TAT'NALL, JOSIAH ( 1705-1871 ) . An Ameri can naval officer, born at Bonaventnre, near Sa vannah, Ga. He was educated in England, and entered the United States Navy in 1812. He served with Decatur in the Algerine War, became a lieutenant in 1818. had charge in 1829 of the surveys of the Tortugas reefs, received command of the mosquito division in the Mexican War, participated in the capture of Vera Cruz, and led the attack upon the forts at Tuxpan, where he was wounded. In 1850 he was promoted to a captaincy, and in 1857 became flag-officer on the Asiatic station. In June, 1859, he actively aided the British gunboats accompanying the British enToy sent to Peking to exchange ratifi cations of the treaty made in the preceding year, and helped to tow the British marines to a point whence they attempted to storm the Taku forts. During a visit made by Tatnall to the British flagship for the purpose of offering the services of American surgeons, some of the men who had accompanied him served, without his knowledge at the time, one of the forward guns of the Brit ish flagship. In extenuation of this technical viola tion of international law he declared that "Blood is thicker than water ;" and his action was sus tained both by public opinion and the Govern ment. On the outbreak of the Civil War in
1861, he resigned and became a captain in the Confederate Navy, charged with the defense of Georgia and South Carolina. In March, 1862, he was given command of the Merrimac (Vir ginia), and the defenses of Virginia ; destroyed this vessel in order to escape capture: was later court-martialed for this, but was ac quitted; was unsuccessful in his defense of Savannah, and was in January, 1865, obliged to destroy his fleet. lie was included in Johnston's surrender to Sherman, was paroled, and in 1866 removed with his family to Halifax, but returned in 1870 and was inspector of the port of Savan nah until his death. Consult the Life of Com modore Thinell, by C. C. Jones and Tatnali's son, J. R. F. Tatnall (Savannah, 1878).
TATRAFtf RED, tii'tra-fu'red (Ger. Sclinchs). A noted Hungarian watering-place and health resort in the county of Zips, situated in the midst of pine forests on the southern slope of the Hobe TAtra, at the foot of the Schlaocn peak at an elevation of 3340 feet above the sea. It has mineral springs, pine-cone baths, and a cold-water cure. Near by are the health resorts of I:rj Tatraftired (Neuschmeks) and Alsil Tfitraftired (Lower Schmeks).