CSN Tattnall, Josiah Jr. - Commodore

Josiah Tattnall Jr.​

Born: June 14, 1794

Birth Place: Savannah, Georgia

Father: Josiah Tattnall Sr. 1762 – 1803

(Buried: Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia)​

Mother: Harriet Fenwick 1769 – 1802

(Buried: Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia)​

Wife: Harietta Fenwick Jackson (Married: 1821)

Education:

Attended School in England

Occupation before War:

1812 – 1861: Served in United States Navy, rising to rank of Captain​

Civil War:

1861 – 1865: Served in Confederate States Navy, rising to Commodore​

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1861: Senior Flag Officer of Georgia State Navy​

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1861: Commander of Southern Naval Units, Defense of Port Royal​

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1861 – 1862: Commander of Defense of Virginia's Waters​

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1862: Commanding Officer of the CSS Virginia after the Battle of Hampton Roads, forced to order the destruction of the ship when it became trapped, and couldn't safely travel the shallow river waters to Richmond without being captured.​

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1862 – 1863: Commander of Naval Forces in Georgia​

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1863 – 1864: Commander of Savannah, Georgia Naval Defenses​

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1864 – 1865: Prisoner of War, held by the Union Army​

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1865: Paroled by the United States Army on May 9, 1865​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1868: Lived in Nova Scotia, Canada​

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1868 – 1871: Inspector of the Port of Savannah, Georgia​

Died: June 14, 1871

Place of Death: Savannah, Georgia

Age at time of Death: 77 years old

Burial Place: Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia

 

[Pollaco]

Was made commander of the Virginia defenses in March 1862 to replace the wounded Buchanan. It was Tattnall's decision to scuttle the CSS Virginia when the army evacuated Norfolk. For this action he was censured by a court of inquiry but requested a court-martial which cleared him of blame. He returned to the defense of Georgia in July 1862 but on April 2, 1863 he was relieved as "too old" for duty and assigned shore duty in Savannah.

 

[gentlemanrob]

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