Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-02-16
Was Farragut Lashed to the Rigging2

A writer ii Scrt6ner for February,
who was an eyewitness of the battle in
Mobile Bay, takes the negative of the
above question. We quote part of the
account: .--r ...
When the feet had crossed the bar
and was inside of Sand Island, and had
approached to within about one mile and
a quarter of Fort Morgan, Admiral Far
ragut coolly and deliberately ascended
the starboard main rigging and halted
| just beneath the top. Passing his arm
up through the lubber's hole, he seized
the foot of the pilot, Martin Freeman by
name, who was standing in the maintop,
giving orders to the helmsman The
Signal Quartermaster, in obedience to the
orders of Capt. Drayton, took up
hammock-la lashing to secure the Admiral
to the shrouds, SO that in case he should
be killed his body would not fall over
board or on the deck but, by Freeman's
advice, the Admiral would not allow it
to be passed around him. The Quarter
master returned with his lashing to the
deck; and Farragut, the brave, passed
the long line of torpedoes and the Con-
federate forts and feet nscathed-while
still clinging to the foot of his trusty old
pilot, Martin Freeman
This is the truth which the historian
should receive and record, if he chooses
to make note of what was butan incident
in that terrible action. Many survivors
of that day will vouch for the above ac-
count. AS for Martin Freeman, he still
lives IN the immediate vicinity of the bay
where the battle was fought-being the
principal keeper of Horn Island light
house, in Mississippi Sound. Should
anyone chance to question this writer's
assertion in regard to the above matter, he
is respectfully referred to Mr. Freeman,
who was probably better acquainted at
the time with the movements of Ad-
miral Farragut than any other individual
in the tieet-Capt. Percival Drayton,
perhaps, excepted-and he is known as
the heroic and loyal son of South Caro-
lima, and et-Captain of the West Gulf
Squadron. 4t.4 #--r
THE philosophy of Admiral Farra-
CUTS chosen position is easily explained.
During the noise of the battle he natu-
rally desired to be so stationed that when
no human voice could be heard aloft,
should it be necessary for him to COM
municate with the pilot, by tightly grasp
ing the foot of that person the signal
would be noticed; and asa fact, Mr..
Freeman did respond, and, by bending
down, lent his ear to the flubber's hole
for such orders as the Admiral wished to
give him"
In reference to the above the following
appears in the Philadelphia Press.
Admiral Farragut placed himself in
the port main rigging of the flagship
Hartford as soon as the line of battle was
formed, and maintained that position un-
til the firing of the guns had become so
rapid and the smoke so dense that it be-
came necessary to take higher position
to see over the smoke. He then took the
position in the futtOck rigging, where,
with his feet on the ratlines, and his
hand clinching the futtock shroud, he
was able to watch over and direct the
movements of the fleet. He had piece
OF ratline or signal ballard stuff thrown
over his right shoulder, one end of which
was hanging free. As it would be very
unlikely that man would havea lashing
and not use it, it would be far -betteF-tO
give him the benefit of the doubt and
infer that he did lash himself which /
earnestly believe, No one during that
engagement had better opportunity for
observation than myself, as was hold
ing a conversation with the Admiral from
the time he entered the rigging until he
took the position in the futtock rigging,
which placed him out of earshot The
Admiral would have had an arm as long as
the main-topgallant studding sailboom in
order to have held thefriendly grip upon 2
the foot of his reliable pilot, Mr. Martin
Freeman, who is spoken of in the article
from Scrt6ner'S, and retain his position
in the rigging at the same time, Should
any of your readers question this asser-
tion would respectfully refer them to /,
Commander ]. Crittenden Watson, who
at that time was the Admirals flag
and was stationed in close
proximity during that celebrated engage
ment, TO convey messages to Fleet Capt.
Drayton. 5.tg
METAcoMET's SIGNAL OFFICER"