Farragut, David Glasgow, 1801-1870

<p>David Glasgow Farragut (also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay usually paraphrased as "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" in U.S. Navy tradition.</p>

<p>Born near Knoxville, Tennessee, Farragut was fostered by naval officer David Porter after the death of his mother. Despite his young age, Farragut served in the War of 1812 under the command of his adoptive father. He received his first command in 1824 and participated in anti-piracy operations in the Caribbean Sea. He served in the Mexican–American War under the command of Matthew C. Perry, participating in the blockade of Tuxpan. After the war, he oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the first U.S. Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean.</p>

<p>Though Farragut resided in Norfolk, Virginia, prior to the Civil War, he was a Southern Unionist who strongly opposed Southern secession and remained loyal to the Union after the outbreak of the Civil War. Despite some doubts about Farragut's loyalty, Farragut was assigned command of an attack on the important Confederate port city of New Orleans. After fighting past Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson, Farragut captured New Orleans in April 1862. He was promoted to rear admiral after the battle and helped extend Union control up along the Mississippi River, participating in the siege of Port Hudson. With the Union in control of the Mississippi, Farragut led a successful attack on Mobile Bay, home to the last major Confederate port on the Gulf of Mexico. Farragut was promoted to admiral following the end of the Civil War and remained on active duty until his death in 1870.</p>

<p>David Glasgow Farragut was born at Campbell's Station, near Knoxville, Tennessee, on 5 July 1801, and died at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on 14 August 1870, after fifty-nine years of naval service.</p>

<p>Farragut was appointed midshipman on 17 December 1810 and saw his first sea service off the coast of the United States in the frigate Essex in 1811. In March 1814, he was ordered to Independence, to cruise in the Mediterranean, and remained with the Mediterranean Squadron until 1820, after which he served with the "Mosquito Fleet" in the West Indies until 1823.</p>

<p>Failing a preliminary examination for a lieutenancy in 1821, he tried again and passed, receiving the rank of lieutenant in August 1825. He attained the rank of commander on 7 September 1841; captain in 1855; and was commissioned rear admiral on 16 July 1862. The rank of vice admiral was created for him by President Abraham Lincoln on 31 December 1864, and on 25 July 1866, by congressional act, he was commissioned admiral, the first officer of the U.S. Navy to hold that rank.</p>

<p>Admiral Farragut's first command was the schooner Ferret in 1823-24, at the age of 22. In 1825 he was attached to Brandywine, assigned the duty of convoying the Marquis de Lafayette home to France after his visit to the United States. He served on the Brazil Station until late 1837, first as executive officer of Delaware, and later in command of Boxer and Decatur. While in command of the sloop Erie at Vera Cruz he witnessed the bombardment, by French naval forces, of the castle of San Juan de Uloa in 1838. At that time, he called special attention to the importance of horizontal shell fire.</p>

<p>In 1841 he was again ordered to Brazil Station, returning two years later. In April 1844 he was made executive officer of the Receiving Ship at Norfolk, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and remained at the Norfolk Navy Yard until after the Mexican War broke out in 1846. He was given command in March 1847 of Saratoga, and thereafter saw service on the blockade of Tuxpan.</p>

<p>He was sent to the Pacific coast to establish the navy yard at Mare Island, California, and served as its commandant from 1854 to 1859. The following year he commanded Brooklyn in the Gulf of Mexico. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was called upon to choose between his native state and the federal government, and upon declaring his allegiance to the Union was given command of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron in January 1862.</p>

<p>His most brilliant victory was the Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, when he forced the passage of Forts Morgan and Gaines at the entrance to Mobile Bay and captured the Confederate ram Tennessee and the gunboat Selma, during which he uttered his famous words, "Damn the torpedoes, Full speed ahead!"</p>

<p>The torpedoes to which Farragut and his contemporaries referred would today be described as moored mines. [Hearn, Chester G. Admiral David Glasgow Farragut: The Civil War Years. (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1988): 263-265. According to the book by Admiral Farragut's son, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, First Admiral of the United States Navy, (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1879), pages 416−417, Admiral Farragut said "Damn the torpedoes! Four bells! Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!"]</p>

<p>Admiral Farragut was married in 1823 to Miss Susan C. Merchant of Norfolk, Virginia, who died on 27 December 1840. His second wife was the former Miss Virginia Loyall, also of Norfolk, to whom he was married on 26 December 1843. Their son, Loyall Farragut, was graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, and resigned in 1869.</p>

<p>In 1867, in command of the European Squadron, he made an extended good will tour in his flagship Franklin, and after his return to New York the next year his health failed. He performed his last official service, that of taking charge of the naval ceremonies in honor of Mr. George Peabody, whose body had been brought to the United States on the British ship Monarch. Farragut died the next year while on a visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.</p>

<p>Ships named after David Glasgow Farragut</p>

<p>Farragut (Torpedo Boat No. 11)</p>
<p>Farragut (Destroyer No. 300)</p>
<p>Farragut (DD-348)</p>
<p>Farragut (DLG-6)</p>
<p>Farragut (DDG-99)</p>

<p>David Glasgow Farragut’s father, Jorge, was a Spanish merchant captain who had served in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. As a young man, Farragut was sent away from his birthplace in Tennessee to live with Captain David Porter in Virginia to learn a trade. In 1812 he traded his original first name, “James,” to “David” in honor of his adoptive father. This “adoption” made David Farragut the “foster brother” of another famous Civil War admiral, David Dixon Porter.</p>

<p>Farragut began his life as a sailor early; he commanded a prize ship captured in the War of 1812 when he was twelve years old. He joined the Navy in December 1810 and by the time of the Civil War; Farragut had proven his ability repeatedly.</p>

<p>Despite the fact that he was born and raised in the South, Farragut chose to side with the Union. In April 1862, while commander of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, “Flag Officer” Farragut took the city and port of New Orleans. As a reward, the Union created the new rank of Rear Admiral.</p>

<p>In July 1862 he passed the batteries defending Vicksburg, but was unsuccessful there and was forced to withdraw his flotilla. In 1863 Farragut seriously bungled his role at the Siege of Port Hudson. Initially, the Union plan was for Nathaniel Banks’ Army of the Gulf to create a diversion while Farragut’s flotilla passed by the Confederate guns. However, instead of beginning his run on the morning of March 15, 1863, Farragut decided to begin on the evening of March 14th. The Confederate guns forced Farragut’s flotilla to retreat with heavy damage. General Banks had no option but to continue the siege without the help of the Navy. Both branches of suffered a tremendous casualty rate.</p>

<p>The siege of Port Hudson did not end until July 9, 1863 – five days after the surrender of Vicksburg. With the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the Confederacy lost the vital lifeline of the Mississippi River.</p>

<p>Farragut’s greatest fame came from the August 5, 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay. The Confederates had placed a large number of “torpedoes” in the waters. The monitor USS Tecumseh struck a torpedo and began to sink, causing the rest of the fleet to back away from the mine-infested waters.</p>

<p>At the time, Farragut was watching the battle while lashed to the rigging of his flagship (USS Hartford). Alarmed, Farragut shouted, “What’s the trouble?” The USS Brooklyn answered, “Torpedoes!” Farragut shouted back, “Damn the torpedoes! Four Bells! Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!” In the end, Farragut’s fleet defeated Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan and the last open seaport on the Gulf of Mexico fell to the Union.</p>

<p>Farragut was promoted to Vice Admiral in December of 1864; in July of 1866, he was promoted to Admiral. Admiral Farragut stayed on active duty for the remainder of his life and died in 1870 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard located in Kittery, Maine. He was buried in Brooklyn, New York.</p>

<p>Born July 5, 1801, at Campbell's Station, Tennessee.</p>
<p>Died August 14, 1870, at Kittery, Maine.</p>
<p>Cause of death, "Heart Disease and Pleurisy contracted while
attending Peabody funeral".</p>
<p>Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City.</p>

<p>The Admiral was a son of George Farragut, who was born in 1755
on the Island of Minorca, and of Elizabeth (Shine) Farragut,
who was of the Scottish family of McIvor.</p>

<p>He was made (Warranted) a Midshipman on December 17, 1810, when
only nine years old, and in August 1811 was ordered to his
first duty on he U.S.S. ESSEX, under David Porter better
known as "Essex" Porter.</p>

<p>He was commissioned Vice-Admiral on December 23, 1864, and was
commissioned Admiral on July 26, 1866.</p>

<p>He twice received the "Thanks of Congress",-July 11, 1862,
and February 10, 1866.</p>

<p>He was exempted by law from Statutory Retirement.</p>