The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-04-19
+ A PIECE OF NAVAL HISTORY.

THE POSITION OF ADMIRAL FARRAeUr AT
THE PASSAGE OF THE FoRTs-IN THE
FUTTOCK sHRoUDs OF THE MAIN MAST.
John c. Kinney, late acting sigpal Of
hcer, U. s. A, writes to Appleton's Jour
nal as follows 1t may seem presumpt-
Gus for "landlubber" to attempt to cor
rect reaT-sdmiral upon a purely naval
matter, but as am positive of the cor
rectuess of my views ask youl permis-
sion TO give my testimony (that of an eve
witness) as TO the position of Admiral
Fsrrsgut during the passage of the forts
az the entrance OF Mobile bay. That my
opportunities for scquiring exact kuowl.
edge OF the circumstances may be UNDER
stood, will state that was st the time a
signal officer OF the United States army,
and had been assigned to duty on the
Hartford for the purpose of communica-
ting between the admiral and the land
forces then in the rear-of- Fort Gaines.
One army signal officer had been sta
toned on each of the leading ships 10 the
feet, the intention being not to use their
service until the passage of the forts had
been accomplished, and a nbined attack
by land and water was arranged from the
inside OF the bay. The army mode of sig
mailing was so much more expeditions
than that OF the navy, however. that after
the fleet got under fire we were called Into
service, and it was my good fortune to
transmit by signal every order given by
Adm raj Fsrrsgut TO bis feet from the be-
ginning OF the fight until its close, with
the surrender of the ram Tennessee. Con-
seQuently / was during the entire en-
ga cement, on deck Tor above it) and
IN FULL SIGHT OF THE ADMIRAL.
1 am certain that both Mr.. Page, the art.
isf, and Admiral Jenkins are in error as
to toe position Admiral Farragat occupied
during the passage of the forts. The for
mer places him "sixty feet or more above
the water linf;" the latter seys be "ss-
cended the starbosrd mizzsn rigging
(shrouds) OF the Hartford to about midwey
between the miZzsn-top and the hammock
rail, or poop-deek OF the vessel" The sc-
tusl position of the admiral wss In the
"fuitock-shrouds" OF the mainmsst, di-
rectly underneath the main-top. As all
your readers will not understand these
terms so readily as will Admiral Jenkins,
let me explain: The "msip-top" is the
platform around the mainmast, aDout
| twenty five or thirty fest from the deck,
and the "IutIcc cck-sbrouds" are the iron
chains running from the sides of the
"main-top" TO the mast a few feet beneath.
he reason for the admiral taking this po-
sition is easily explained. When the ships
came within range of the guns of Fort
Morgan, the pilot OF the Hartford took his
place upon the main-top, where, above the
smoke of the ships guns, he could see to
direct the course. Admiral Fsrrsgut sta
toned himself under the main-top, where
he could be In direct communication with
the pilot overhead and the feet csptain and
executive officer beneath, and where.
also, he could have an unobstructed view
of the contest. In corroboration of nv
opinion, 1 quote from that noble war lyric.
The Bay Fight" by the talented and Ia
m snted II. III. Brownell,
''THE BATTLE LAUREATB,"
as HOLMES christened him. He was Far
ragut's secretary st the time, and sat on
deck during the fight, making notes as
Q o ly and as methodically as If he we're at
| tending social sciep ce congress. he says:
From the maln-top bold and brief
Came the words of our grand old chief
Go on, twas all he SAID
Our helm was put TO starboard,
And the Hartford forged ahead"
I am confident that Captain L. A. Kim
berly, of the navy, who was then execu-
tive officer of the Hartford, and as brave
and modest man as lives, will bear wit
ness to the correctness of my statement.
In justice to Admiral Jenkins, l should
say that believe no has confused two in
cidents of the fight. During the fight with
the ram Tennessee, after the passage of the
forts, the Hartford was run into and cut
almost to the waters edge by the Lacks-
wanna. Admira, F. rrsgut was at this time
on the quarterback, and, while great tenn
p r,ry CONSERVATION prevailed among the
crew, who thought the ship must sink, the
admiral sprang into the cardboard M zzsn
rigging" and leaned over the side OF tie
| ship to ascertain the extent of the injury.
FlBding that The ship wss not endangered,
| h. rdered her to renew the pursuit of the
ram. 1t is probably from this incident that
Admiral Jenkins obtained his erroneous
in preston. The admiral himself did noble
a. n ira durine, tho dav In command NJ tha