National Republican., 1876-11-02
The Battle of Mobile Bay,

TO he EdifoT ot the National Repubticdn:
SIR 1 learn with regret that a jocose story
retailed by a contributor to the SundIy Herald,
and which, by the accidental omission of q
paragraph, was brought into juxtaposition
with a mention of Admiral Alden, has been
misconstrued to convey a serious reflection
upon the conduct of that distinguished officer
at the battle of Mobile bay. The absurdity of
any attempt to impute a lack of courage TO
this officer is evident to every one who has the
slightest acquaintance with the history Of the
naval operations during our civil war, and this
fact prevented the remotest suspicion that any
serious reflection upon the Admiral was in
volved in the paragraph in question from en-
tering my mind. Under no circumstances
would knowingly have permitted publica-
ton which supposed could even appear to be
derogatory to an officer whose career has
placed him beyond the reach of detraction.
Admiral Alden was with Admiral Farragut
in all the actions which Farragut directed
during the civil war, and was afterwards en-
gagged with signal gallantry at Fort Fisher.
He was constantly in active service from the
beginning to the end of the war, and It is
doubtful whether any other officer of his grade
was so often under fire.
In the battle of Mobile bay Captain Alden
commanded the Brooklyn. As his ship had
some sort of attachment intended to discover
the presence of torpedoes, Farragut gave him
the lead. Early inthe action, as the vessels were
moving up under fire, Alden, with the Brook
LYNN advance; Farragut, with the Hartford
next, and the others following, the Brooklyn
discovered that she had reached the enemy's
lime nf tOrra1Oas md yra q had
Of them. Alden then halted, and signaled the
fact to Farragut. This halt brought the two
ships nearly abreast, Alden's being the near
est to the works, and actually shielding Far
ragut's from their fire. The veteran hero was
at that time in the stop" as he is represented
in the we'll known picture. 1t may be proper
to observe in passing that Farragut's position
was quite as safe, probably safer, than any
other on the Hartford, as the Confederate
gunners aimed at the hulls, of course. It
was cbosenby him as the best position to over
look the whole fleet and direct the battle.
When the BrooRlyn's signal informed him of
the presence Of the dreaded torpedoes-which
in this case seem to have been "dead' or worth
Leslie shouted in the excitement of the mo-
ment, Oh the torpedoes 60 ahead " AL
den was accordingly signaled to go ahead, and
did so.
There is now In the Navy Department model
of the Brooklyn, showing, in the words of an
eye witness after the action, that "she was
frightfully cut up" her hull was absolutely
riddled with shot holes. She was more dam
aged than any other vessel in the feet, and
suffered more casualties, having ffty-four
killed and wounded, while the Hartford had
ffty-one.
A distinguished officer who was serving on
the flag ship at the time has told me that
after his capture the Confederate naval COM
mander, Admiral Buchanan, told him that he
ordered his men to fire at the Brooklyn,
Alden's ship, feeling that If he could disable
her the battle would be won.
1t was only necessary 10 add to this convinc-
ing array of facts the equally conclusive one
that Admiral Alden enjoyed to the end the
confidence and friendship of Admiral Farra-
gut. Those who know how stern that old
hero's ideas of an officers duty were will
also remember that he never forgave the
slightest evidence of lack of courage.
Very respectfully, IN. BURRIrT.