ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> <title>History and wreck of the USS Tecumseh</title> <meta name="keywords" content="History, navy, naval, wreck, Tecumseh, civil, war"> <meta name="description" content="History and wreck of the USS Tecumseh"> <link href="/layout/NHHC_styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style1 {color: #FFFFFF} --> </style> <script> function removeBadCaracters(){ var searchString = document.forms[0].SearchString.value; searchString = searchString.replace(/[^*-z, -%,']+/g,""); document.forms[0].SearchString.value = searchString; } function launchLink(rstrURL) { if (rstrURL.indexOf("http")!=-1) { alert("The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of the Navy of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. 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Although slated to strengthen Rear Admiral David G. Farragut's West Gulf Blockading Squadron for operations against Confederate fortifications guarding Mobile Bay, <i>Tecumseh</i> served temporarily with the James River service of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. To guard Union shipping against Confederate forces, the Union Army and Navy worked closely together by blocking the channel to prevent Confederate warships from coming down the upper navigable reaches of the James. <i>Tecumseh</i> was instrumental during these operations, sinking four hulks and a schooner. Although <i>Tecumseh</i> was involved in a number of notable operations along the James River, its most famous battle would be its last--the Battle of Mobile Bay.<br> <br> <i>Tecumseh</i> 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 <i>Tecumseh</i> leading the van of monitors, which included USS <i>Manhattan</i>, USS <i>Winnebago</i>, and USS <i>Chickasaw</i>. 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., <i>Tecumseh</i> opened fire on the fort's batteries. Meanwhile, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan's squadron, centered around the heavy ironclad ram CSS <i>Tennessee</i>, sortied to meet the attackers. When <i>Tecumseh</i> veered left to engage the Confederate ram, the Union monitor hit an underwater mine or torpedo. After a tremendous explosion, <i>Tecumseh</i> heeled over and sank rapidly with its captain and 92 crewmen. As <i>Tecumseh</i> rolled over, two shells fired from nearby Fort Morgan struck the sinking monitor.</p> <h3>The Wreck</h3> <p>In February of 1967, the Smithsonian Institution's <i>Tecumseh</i> Project Team found the wreck capsized and buried in Mobile Bay, just off Fort Morgan. However, due to insufficient funding, the project was suspended. In 1974, the Smithsonian returned custody of the wreck to the General Services Administration. In a 1993 survey, archaeologists from East Carolina University reported the hull to be covered by a calcareous crust with only nominal surface deterioration present. A management plan has been written for <i>Tecumseh</i>'s continued protection and preservation. It is planned to implement this program in 1996.</p> <br> <hr width="75%"> <br><br> <!---13 September 2012---> <!---End of content here ---> <div class="contentend"></div> </div> <!-- close content --> </div> <!-- close leftDropShadow --> </div> <!-- close rightDropShadow --> <div id="bottomDropShadow"></div> <div class="botNav"> <!-- start footer --> <a class="botNav_Link" href="/about/index.html">About Us</a> | <a class="botNav_Link" href="/warning.html">Privacy Policy</a> | <a class="botNav_Link" href="mailto:NHHCWebmaster@navy.mil">Webmaster</a> | <a class="botNav_Link" href="foia.htm" target="_blank">NHHC FOIA</a> | <a class="botNav_Link" HREF="http://www.navy.com">Navy Careers</a> | <a class="botNav_Link" href="http://www.navy.mil">Navy.mil</a> | This is a US Navy website </div> <!-- end footer --> </div> <!-- end wrapper --> </body> </html>