In June a couple of Dupont’s monitors had a successful fight with another Confederate ironclad. She was originally a thirteen-knot iron steamer called the _Fingal_, a Scotch boat. Having run the blockade at Savannah, she was cut down and decked over, and a casemate was erected in the favorite fashion of John L. Porter. But she was broadened out with solid timbers bolted outside the hull until she had sides seven feet thick at the water-line. Her armor-plates were the same as the _Merrimac_ carried except that they were not of such good metal, and the wood backing of the armor was but eighteen inches thick, although the power of the fifteen-inch guns she would have to face was well known. She carried four of the excellent Brooke guns so mounted that they could fire ahead or in broadside. The speed of the ship was reduced by the weight to eight knots. She was named the _Atlanta_, and was commanded by Lieut. William A. Webb. [Illustration: The _Weehawken_ and the _Atlanta_. _From a wood-cut._] On June 17, 1863, she came down the Wilmington River, where the _Weehawken_ and the _Nahant_ were waiting for her. Several excursion steamers brought big loads of people to see her whip the monitors. She opened fire on the _Weehawken_ at a range of a mile and a half, and fired, in all, eight shots, of which not one hit the monitor. The _Weehawken_ replied when at a range of 300 yards. The shot pierced the _Atlanta’s_ casemate, and wounded sixteen men with splinters. The next shot from the monitor struck the _Atlanta’s_ pilot-house, wounding both pilots and both wheelsmen. Three more shots were fired with less effect, but it was seen that the two monitors could shoot her to pieces, and Webb hauled down his flag. The action had lasted fifteen minutes. [Illustration: John A. B. Dahlgren. _From a photograph._] Admiral John A. B. Dahlgren, whose name is familiar as a designer of great guns, relieved Dupont on July 6, 1863. The Union forces under General Gillmore were landed on the lower end of Morris Island, and Gillmore and Dahlgren planned a combined attack on Fort Wagner. It was made on the 10th. “At 9.30 the monitors opened on the work. The Admiral desired to get within grape-shot range, but was not able to get closer than about 1,200 yards, by reason of shoal water. The fire was promptly and vigorously returned till noon, when the monitors dropped down to allow the men to have dinner, after which they re-occupied their position and continued firing until 6 P.M., and then withdrew, the men having been fourteen hours employed. The weather was excessively hot. Five hundred and thirty-four shell and shrapnel were fired during the day.”