Extract of the March 8, 1863 report of Capt. John McCrady, Chief Engineer of the State of Georgia:

The fire of our battery was concentrated exclusively on Monitor Numbers 1. No shots whatever were fired at Nos. 2 and 3. The men on Numbers 3 watched the engagement from the deck of their vessel without fear of being fired at. The firing of the 10-inch mortar (Captain Martin) was very accurate, all the shells falling near Numbers 1, and one filled with sand striking her deck and breaking to pieces. The 32-pounder rifled gun with charges of 7 pounds of powder did well. The 8-inch gun fired with its usual accuracy until dismounted at 11 o'clock. the firing of the 42-pounder, always accurate, was only interrupted for thirty minutes, when the traverse-wheel, being broken by a fragment of shell, it required that time to replace it. It will be thus seen that the 42-pounder and the rifle gun were those which principally maintained the action on our part.
The following are the circumstances which have caused a belief that Numbers 1 was injured in the engagement: The last shot fired at her was from the 42-pounder. It was reported to have struck near the turret and low down toward the water line. Immediately after she was struck a volume of smoke or steam issued from her side in a manner not witnessed in precious engagements, and which caused a remark that she was on fire; at the same time 3 men rushed out of her turret, but shortly returned. Captain McAllister's pickets at Cottenham report that the enemy were working on one of their iron-clads all night after the engagement.