![]() ![]() As Tecumseh rolled over, two shells fired from nearby Fort Morgan struck the sinking monitor. After a tremendous explosion, Tecumseh heeled over and sank rapidly with its captain and 92 crewmen. When Tecumseh veered left to engage the Confederate ram, the Union monitor hit an underwater mine or torpedo. ![]() Meanwhile, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan's squadron, centered around the heavy ironclad ram CSS Tennessee, sortied to meet the attackers. Just after 7 a.m., Tecumseh opened fire on the fort's batteries. On February 17, 1864, the Confederate submarine H L Hunley became the first combat submarine to sink a warship when she snuck up on and rammed her spar torpedo into the hull of the screw sloop-of-war USS Housatonic outside Charleston Harbor. 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. 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. Tecumseh arrived off Mobile Bay on the evening of 4 August 1864. Although Tecumseh 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. Tecumseh was instrumental during these operations, sinking four hulks and a schooner. 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. Farragut's West Gulf Blockading Squadron for operations against Confederate fortifications guarding Mobile Bay, Tecumseh served temporarily with the James River service of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Although slated to strengthen Rear Admiral David G. USS Tecumseh, an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor, was launched 12 September 1863, at Jersey City, New Jersey. ![]()
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