USS Tecumseh shipwreck

USA / Alabama / Dauphin Island /
 shipwreck, warship, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, American Civil War 1861-1865
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The Union ironclad monitor USS Tecumseh arrived off Mobile Bay on the evening of 4 August 1864. Shortly after 6 a.m. on 5 August, the 18-ship Union squadron crossed the bar at flood tide and moved into the bay with Tecumseh leading the van of monitors, which included USS Manhattan, USS Winnebago, and USS Chickasaw.

The ironclads passed between the fortified headlands to starboard of the lightly-protected wooden steam frigates, taking the brunt of Confederate Fort Morgan's heavy guns. Just after 7 a.m., Tecumseh opened fire on the fort's batteries.

Meanwhile, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan's squadron, centered around the heavy ironclad ram CSS Tennessee, sortied to meet the attackers. When Tecumseh veered left to engage the Confederate ram, the Union monitor hit an underwater mine or torpedo. After a tremendous explosion, Tecumseh heeled over and sank rapidly with its captain and 92 crewmen. As Tecumseh rolled over, two shells fired from nearby Fort Morgan struck the sinking monitor.

The loss of the Tecumseh was one of the U.S. Navy's worst disasters in terms of lives lost until the sinking of the battleship USS Maine, some 30 years later. The wreck is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-4.htm
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tecumseh_(1863)
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   30°13'31"N   88°2'5"W

Comments

  • well if you know anything then you knowwhere the tucumseh sank but the wreck is almost always covered in mud so you cant be sure where it is
  • forrestgumprock - good posting - interesting subject.
  • Forrestgumprock,you sir are becoming my "Wheres Waldo".From Tarawa to Ft Morgan,I find you've already been there.Keep on Wiki-Mappin. "Lieutenant Dan,ice cream!"
  • =)
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  • The USS Tecumseh is on the Register of National Historic Places and enjoys protection similar to the USS Arizona. TheTecumseh is the final resting place for 92 Union sailors and her Captain, Tunis Craven. An RNA-Regulated Navigation Area is being prepared for her as a Naval official grave site for actions during the Civil War. LtCol Ridge Marriott-USS Tecumseh Preservation Society
  • The Union monitor USS Tecumseh as well as the wooden side wheeler USS Lacomete which came to the rescue of sailors who managed to escape from Tecumseh, were built in Green Point, Brooklyn. I believe the monitor was crewed by 65 men. My great grandfather was one of the five sailors from Lacomete who launched a boat and in "galling" fire rescued 12 of 15 Tecumseh survivors. Great granddad was badly wounded, nearly died. All five of the rescuers were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
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This article was last modified 11 years ago