1	Mobile Bay, AL August 2-23, 1864 “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" A Brief Historical Perspective on the American Civil War with battlefield pictures taken during visits in April 2007.
2	Mobile Bay, AL – August 2-23, 1864
3	Union Naval Vessels [1] Ironclad Monitors USS Tecumseh sunk by torpedo (2,100-ton Canonicus-class monitor) USS Manhattan (2,100-ton Canonicus-class monitor) USS Winnebago (1,300-ton Milwaukee-class ironclad river monitor, twin-turrets) USS Chickasaw (1,300-ton Milwaukee-class ironclad river monitor, twin-turrets) Gunboats USS Metacomet (1173-ton Sassacus-class "double-ender" steam gunboat) USS Octorara (981-ton "double-ender" side-wheel gunboat) USS Port Royal (sidewheel steamer gunboat "double-ender")
4	Union Naval Vessels [2] Wooden Ships USS Brooklyn (screw sloop) USS Itasca (gunboat) USS Kennebec (gunboat) USS Monongahela (screw sloop) USS Oneida (screw sloop) USS Richmond (screw sloop) USS Seminole (screw sloop) USS Hartford (2900-ton screw sloop; Farragut's flagship) USS Galena (950-ton ironclad gunboat/screw steamer) USS Lackawanna (1240-ton steam screw sloop-of-war) USS Ossipee (1240-ton steam screw sloop)
5	Confederate Naval Vessels Ironclad - CSS Tennessee (1273-ton ironclad ram; Buchanan's flagship) Gunboats CSS Morgan (863-ton side-wheel gunboat) CSS Gaines (863-ton side-wheel gunboat) CSS Selma (320-ton side-wheel gunboat)
6	Naval Terms Ironclad - A steam-propelled warship protected by iron or steel armor plates. Gunboat - A boat carrying one or more guns. The term was commonly used for armed sidewheel steamers, which frequently mounted a dozen guns or more, sometimes of rather large caliber. These were usually armored. Screw Sloop - A propeller-driven sloop-of-war. In the 19th century, during the introduction of the steam engine, ships driven by propellers were differentiated from those driven by paddle-wheels by referring to the ship's screws (propellers). Steam Sloop - A vessel with a fore-and-aft rig powered by steam. Canonicus-class monitor – A class of monitor with improvements over previous designs with wood and iron upper and iron lower hulls. Milwaukee-class ironclad – A class of monitor. "double-ender" steam gunboat - A gunboat with rudders, screws, and ram on each end. Sidewheel steamer - A ship or boat driven by a steam engine that uses one or more paddle wheels to develop thrust for propulsion. It is also a type of steamboat. Boats with paddle wheels on the sides are termed sidewheelers, while those with a single wheel on the stern are known as sternwheelers.
7	Movement to Battle
8	The Battle of Mobile Bay – Phase I
9	Farragut’s Fleet Passing Fort Morgan [1]
10	Farragut’s Fleet Passing Fort Morgan [2]
11	USS Tecumseh Sunk [1] The arrival of USS Tecumseh off Mobile Bay on the evening of the August 4^th, allowed Farragut to proceed with his attack. Shortly after 06:00 am on August 5^th, the 18-ship Union fleet crossed the bar at the flood tide and moved into the bay with Tecumseh leading the van of monitors, Manhattan, Winnebago, and Chickasaw. The ironclads passed between the fortified headlands, to starboard of the lighter-armored wooden steam frigates, in order to take the fire from the heavy guns at Fort Morgan.
12	USS Tecumseh Sunk [2] Just after 07:00, Tecumseh opened fire on the Confederate batteries. Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Franklin Buchanan's Southern squadron which was centered around the heavy ironclad ram Tennessee sortied to meet the attackers. Tecumseh veered left to engage the Confederate ram. At 07:40, a tremendous explosion shook Tecumseh to her keel as she made contact with a torpedo.
13	USS Tecumseh Sunk [3] She began to heel rapidly; and men scrambled to abandon ship. Comdr. Craven arrived at the foot of the ladder leading to the main deck simultaneously with the pilot, John Collins. Craven stepped back, saying "After you, pilot," thus permitting Collins to escape. His gallantry cost Craven his life as the ship sank in 25 seconds. As the ship rolled over and exposed her hull plates, two accurate shells from Fort Morgan added the coup de grace to the doomed ship. Besides their captain, 92 other members of Tecumseh’s crew perished in the sinking.
14	The Battle of Mobile Bay – Phase II
15	CSS Tennessee Captured [1] The CSS Tennessee was the flagship of Admiral Buchanan. The Confederate fleet consisted of that morning Tennessee and three wooden gunboats. The Tennessee was unable to ram the faster Union ships and had to resort to firing on the Federals at close range. The Confederate gunboats were sunk or dispersed. Farragut's fleet steamed into the bay and anchored. Rather than remaining under Fort Morgan’s protection, Buchanan pursued and engaged the Federal fleet. The Tennessee ram became the target for the entire Union fleet.
16	CSS Tennessee Captured [2] Tennessee was rammed by several ships, and her vulnerable steering chains were carried away by the heavy gunfire. Unable to maneuver, Tennessee was battered repeatedly by heavy solid shot from the Union ships. With two of her men killed, Admiral Buchanan and eight others wounded, and increasingly severe damage being inflicted on her, Tennessee was forced to surrender.
17	Union Assault on Fort Morgan
18	Union Assault on Fort Gaines
19	Casualties Union 145 killed 170 wounded 1 ironclad sunk 7 Land Troops wounded Confederate 12 killed 20 wounded 123 captured two gunboats and the ironclad captured Fort Morgan: one killed and three wounded
20	Resources Websites Battle of Mobile Bay – Wikipedia Battle of Mobile Bay – Civil War Trails Siege of Fort Morgan – Wikipedia CSS Tennessee – Wikipedia USS Tecumseh - NavSource Online USS Tecumseh – Wikipedia Fort Morgan – Civil-War-Jouneys.org Fort Gaines - Civil-War-Jouneys.org Fort Morgan and the Battle of Mobile Bay – National Park Service CSS Tennessee in the Battle of Mobile Bay David Farragut – Wikipedia Franklin Buchanan – Wikipedia