. but Fort
Wagers guns were ,sienced for a time.
The Weehawken came off unscathed to
be one of five monitors to attack Fort
sumter two weeks later, an attack under
taken before daybreak of a dashing spiri-
ted character, but which failed TO make
an impression on the grim fortress. On
the % of September, however, IN a night
attack with the same object in view, the
gallant Weehawken was struck by shot
which drove an iron fragment through her
ramparts that shattered her commanders
leg. This was only an earnest of what
fate had in store for her.
Four days later, as a sequel to the pro-
longed and relentless attacks upon them
from both land and sea forces, the Con-
federates evacuated Morris Island. on the
next night the Weehawken, again bent on
courageous exploit, in attempting 10
pass into harbor, between Fort Sumter
and Cummings point, grounded, and was
forced to remain there helpless all night,
target for the batteries that opened fire
upon her. From Fort Moultrie on the
one side, and from the batteries on James
Island on the otheri shells Tained on the
ship. She returredTthe tire as weH as She
could, and one of her shells caused an ex-
plosion in Fort Moultrie which killed six
teen men and wounded twelve. The Wee
hawken's sister monitors as soon as her
plight was discovered ran in and opened
fire on the enemyfuntil the grounded IRON
clad could be hoated off.
The Weehawken figured in three or four
other adventurous issues before she plung-
ed TO the bottomG of Charleston harbor
three months latensHer life, as a blockade
fighter was short but eventful and no
monitor of these especially built ironclads
did more effective service. She succumbed
at the last only to the sea and untoward
circumstance and was never conquered by
a human enemy. She2was built so that her
stern would be deeper than the bow by
which means allc the water accommodating
from leaks would run aft and could be
thrown out by powerful pumps. On the day
of her sinking she had been taking on
board a number OF heavy shells, which
brought her bow down so much that the
water did not run aft freely. In the heavy
swells the vessel took I'm. considerable water
through the hawse holes, which aceumu-
ting in the forward end of the vessel
gradually brought her down by the head.
Her pumps were unable to free her. There
was no apprehension of danger until the
few minutes before fshe went down, when
the signal "assistance required" was Civ
en-; five minutes later she rolled heavily
to starboard, and, gradually settling. she
rose TO an upright position, then plunged
to the bottom. carrying down four officers
and twenty seamen. Olive b. Gunby.