March 14, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
The Northern papers publish the report of Commodore DUPONT in relation to the attack of our gunboats upon the blockading fleet. He mentions that our iron-clads went out of Charleston, unperceived by the blockaders, and attacked the blockaders; that the Mercedita was first attacked, and a heavy rifle shell passed through her condenser and the steam drum of her port boiler, and exploded, blowing a hole four or five feet square, killing the gunner and scalding a number of men. He says Captain STELLWAGEN surrendered – crew and officers were paroled, though nothing was said of the ship, the executive officer, Lieutenant Commanding ABBOTT, having gone on board the enemy’s gunboat and made the […..] arrangement. He states that only casualties were on the Mercedita and the Keystone State. On the Keystone State they were very large – about one-fourth of her crew were killed and wounded, and among the former the medical officer of the ship, Surgeon GOTWALD.
The Commodore states that the Mercedita had arrived at Hilton Head, but the whole story though is so lamely told as to leave little or no doubt but that the Mercedita went down, and never got to Hilton Head or anywhere else, except to Davey Jones’ locker.