Battle of Wassaw Sound

Date	17 June 1863
Location	Wassaw Sound, Chatham County, Georgia
Result	Union Victory

Belligerents

United States (Union)

CSA (Confederacy)

Commanders and leaders

John Rodgers

William A. Webb

Strength

2 ironclads
1 gunboat

1 ironclad ram
2 wooden steamers

Casualties and losses

none

1 killed
16 wounded
1 ironclad captured

The Battle of Wassaw Sound (or the Capture of the CSS Atlanta) was an American Civil War naval battle between the Confederate ram CSS Atlanta and the Passaic-class ironclad monitors USS Weehawken and USS Nahant and the gunboat USS Cimmerone (later named Cimmaron), which took place on 17 June 1863 in Wassaw Sound, a bay in the present day state of Georgia. Atlanta ran aground while attempting to break the Union blockade, and after a short battle surrendered to the Union forces. Captain Rodgers became a national hero, and he was promoted to Commodore and received the Thanks of Congress as a result of his decisive victory.

On 10 June 1863, Rear Admiral Du Pont had received reports Atlanta was about to descend the Wilmington River for a foray into Wassaw Sound and ordered monitors USS Weehawken and USS Nahant and gunboat USS Cimmerone to enter Wassaw Sound to stop the Southern ironclad ram's attack, should she make one, and to prevent her escape. Captain John Rodgers in Weehawken had overall command of this Union force.

Five days later, in the early evening of the 15th, Atlanta got underway and passed over the lower obstructions in the Wilmington River to get into position for a strike at the Union forces in Wassaw Sound. Webb dropped anchor at 8:00 p.m. and spent the remainder of the night coaling. The next evening ". . . about dark . . .," Webb later reported, he ". . . proceeded down the river to a point of land which would place me in 6 or 7 miles of the monitors, at the same time concealing the ship from their view, ready to move on them at early dawn the next morning."

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Wikipedia