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"Confederate rams from Charleston Harbor attacking the Federal blockading squadron, January 31st, 1863. Official report of Rear Admiral Dupont: 'About four o'clock on the morning of the 31st of January, during the obscurity of a thick haze, two ironclad gunboats came out of Charleston by the main ship channel, unperceived by the squadron, and commenced a raid upon the blockading fleet. The <em>Mercedita</em> was the first vessel attacked. Captain Stellwagen had gone to his room for a short time, leaving Lieutenant Commanding Abbott on deck, when one of the ironclads suddenly appeared. Her approach was concealed by the haze and mist of the atmosphere. The vessel was immediately hailed and an order given to fire; but the ironclad being close aboard, and lying low in the water, no guns could be brought to bear. A heavy rifle shell was fired from the enemy, which entered the starboard side of the <em>Mercedita</em>, passed through her condenser, the steam drum of her port boiler, and exploded against her port side, blowing a hole in its exit some four or give feet square, killing the gunner, and, by the escape of steam, a number of the men, and rendering her motive power apparently useless. Unable to use his guns, and being at the mercy of the enemy, which was lying alongside on his starboard quarter, all further resistance was deemed hopeless by Captain Stellwagen, and he surrendered.'"&mdash; Frank Leslie, 1896

Confederate rams

"Confederate rams from Charleston Harbor attacking the Federal blockading squadron, January 31st, 1863.…