passed in silence, but on coming near Fort Sumter, the guns on every battery around, instantly opened fire. Captain Rodgers, however, nobly stood in his position until obstructions were encountered of so formidable a nature, that he deemed it best to move where he could better attack. The other ships followed, and some confusion arose in consequence of the narrowness of the channel, and the tides. But the fight was continued until Admiral Du Pont considered it necessary to draw the vessels off.

With reference to this attack, General Hunter, who was on board a transport with some of his troops to assist, says in a letter to the Admiral: "I confess when the Weehawken first run under Sumter's guns, receiving the casemate and barbette broadsides simultaneously with the similar broadsides from Fort Moultrie, and all the other works within range, I fairly held my breath until the smoke had cleared away, not expecting to see a vestige of the little vessel which had provoked such an attack."

In the month of June, 1863, Admiral Du Pont, having reason to believe that the Atlanta and other rebel iron-clads at Savannah were about to enter Warsaw Sound by Wilmington River, for the purpose of attacking the blockading vessels there and in the sounds further south, despatched Captain Rodgers and Commander Downes from Port Royal Harbor for information. Captain Rodgers departed on his errand, and on the morning of the seventeenth he discovered an iron-clad vessel in the mouth of Wilmington River; also two other steamers, one a side-wheel and the other a propeller. He immediately beat to quarters, and commenced clearing the ship for action. In ten minutes the cable was slipped, and his vessel under steam, and shortly afterward heading direct for the iron-clad, which had the rebel flag flying. The enemy was lying across the channel, waiting the attack; and Captain Rodgers commenced firing, at the distance of three hundred yards. In a quarter of an hour the enemy hauled down his colors, and hoisted the white flag, sending a boat on board the Weehawken to say that the Atlanta had surrendered. She was then aground on a sand-spit, but ultimately got off and brought into Port Royal harbor. She had a complement of twenty-one officers, and one hundred and twenty-four men, including twentyeight marines.

With reference to this affair, Admiral Du Pont in his report says: "The department will notice in this event how well Captain Rodgers has sustained his distinguished reputation, and added to the list of brilliant services which he has rendered to the country during the rebellion." In replying to this, Secretary Welles sent an official communication also to Captain Rodgers, wherein he expresses "unaffected pleasure in congratulating him upon the result." He adds: "In fifteen minutes, and with five shots, you overpowered and captured a formidable steamer." He then refers to the various services of Captain Rodgers, and

says: "All this is proof of a skill and courage and devotion to the country and the cause of the Union, regardless of self, that cannot be permitted to pass unrewarded. To your heroic daring and persistent moral courage, beyond that of any other individual, is the country indebted for the development, under trying and varied circumstances on the ocean, under fire from enormous batteries on land, and in successful encounter with a formidable antagonist, of the capabili ties and qualities of attack and resistance of the monitor class of vessels, and their heavy armament. For these heroic and serviceable acts I have presented your name to the President, requesting him to recommend that Congress give you a vote of thanks, in order that you may be advanced to the grade of Commodore in the American navy.'

Subsequently Captain Rodgers was appointed to the command of the iron-clad

Dictator.

AIMBOTLIAO

R

CHARLES HENRY DAVIS.

EAR-ADMIRAL C. H. DAVIS entered the United States naval service

from his native State of Massachusetts, on the twelfth of August, 1823. He was made a lieutenant on the third of March, 1831. In 1835, he was attached to the sloop-of-war Vincennes, then in the Pacific; and two years later, we find him assigned to the razee Independence, on special duty.

His next appointment was as chief of a hydrographic party on the coast survey. He remained in this position from 1842 to 1849, but for some years later, was more or less connected with this service. In 1851, an appropriation was made by the Government for the improvement of Charleston harbor, and at the request of South-Carolina, a commission of navy and army officers was appointed to superintend the work in hand. Lieutenant Davis was selected as a member of the commission, in which duty he was actively engaged for three or four years.

On the twelfth of June, 1854, he was made a commander, and found special duty, for the two following years, as Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac, at Cambridge, Mass.

In 1857, he was placed in command of the sloop-of-war St. Mary's, then attached to the Pacific squadron. Soon after entering upon his new duties, while stationed on the Nicaragua coast, Commander Davis interposed to save from Central American vengeance the notorious fillibuster William Walker. That worthy, after several years of desultory contest, had been driven to the wall at Rivas, and was there compelled to surrender, with the remnant of his followerssome two hundred in number on the first of May, 1857. Commander Davis successfully interposed and brought off Walker, with sixteen of his men, landing him at Panama unharmed.

Commander Davis remained in command of the St. Mary's until February, 1859, when he was relieved, and resumed the superintendence of the Almanac.

The outbreak of the rebellion found him thus peacefully employed. But he immediately resumed active service, being appointed to the Wabash, as FleetCaptain of the South-Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Commodore Du Pont. His experience and skill were soon brought into requisition in this service.

The coöperating land forces, under General T. W. Sherman, which had cleared from Hampton Roads on the twenty-ninth of October, having arrived at