Ordered to be build on 15 September 1862 and laid down that same year, launched on the yard of Secor and Company of New York City at Jersey City, New Yersey on 12 September 1863 and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 19 April a year later, sunk during the battle of Mobile Bay with the Confederate States on 5 August when she hit so-called torpedo (mine), sold in 1873 to be salvaged to James E. Slaughter who intended to blow her up in handy pieces with caused protests of relatives of her killed crewmembers and she was bought by the US government. Her wreck still exists nowadays.
The hull was of iron and she was fitted out with one turret. With a displacement of 2,100 long tons were her dimensions 225’x 43’8” x 13’6”. Her Ericcson vibrating lever engine and 2 boilers supplied 320 ihp allowing a speed of 7 knots. Her crew numbered 100 men. She was armed with 1-15’ Dahlgrens guns placed in a single turret. Her iron armour consisted of a 1.5” deck while the sides were protected by 3-5” and the turrret by 10”.
In his book A treatise on Coast-defence published Viktor Ernst Karl Rudolf von Scheliha (London, 1868) an account of what happened.
P. 120: “Flag-ship Hartford, W.G. Blockading Squadron, "Mobile Bay, Aug. 27tb, 1864.
"Sir,—I have the honour to forward herewith (marked No. 1) a copy of a report made to me by Acting-Masters C. F. Langley and Gardner Cottrell, two of the survivors of the iron-clad Tecumseh, and in which are given the names of six men who were saved in the same boat. These officers are certainly in error in their statement that a row of buoys stretched from the shore a distance of one to two hundred yards. We now know that the channel adjacent to the shore was entirely clear of torpedoes, and that the latter were placed
P. 121: between the two large buoys, to which I have referred in my report.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"D. G. Farragut,
"Rear-Admiral, Commanding W.G.B. Squadron."
"United States' Ship Potomac,
"Pensacola, Aug. 6th, 1864.
"Sir,—Believing that we are the only surviving officers of the United States' Monitor Tecumseh, we feel it our duty to report the circumstances attending her loss, and of the safety of a boat’s crew.
"When nearly abreast of Fort Morgan, and about 150 yards from the beach, a row of buoys was discovered stretching from the shore, a distance from one to two hundred yards. It being reported to Captain Craven, he immediately gave the vessel full speed, and attempted to pass between two of them. When in their range a torpedo was exploded directly under the turret, blowing a large hole through the bottom of the vessel, through which the water rushed in with great rapidity.
"Finding that the vessel was sinking, the order was given to leave our quarters, and from that moment every one used the utmost exertions to clear himself from the wreck.
"After being carried down by the vessel several times, we were picked up in a drowning condition by one of our boats, manned by the following men: S. S. Shinn, gunner’s mate; John Gould, quarter gunner; Frank Commens, seaman; Richard Collins, seaman, and Peter Parkes, landsman, all of whom are now on board the ship.
"Captain Craven was seen in the turret by Mr. Cottrell, just before the vessel sunk, and as he had a life-preserving vest on, we have hopes that he reached the shore.
"Not recovering from our exhausted condition until the boat was abreast of the Hartford, and knowing that an
P. 122: attempt to board one of the attacking fleet would cause the loss of her position, we pulled for the Buckthorn, from which vessel we were sent to the Tennessee.”
