lelliott19
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https://fineartamerica.com/featured/css-atlanta-color-profile-saxon-bisbee.html
You may already know that the Confederate Steamer CSS Atlanta was previously the well-known blockade runner Fingal. And that she was converted into an ironclad gunboat and ram at Savannah, GA where she was reportedly equipped with two 6.4" rifle broadsides and two 7" rifle pivots.
https://www.americancivilwar.com/tcwn/civil_war/Navy_Ships/CSS_Atlanta.html
And you may have even heard of the Battle of Wassaw Sound which occurred in Georgia on June 17, 1863. It was during this short battle that the CSS Atlanta ran aground and was surrendered to Union forces.
But here's something you probably didn't know....since the information lies buried in the files of an Infantry regiment!
The man who piloted the CSS Atlanta that day was Pvt. Thomas L. Hernandez of the 63rd Georgia Infantry.
The documentation is filed in the records of the 63rd Georgia Infantry. While scanning through the records of the regiment, I ran across this note in the Regimental Information:
For those who have trouble reading period handwriting, here is a transcription:
Company Muster Roll of the organization named above for May and June 1863
shows station of Company at Thunderbolt Battery [near Savannah]
RECORD OF EVENTS
Private T. S. Hernandez was Detailed by Dept. Hd Qrs to Pilot the Confederate States Steamer Atlanta and was wounded and taken prisoner in the Naval engagement in Warsaw [sic] Sound May [sic June] 17, 1863.
I'll follow up with more on Thomas S. Hernandez in a subsequent post. Another one of those obscure facts discovered through research on that "other" project. shows station of Company at Thunderbolt Battery [near Savannah]
RECORD OF EVENTS
Private T. S. Hernandez was Detailed by Dept. Hd Qrs to Pilot the Confederate States Steamer Atlanta and was wounded and taken prisoner in the Naval engagement in Warsaw [sic] Sound May [sic June] 17, 1863.
@AndyHall Im guessing this is another one that will be of interest to you.
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