David Farragut
Encyclopedia
David Glasgow Farragut (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 in popular culture for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay
, usually paraphrased: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" by U.S. Navy tradition.
, Spain, at Lowe's Ferry on the Holston River
. It was a few miles southeast of Campbell's Station, near Knoxville, Tennessee
. His father operated the ferry and also served as a cavalry
officer in the Tennessee militia
. Born Jordi Farragut, his father became a Spanish
merchant captain from Minorca
, son of Antoni Farragut and Joana Mesquida. He had joined the American Revolution
ary cause after arriving in America in 1766, when he changed his first name to George. The Farraguts moved west to Tennessee after George finished serving in the American Revolution.
David's birth name was James. After his mother's death, he agreed to living with and being adopted in 1808 by David Porter
, a naval officer whose father had been friends with his father. In 1812 James adopted the name David in honor of his adoptive father, with whom he went to sea late in 1810. David Farragut grew up in a naval family, as the adoptive brother of future Civil War admiral David Dixon Porter
and commodore William D. Porter
.
by the age of 12, Farragut fought in the War of 1812
, serving in Captain
David Porter
's frigate
USS Essex
. The young midshipman quelled a mutiny
by telling an assailant that he'd be thrown over the side if there was any trouble. Farragut participated in capture of HMS Alert
on August 13 of 1812 and then helped to establish America's first naval base and colony
in the Pacific, named Madisonville during the ill-fated Nuku Hiva Campaign
. At the same time the Americans battled the hostile tribes on the islands with the help of their Te I'i
allies.
Farragut was 12 years old when, during the War of 1812, he was given the assignment to bring a ship captured by the USS Essex, safely to port. He was wounded and captured while serving on the Essex during the engagement at Valparaiso Bay
, Chile
against the British on March 28, 1814.
in 1822 during the operations
against West Indies pirates, became a commander
in 1844, and a captain in 1855.
selected Commander David G. Farragut to create Mare Island Naval Shipyard
. In August 1854, Farragut was called to Washington from his post as Assistant Inspector of Ordnance at Norfolk
, Virginia
. President
Franklin Pierce
congratulated Farragut on his naval career and the task he was to undertake. September 16, 1854, Commander Farragut commissioned the Mare Island Naval Yard at Vallejo
, California
. Mare Island became the port for ship repair on the West Coast. Captain Farragut left command of Mare Island, July 16, 1858. Farragut returned to a hero’s welcome at Mare Island, August 11, 1859.
Though living in Norfolk
, Virginia, prior to the Civil War, Farragut made it clear to all who knew him that he regarded secession as treason
. Just before the war's outbreak, Farragut moved with his Southern-born wife to Hastings-on-Hudson, a small town just outside New York City
.
He offered his services to the Union but was initially given just a seat on the Naval Retirement Board. Offered a command by his foster brother David Dixon Porter
for a special assignment, he hesitated upon learning the target might be Norfolk. As he had friends and relatives living there, he was relieved to learn the target was New Orleans. The Navy had some doubts about Farragut's loyalty to the Union because of his southern birth as well as that of his wife. Porter argued on his behalf and Farragut accepted for the major role of freeing New Orleans from Confederate control.
In April 1862, Farragut commanded the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, with his flagship the USS Hartford
. After a heavy bombardment
, Farragut ran past the Fort Jackson, Fort St. Philip
, and the Chalmette
batteries to take the city and port of New Orleans
on April 29, a decisive event in the war. Congress honored him by creating the rank of rear admiral
on July 16, 1862, a rank never before used in the U.S. Navy. Before this time, the American Navy had resisted the rank of admiral, preferring the term "flag officer", to distinguish the rank from the traditions of the European navies. Later that year Farragut passed the batteries defending Vicksburg, Mississippi
but had no success there. A makeshift Confederate
ironclad forced his flotilla
of 38 ships to withdraw in July 1862.
While an aggressive commander, Farragut was not always cooperative. At the Siege of Port Hudson
the plan was that Farragut's flotilla would pass by the guns of the Confederate
stronghold with the help of a diversionary land attack by the Army of the Gulf
, commanded by General Nathaniel Banks, to commence at 8:00 am on March 15, 1863. Farragut unilaterally decided to move the timetable up to 9:00 pm on March 14, and initiated his run past the guns before Union ground forces were in position. By doing so, the uncoordinated attack allowed the Confederates to concentrate on Farragut's flotilla and inflict heavy damage on his warships.
Farragut's battle group was forced to retreat with only two ships able to pass the heavy cannon of the Confederate bastion. After surviving the gauntlet, Farragut played no further part in the battle for Port Hudson, and General Banks was left to continue the siege without advantage of naval support. The Union Army
made two major attacks on the fort, and both were repulsed with heavy losses. Farragut's flotilla was splintered, yet was able to blockade the mouth of the Red River
with the two remaining warships; he could not efficiently patrol the section of the Mississippi between Port Hudson and Vicksburg. Farragut's decision proved costly to the Union Navy
and the Union Army, which suffered its highest casualty rate of the Civil War at Port Hudson.
Vicksburg surrendered on July 4, 1863, leaving Port Hudson as the last remaining Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River
. General Banks accepted the surrender of the Confederate garrison at Port Hudson on July 9, 1863, ending the longest siege in US military history. Control of the Mississippi River
was the centerpiece of Union strategy to win the war, and with the surrender of Port Hudson the Confederacy was now severed in two.
On August 5, 1864, Farragut won a great victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay
. Mobile
was then the Confederacy's last major port open on the Gulf of Mexico
. The bay was heavily mined (tethered naval mine
s were known as torpedoes at the time) http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/visctr/sitebltn/damntorp.htm. Farragut ordered his fleet to charge the bay. When the monitor USS Tecumseh
struck a mine and sank, the others began to pull back.
Farragut could see the ships pulling back from his high perch, where he was lashed to the rigging of his flagship, the USS Hartford. "What's the trouble?", he shouted through a trumpet from the flagship to the USS Brooklyn
. "Torpedoes!" was shouted back. "Damn the torpedoes!" said Farragut, "Four bells. Captain Drayton
, go ahead! Jouett
, full speed!" The bulk of the fleet succeeded in entering the bay. Farragut triumphed over the opposition of heavy batteries in Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines to defeat the squadron of Admiral Franklin Buchanan
.
On December 21, 1864, Lincoln promoted Farragut to vice admiral. After the war he was promoted to admiral
on July 25, 1866. His last active service was in command of the European Squadron
from 1867 to 1868, with the screw frigate
USS Franklin as his flagship
. Farragut remained on active duty for life, an honor accorded to only six other US naval officers.
, New Hampshire
, from a heart attack while on vacation in the late summer of 1870. He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
, in the Bronx borough of New York
.
, with a contemporary warship displayed at center and paid the domestic letter rate at that time. The last postage issue (to date) honoring Farragut was released June 29, 1995, also paying the current letter rate at the time of issue.
Numerous places and things are named in remembrance of Admiral Farragut:
*Mexican-American War, commanded the sloop of war, Saratoga.
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was the first rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
, vice admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
, and admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
in the United States Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
, usually paraphrased: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" by U.S. Navy tradition.
Biography
Farragut was born in 1801 to Elizabeth Shine (b. 1765 - d. 1808), of North Carolina Scots-Irish descent, and her husband George Farragut, a native of MinorcaMinorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
, Spain, at Lowe's Ferry on the Holston River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
. It was a few miles southeast of Campbell's Station, near Knoxville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. His father operated the ferry and also served as a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer in the Tennessee militia
Militia (United States)
The role of militia, also known as military service and duty, in the United States is complex and has transformed over time.Spitzer, Robert J.: The Politics of Gun Control, Page 36. Chatham House Publishers, Inc., 1995. " The term militia can be used to describe any number of groups within the...
. Born Jordi Farragut, his father became a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
merchant captain from Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
, son of Antoni Farragut and Joana Mesquida. He had joined the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
ary cause after arriving in America in 1766, when he changed his first name to George. The Farraguts moved west to Tennessee after George finished serving in the American Revolution.
David's birth name was James. After his mother's death, he agreed to living with and being adopted in 1808 by David Porter
David Porter (naval officer)
David Porter was an officer in the United States Navy in a rank of commodore and later the commander-in-chief of the Mexican Navy.-Life:...
, a naval officer whose father had been friends with his father. In 1812 James adopted the name David in honor of his adoptive father, with whom he went to sea late in 1810. David Farragut grew up in a naval family, as the adoptive brother of future Civil War admiral David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
and commodore William D. Porter
William D. Porter
William David Porter was a flag officer of the United States Navy. He was the son of Commodore David Porter and brother of Admiral David Dixon Porter as well as foster brother of Admiral David Farragut .-Early career:Porter was born on 10 March 1808 in New Orleans, Louisiana He spent much of his...
.
War of 1812
Through the influence of his adoptive father, at the age of nine, Farragut was commissioned a midshipman in the United States Navy on December 17, 1810. A prize masterPrize Ship
Prize Ship is a science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick, first published in 1954 in Thrilling Wonder Stories and later in The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick...
by the age of 12, Farragut fought in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, serving in Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
David Porter
David Porter (naval officer)
David Porter was an officer in the United States Navy in a rank of commodore and later the commander-in-chief of the Mexican Navy.-Life:...
's frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
USS Essex
USS Essex (1799)
The first USS Essex of the United States Navy was a 36-gun or 32-gun sailing frigate that participated in the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War, and in the War of 1812, during which she was captured by the British in 1814 and served as HMS Essex until sold at public auction on 6 June...
. The young midshipman quelled a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
by telling an assailant that he'd be thrown over the side if there was any trouble. Farragut participated in capture of HMS Alert
HMS Alert
Sixteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Alert , while another was planned:...
on August 13 of 1812 and then helped to establish America's first naval base and colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
in the Pacific, named Madisonville during the ill-fated Nuku Hiva Campaign
Nuku Hiva Campaign
The Nuku Hiva Campaign refers to an armed conflict between the United States and the Polynesian inhabitants of Nuku Hiva during the Pacific Ocean theater of the War of 1812. It occurred in 1813 and following Captain David Porter's decision to sail his fleet to the island for repairs before...
. At the same time the Americans battled the hostile tribes on the islands with the help of their Te I'i
Te I'i
Te I‘i is a traditional province of Nuku Hiva, in the Marquesas Islands. The province covers slightly more than the western two-thirds of the island...
allies.
Farragut was 12 years old when, during the War of 1812, he was given the assignment to bring a ship captured by the USS Essex, safely to port. He was wounded and captured while serving on the Essex during the engagement at Valparaiso Bay
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
against the British on March 28, 1814.
West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations
Farragut was promoted to lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1822 during the operations
West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations of the United States
The West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations refer to the United States Navy presence in the Antilles, and surrounding waters, which fought against pirates. In between 1817 and 1825, the American West Indies Squadron constantly pursued pirates on sea and land, primarily around Cuba and Puerto Rico...
against West Indies pirates, became a commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1844, and a captain in 1855.
Marriage and Family
After appointment and an initial cruise as acting Lieutenant commanding USS Ferret, Farragut married Susan Caroline Marchant. After years of ill-health, Susan Farragut died on December 27, 1840. Farragut was noted for his kindly treatment of his wife during her illness. After the death of his first wife, Farragut married Virginia Loyall, on December 26, 1843, with whom he had one surviving son, named Loyall Farragut, born October 12, 1844.Mare Island Naval Yard
In 1853, Secretary of the Navy James C. DobbinJames C. Dobbin
James Cochran Dobbin was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer who served as United States Secretary of the Navy from 1853 to 1857....
selected Commander David G. Farragut to create Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
. In August 1854, Farragut was called to Washington from his post as Assistant Inspector of Ordnance at Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
congratulated Farragut on his naval career and the task he was to undertake. September 16, 1854, Commander Farragut commissioned the Mare Island Naval Yard at Vallejo
Vallejo
Vallejo is a common Spanish lastname. There are various places in the Spanish provinces of Burgos, León, and Cantabria named Vallejo. The name seems to have been rooted as a diminutive of valle...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Mare Island became the port for ship repair on the West Coast. Captain Farragut left command of Mare Island, July 16, 1858. Farragut returned to a hero’s welcome at Mare Island, August 11, 1859.
American Civil War
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia, prior to the Civil War, Farragut made it clear to all who knew him that he regarded secession as treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. Just before the war's outbreak, Farragut moved with his Southern-born wife to Hastings-on-Hudson, a small town just outside New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He offered his services to the Union but was initially given just a seat on the Naval Retirement Board. Offered a command by his foster brother David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
for a special assignment, he hesitated upon learning the target might be Norfolk. As he had friends and relatives living there, he was relieved to learn the target was New Orleans. The Navy had some doubts about Farragut's loyalty to the Union because of his southern birth as well as that of his wife. Porter argued on his behalf and Farragut accepted for the major role of freeing New Orleans from Confederate control.
In April 1862, Farragut commanded the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, with his flagship the USS Hartford
USS Hartford (1858)
USS Hartford, a sloop-of-war, was the first ship of the United States Navy named for Hartford, the capital of Connecticut.Hartford was launched 22 November 1858 at the Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss Carrie Downes, Miss Lizzie Stringham, and Lieutenant G. J. H...
. After a heavy bombardment
Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip
The Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip was the decisive battle for possession of New Orleans in the American Civil War. The two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River south of the city were attacked by a Union Navy fleet...
, Farragut ran past the Fort Jackson, Fort St. Philip
Fort St. Philip
Fort St. Philip is a decommissioned masonry fort located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, about up river from its mouth in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana...
, and the Chalmette
Chalmette, Louisiana
Chalmette is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 32,069 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
batteries to take the city and port of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans (Civil War)
The Capture of New Orleans during the American Civil War was an important event for the Union. Having fought past Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the Union was unopposed in its capture of the city itself, which was spared the destruction suffered by many other Southern cities...
on April 29, a decisive event in the war. Congress honored him by creating the rank of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
on July 16, 1862, a rank never before used in the U.S. Navy. Before this time, the American Navy had resisted the rank of admiral, preferring the term "flag officer", to distinguish the rank from the traditions of the European navies. Later that year Farragut passed the batteries defending Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
but had no success there. A makeshift Confederate
Confederate States Navy
The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War...
ironclad forced his flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
of 38 ships to withdraw in July 1862.
While an aggressive commander, Farragut was not always cooperative. At the Siege of Port Hudson
Siege of Port Hudson
The Siege of Port Hudson occurred from May 22 to July 9, 1863, when Union Army troops assaulted and then surrounded the Mississippi River town of Port Hudson, Louisiana, during the American Civil War....
the plan was that Farragut's flotilla would pass by the guns of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
stronghold with the help of a diversionary land attack by the Army of the Gulf
Army of the Gulf
The Army of the Gulf was a Union army that served in the general area of the Gulf states controlled by Union forces. It mainly saw action in Louisiana and Alabama.-History:...
, commanded by General Nathaniel Banks, to commence at 8:00 am on March 15, 1863. Farragut unilaterally decided to move the timetable up to 9:00 pm on March 14, and initiated his run past the guns before Union ground forces were in position. By doing so, the uncoordinated attack allowed the Confederates to concentrate on Farragut's flotilla and inflict heavy damage on his warships.
Farragut's battle group was forced to retreat with only two ships able to pass the heavy cannon of the Confederate bastion. After surviving the gauntlet, Farragut played no further part in the battle for Port Hudson, and General Banks was left to continue the siege without advantage of naval support. The Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
made two major attacks on the fort, and both were repulsed with heavy losses. Farragut's flotilla was splintered, yet was able to blockade the mouth of the Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
with the two remaining warships; he could not efficiently patrol the section of the Mississippi between Port Hudson and Vicksburg. Farragut's decision proved costly to the Union Navy
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
and the Union Army, which suffered its highest casualty rate of the Civil War at Port Hudson.
Vicksburg surrendered on July 4, 1863, leaving Port Hudson as the last remaining Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. General Banks accepted the surrender of the Confederate garrison at Port Hudson on July 9, 1863, ending the longest siege in US military history. Control of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River campaigns in the American Civil War
The Mississippi campaign was an economic problem created by the Union during the American Civil War in which Union Army troops, helped by gunboats and river ironclads took control over the Mississippi River, therefore virtually splitting the Confederate territory in two while also controlling the...
was the centerpiece of Union strategy to win the war, and with the surrender of Port Hudson the Confederacy was now severed in two.
On August 5, 1864, Farragut won a great victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
. Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
was then the Confederacy's last major port open on the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The bay was heavily mined (tethered naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s were known as torpedoes at the time) http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/visctr/sitebltn/damntorp.htm. Farragut ordered his fleet to charge the bay. When the monitor USS Tecumseh
USS Tecumseh (1863)
The first USS Tecumseh was an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.Tecumseh was launched on 12 September 1863 at Jersey City, New Jersey, by Secor and Company,of New York City; and was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 19 April 1864,...
struck a mine and sank, the others began to pull back.
Farragut could see the ships pulling back from his high perch, where he was lashed to the rigging of his flagship, the USS Hartford. "What's the trouble?", he shouted through a trumpet from the flagship to the USS Brooklyn
USS Brooklyn (1858)
USS Brooklyn was a sloop-of-war authorized by the U.S. Congress and commissioned in 1859. Brooklyn was active in Caribbean operations until the start of the American Civil War at which time she became an active participant in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.With her one...
. "Torpedoes!" was shouted back. "Damn the torpedoes!" said Farragut, "Four bells. Captain Drayton
Percival Drayton
Percival Drayton was a United States Navy officer during the American Civil War.-Biography:Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Drayton was the son of a prominent lawyer William Drayton who eventually relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, go ahead! Jouett
James Edward Jouett
Rear Admiral James Edward Jouett , known as "Fighting Jim Jouett of the American Navy", was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War...
, full speed!" The bulk of the fleet succeeded in entering the bay. Farragut triumphed over the opposition of heavy batteries in Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines to defeat the squadron of Admiral Franklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan was an officer in the United States Navy who became an admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War, and commanded the ironclad CSS Virginia.-Early life:...
.
On December 21, 1864, Lincoln promoted Farragut to vice admiral. After the war he was promoted to admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
on July 25, 1866. His last active service was in command of the European Squadron
European Squadron
The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil War...
from 1867 to 1868, with the screw frigate
Screw frigate
Steam frigates and the smaller steam corvettes were steam-powered warships.The first vessel that can be considered a steam frigate was the Demologos which was launched in 1815 for the United States Navy....
USS Franklin as his flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
. Farragut remained on active duty for life, an honor accorded to only six other US naval officers.
Death
Farragut died at the age of sixty-nine in PortsmouthPortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, from a heart attack while on vacation in the late summer of 1870. He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx
Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark.A rural cemetery located in the Bronx, it opened in 1863, in what was then southern Westchester County, in an area that was annexed to New York City in 1874.The cemetery covers more...
, in the Bronx borough of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Legacy
There are very few Naval officers in American history who have earned the distinction to be honored on US postage stamps more than once, or at all, and David Farragut is one of them. The first postage stamp to honor Farragut, the 1-dollar black issue of 1903. Because of the larger denomination of 1-dollar, which was a notable sum in 1903, the number of issues printed was much less than average. Consequently the stamp is quite scarce and very valuable today. The Navy Issue of 1937 includes (among five in a series) a 3-cent purple stamp which depicts Admirals David Farragut (left) and David PorterDavid Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
, with a contemporary warship displayed at center and paid the domestic letter rate at that time. The last postage issue (to date) honoring Farragut was released June 29, 1995, also paying the current letter rate at the time of issue.
In memoriam
- Admiral Farragut AcademyAdmiral Farragut AcademyAdmiral Farragut Academy is a college preparatory school with Naval training founded in 1933 in Pine Beach, New Jersey by, among others, Admiral Samuel Robison, one-time President of RCA, and former Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is named after Admiral...
is a collegeCollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
preparatory schoolUniversity-preparatory schoolA university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
with Naval training founded in 1933 by Navy Admirals in Pine Beach, New JerseyPine Beach, New JerseyPine Beach is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population increased to a record high of 2,127....
. In 1945 the current and now only campus opened in St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. In 1946 it was designated by Congress as a Naval Honor School. - Farragut, TennesseeFarragut, TennesseeFarragut is a town in Knox and Loudon counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and is generally a suburb of nearby Knoxville. Farragut's population was 20,689 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area...
, Admiral Farragut's hometown of Campbell's Station (see Battle of Campbell's StationBattle of Campbell's StationThe Battle of Campbell's Station was a battle of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, occurring on November 16, 1863, at Campbell's Station, , Knox County, Tennessee....
), Tennessee, was renamed Farragut when it became incorporated in 1982. Admiral Farragut was actually born at Lowe's Ferry on the Holston (now Tennessee) River a few miles southeast of the town, but at that time Campbell's Station was the nearest settlement. - Farragut High SchoolFarragut High SchoolFarragut High School is a high school located at 11237 Kingston Pike in Farragut, a suburb of Knoxville, Tennessee. It is operated by Knox County Schools, the unified Knox County, Tennessee school district....
was built at Admiral Farragut's home town of Campbell's Station (now Farragut) in 1904. Today Farragut High School, boasting nearly 2,500 students, is one of the largest schools in Tennessee. The school's colors are blue and white, and its sporting teams are known as "The Admirals". - FarragutFarragut, BrooklynFarragut is a neighborhood in the east central section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 17...
, a neighborhood in Brooklyn - Farragut Field is a sports field at the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. - Farragut Career AcademyFarragut Career AcademyFarragut Career Academy High School is a public 4-year high school located in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. As a Career Academy, Farragut emphasizes a curriculum that combines academic instruction with work-study experiences and vocational training...
in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
is a high school in the Chicago Public Schools system that was founded in 1894; its sporting teams are also known as the Admirals. The school displays an oil painting of the admiral, presented to the school by the Farragut Post of the Grand Army of the RepublicGrand Army of the RepublicThe Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
in 1896. NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
star Kevin GarnettKevin GarnettKevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
attended Farragut Career Academy. - Farragut, IowaFarragut, IowaFarragut is a city in Fremont County, Iowa, USA. The population was 509 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Farragut is located at near the East Nishnabotna River....
is a small farming town in southwestern Iowa. Admiral Farragut's famous slogan greets visitors from a billboard on the edge of town. The local school, Farragut Community High School, fields varsity "Admiral" and JV "Sailor" teams. The school also houses memorabilia from the ships that have borne the Farragut name. - Five US Navy destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s have been named USS FarragutUSS FarragutFive ships of the United States Navy, all destroyers, have been named USS Farragut in honor of David Farragut, an admiral of the United States Navy during the American Civil War.*The Farragut , a torpedo boat, commissioned on 5 June 1889...
, including two class leaders. - Farragut SquareFarragut SquareFarragut Square is a city square in Washington, D.C.'s Ward 2. It is bordered by K Street NW on the north, I Street NW to the south, and on the east and west by segments of 17th Street NW, and it interrupts Connecticut Avenue NW...
, a park in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; the square lends its name to two nearby MetroWashington MetroThe Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
stations: Farragut NorthFarragut North (Washington Metro)Farragut North is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., on the Red Line.Farragut North serves downtown Washington and is located just north of Farragut Square. It lies at the heart of the business district on Connecticut Avenue, with two entrances at L Street and one at K Street...
and Farragut WestFarragut West (Washington Metro)Farragut West is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Downtown Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...
. - Three U.S. postage stamps: the $1 stamp of 1903, the $0.03 stamp with Admiral David Porter in 1937 and a $0.32 stamp in 1995.
- 100-dollar Treasury notes, also called coin notes, of the Series 1890 and 1891, feature portraits of Farragut on the obverse. The 1890 Series note is called a $100 Watermelon Note by collectors, because the large zeroes on the reverse resemble the pattern on a watermelonWatermelonWatermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
. - A stained glass window in the United States Naval Academy Chapel depicts Farragut in the rigging of USS Hartford at Mobile Bay.
- David Glasgow Farragut High School is the U.S. Department of Defense High School located on the Naval StationNaval Station Rota, SpainNaval Station Rota is a Spanish naval base commanded by a Spanish Vice Admiral and fully funded by the United States of America. Located in Rota, Spain, and near the Spanish town of El Puerto de Santa María, NavSta Rota is the largest American military community in Spain and houses US Navy...
in RotaRota, Spain-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Their sporting teams are also known as "The Admirals". - Farragut Parkway in Hastings-on-Hudson, New YorkHastings-on-Hudson, New YorkHastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings...
. - Farragut Middle School in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.
- A grade school in Mayagüez, Puerto RicoMayagüez, Puerto RicoMayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
. - A grade school (PS 44) in the BronxThe BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. - Farragut State ParkFarragut State ParkFarragut State Park is a state park of Idaho, USA, on the southern tip of the Lake Pend Oreille in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Formerly the site held the Farragut Naval Training Station, a major training base of the U.S. Navy during World War II. The base was named after David Farragut, the...
in IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, which was used as a naval base for basic training during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - A hotel in MinorcaMinorcaMin Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
at Cala'n Forcat. - A bust in full Naval regalia on the top floor of the Tennessee State CapitolTennessee State CapitolThe Tennessee State Capitol, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is the home of the Tennessee legislature, the location of the governor's office, and a National Historic Landmark. Designed by architect William Strickland, it is one of Nashville's most prominent examples of Greek Revival architecture...
. - Admiral Farragut condominium on waterway in Coral Gables, FloridaCoral Gables, FloridaCoral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
. - Farragut elementary school in Vallejo Ca. Located just outside the Mare Island Gate.
- A monument is located off Northshore Drive in Concord, Tennessee. The monument reads "BIRTHPLACE OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT/BORN JULY 5, 1801 . . . DEDICATED BY ADMIRAL DEWEYGeorge DeweyGeorge Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
, MAY 15, 1900". - The David Farragut SchoolDavid Farragut School, Boston, MassachusettsThe David G. Farragut School, also known as The Farragut School, is located at 10 Fenwood Road, in the Mission Hill district of Boston, Massachusetts, just off of Huntington Avenue. The school is one of 86 elementary schools in the Boston School District. The school is near the Brigham Circle...
is an elementary school in Boston, Massachusetts - The Farragut House bar–restaurant located in South Boston, MassachusettsSouth Boston, MassachusettsSouth Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. One of America's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, South Boston was formerly known as Dorchester Neck, and today is called "Southie" by...
. - A larger than life statue near the beach in South Boston, Massachusetts.
- U.S.S. Farragut from Star Trek The Original Series
Monuments
- Madison SquareMadison SquareMadison Square is formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the principal author of the United States Constitution.The focus of the square is...
Park, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, by Augustus Saint Gaudens, 1881, replica in Cornish, New HampshireCornish, New HampshireCornish is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2010 census. Cornish has three covered bridges. Each August, it is home to the Cornish Fair.-History:...
, 1994 - Farragut SquareFarragut SquareFarragut Square is a city square in Washington, D.C.'s Ward 2. It is bordered by K Street NW on the north, I Street NW to the south, and on the east and west by segments of 17th Street NW, and it interrupts Connecticut Avenue NW...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, by Vinnie ReamVinnie ReamLavinia Ellen Ream Hoxie was an American sculptor. Her most famous work was the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. Capitol rotunda.-Early life:...
, 1881 - Marine Park, Boston Massachusetts, by Henry Hudson KitsonHenry Hudson KitsonSir Henry Hudson Kitson, often known as H. H. Kitson, American sculptor, born in Huddersfield, England on April 9, 1865 and died at Tyringham, Massachusetts, on June 26, 1947...
, 1881 - Hackley Park, Muskegon, MichiganMuskegon, MichiganMuskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
, by Charles Niehaus, 1900
Contemporary uses, art and literature
- A "Commodore Farragut", who is clearly based on David Farragut, appears in Jules VerneJules VerneJules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
. - In the fictional television series Star Trek, a number of Starfleet starships are named Farragut.
- The album Damn the TorpedoesDamn the Torpedoes (album)Damn the Torpedoes is the third album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in 1979. This was the first of three Petty albums originally released by the Backstreet Records label, distributed by MCA Records. It built on the commercial success and critical acclaim of his two previous albums...
by Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
is named after David Farragut's famous quote. - The album MDFMKMDFMKMDFMK was an industrial rock band formed by two members of KMFDM, Sascha Konietzko and Tim Skold. Lucia Cifarelli, formerly of the band Drill, later rounded out the trio.-History:...
by MDFMKMDFMKMDFMK was an industrial rock band formed by two members of KMFDM, Sascha Konietzko and Tim Skold. Lucia Cifarelli, formerly of the band Drill, later rounded out the trio.-History:...
contains a song entitled "Damn the Torpedoes". - In the comedy film Galaxy QuestGalaxy QuestGalaxy Quest is a 1999 science-fiction comedy parody about a troupe of human actors who defend a group of aliens against an alien warlord. It was directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon. Mark Johnson and Charles Newirth produced the film for DreamWorks, and David...
, Tim AllenTim AllenTim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
's character says "Never give up! Never surrender! Damn the resonanceResonanceIn physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies...
cannons! Full speed ahead!" - In her 2010 spoken-word debut Olivia Hedrick released a track "How I love thee Mister Farragut"
- In the 1943 film The More the MerrierThe More the MerrierThe More the Merrier is a 1943 American comedy film made by Columbia Pictures which makes fun of the housing shortage during World War II, especially in Washington, D.C.. The picture stars Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Stanley Clements and Richard Gaines. The movie was directed by...
, Charles CoburnCharles CoburnCharles Douville Coburn was an American film and theater actor.-Biography:Coburn was born in Macon, Georgia, the son of Scots-Irish Americans Emma Louise Sprigman and Moses Douville Coburn. Growing up in Savannah, he started out doing odd jobs at the local Savannah Theater, handing out programs,...
views the famous quote on a statue, and uses the phrase as a motto; it drives the plot forward. - In the video game The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, there is a Fort Farragut.
- In the opening scene of DamagesDamages (TV series)Damages is an American television drama series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler . It is broadcast in the United States on the DirecTV channel Audience Network after originally airing on FX and is produced by the creators' own...
, Season 2, Episode 10, Ellen Parsons and Wes Krulik meet to talk on the left-side seating within the Admiral Farragut Memorial in Madison SquareMadison SquareMadison Square is formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the principal author of the United States Constitution.The focus of the square is...
, ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Command history
- 1812, assigned to the Essex.
- 1815 – 1817, served in the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
aboard the Independence and the Macedonian. - 1818, studied ashore for nine months at TunisTunisTunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
. - 1819, served as a lieutenant on the Shark.
- 1823, placed in command of the Ferret.
- 1825, served as a lieutenant on the Brandywine.
- 1826 – 1838, served in subordinate capacities on various vessels.
- 1838, placed in command of the sloop Erie.
- 1841, attained the rank of commander.
- 1848 – 1853, duty at Norfolk, Navy Yard in VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
as Assistant Inspector of Ordinance. - September 1852 – August 1853, assigned to superintend the testing of the endurance of naval gun batteries at Old Point ComfortOld Point ComfortOld Point Comfort is a point of land located in the independent city of Hampton. It lies at the extreme tip of the Virginia Peninsula at the mouth of Hampton Roads in the United States....
at Fort MonroeFort MonroeFort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
in VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. - 1853 – 1854, duty at Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
- 1855, attained the rank of Captain.
- 1854 – 1858, duty establishing Mare Island Navy Yard at San Francisco BaySan Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
. - 1858 – 1859, commander of the sloop of war Brooklyn.
- American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Commander of the fleets - 1860 – 1861, stationed at Norfolk Navy Yard.
- January 1862, commanded USS Hartford and the West Gulf blockading squadronUnion blockadeThe Union Blockade, or the Blockade of the South, took place between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, when the Union Navy maintained a strenuous effort on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms...
of 17 vessels. - April 1862, took command of occupied New Orleans.
- July 16, 1862, promoted to rear admiral.
- June 23, 1862, wounded near Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- May 1863, commanded USS Monongahela.
- May 1863, commanded the USS Pensacola.
- July 1863, commanded USS Tennessee.
- September 5, 1864, offered command of the North Atlantic Blocking SquadronUnion blockadeThe Union Blockade, or the Blockade of the South, took place between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, when the Union Navy maintained a strenuous effort on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms...
, but he declined. - December 21, 1864, promoted to vice admiral.
- April 1865, pallbearerPallbearerA pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
for the funeral of Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. - July 25, 1866, promoted to admiral.
- June 1867, commanded USS Franklin.
- 1867 – 1868, commanded European Squadron.
See also
- Naval battles of the American Civil WarNaval battles of the American Civil WarThe naval engagements of the American Civil War changed the foundations of naval warfare due to the first-time use of ironclads and submarines, and the introduction of newer and more powerful naval artillery....
- Hispanics in the United States NavyHispanics in the United States NavyHispanics in the United States Navy can trace their tradition of naval military service to men such as Lieutenant Jorge Farragut Mesquida, who served in the American Revolution. Hispanics, such as Seaman Philip Bazaar and Seaman John Ortega, have distinguished themselves in combat and have been...
- Hispanics in the American Civil WarHispanics in the American Civil WarHispanics in the American Civil War fought on both the Union and Confederate sides of the conflict. It is estimated that approximately 3,500 Hispanics, mostly Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans living in the United States joined the war: 2500 for the Confederacy and 1000 for the Union...