An island, now belonging to Turkey and called Bozcaada, in the Aegean Sea about three miles off the coast of Asia Minor and some 12 miles south of the Dardanelles. According to legend, Tenedos was the staging station of the Greek task force under Agamemnon during the Trojan War. It was used by Xerxes as a base during the Persian War and by British Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth during operations against Constantinople in 1807.
Tenedos was purchased for the Navy at New London, Conn., on 16 October 1861 by George D. Morgan and R. H. Chappell for use in the "stone fleet." She had been laid up since 12 May 1860 and was among the first contingent of whalers to be purchased for the purpose of being sunk as an obstruction to a Confederate port.
Tenedos, under Master O. Sisson, was loaded with blocks of granite from New England and sailed with other ships of the "stone fleet" for South Carolina on 20 November 1861. Upon their arrival at Port Royal, they were placed at the disposal of Flag Officer Samuel Francis DuPont. Beginning in late afternoon of 19 December and ending the next day, Tenedos and 15 other ships were sunk off the bar of Charleston's main channel.
