Monitor U.S.S. Tecumseh

Wilkins Tedder was born about 1840 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Judging by command reports from the Battle of Mobile Bay, he was known as William ^{[3], [5]}. Prior to his enlistment in the U.S. Navy, Tedder was a private in Company H, 34th Alabama Infantry ^[4]. He was captured by Union forces under the command of Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas near Bellfonte, Alabama on 29 November 1863. Tedder was first sent to a Union prison in Louisville, KY and on 11 December 1863, sent to the Rock Island Barracks (now Rock Island Arsenal).

Tedder was among the Confederate POW's who volunteered to enlist in the U.S. Navy from Rock Island. He enlisted on 19 January 1864 at the Camp Douglas, Chicago, IL Naval Rendezvous for a three year enlistment with the rate of landsman ^[1].

Per his rendezvous index card^[2], Tedder was attached to the U.S.S. Tacony on 12 February 1864, then the U.S.S. Minnesota. At some point in June or July, he was transfered to the U.S.S. Tecumseh.

Tedder was one of the surviors of the sinking of the Tecumseh on 5 August 1864. He was picked up from the water by Acting ENS Henry Clay Nields' cutter from the Metacomet ^{[3], [5]}.

After the loss of the Tecumseh, Tedder was attached next to the U.S.S. Hartford, the West Gulf Squadron and the U.S.S. Metacomet. He was discharged from the Navy on 16 August 1865.^[2]

Interment

 

Dependents

 

Awards & Memorials

 

Alternate Spellings of Name

William Tiddler, William Fedder, William Fadden

References and Sources

^[1] Return of the United States Naval Rendezvous, Chicago, IL for enlistments of rebel prisoners in the U.S. Navy from 'Rock Island Barracks' and 'Camp Douglas, Chicago IL' January 1864

^[2] NARA T1099. An index to rendezvous reports during the Civil War, 1861-1865.

^[3]"Report of Rear-Admiral Farragut, U.S. Navy, transmitting report of two survivors from the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh, August 27 1864" Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion: Series I, Volume 21 West Gulf Blockading Squadron from January 1 to December 31, 1864 (1906)

^[4] M317, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Alabama, National Archives at Washington, D.C.

^[5]Stevens, Thomas H. "Report of Commander T. H. Stevens, United States Monitor Winnebago, August 6 1864" Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion: Series I, Volume 21 West Gulf Blockading Squadron from January 1 to December 31, 1864 (1906)