New-York tribune., 1877-07-21
FARRAGUT IN MOBILE BAY


pcared in your paper June 4, stated that was
preparing a statement Of the actual position occupied by
the tate Admiral FaTaCut during the memorable Datte
of Mobile Bay Tie delay in submitting IL has been caused
by the time required TO obtain certain evidence necessary
10 clueidate the subject and sbsantate my assertions
This publication has been suggested TO INC 10y many
friends Of the old hero Who ike mysc have been sur
Insed and voxed N the constant expression OF doubts as
t. his personal action that dag. Even writer who
claims 20 speak from observation. as well as authority
has recently described the spirited poem by the late
Henry Howard Brownen. styled Tho Bay Fight" M
poctical rendering over which old sails SMILE and
ctc.scs the large painting by William Page depicting
Farrgut IN the rigging an over drawn and incorrect
picture"
The expression Admiral Farrasut laslIed TO the
rigging of tie Hartford has rigtinily parsed into
prCyerb and / am prepared to prove that, unlike the
thrilling vet neycr-uttcred words attributed to Weng
ton at Waterloo and Taylor at Buena Vstat is found
cd upon fact, and therefore claims pcipetuation in
history Now LET me premise by saying that far rs
the results OF that great battle arc concerned the actual
position OF the heroic commander MAY be considered ot
little consequence but the ruth OF stirring incidents
dcpcnds upon authenticated evidence, IL becomes
sufficiently important verify hein by personal state
ments. Ny right To speak positively upon tins su9cet
Is founded upon information direct as to leave no
possible doubt in the mind OF the most incrciuloE2s
10 its trustWorthiness advance my claims to SPEAK
from the several facts that I an eye witness. as
ChefoSjan OF the l3th hrmy Corps, then cooperating
with the navy of The entire engagement; that was ior
many years personally md Officially assOciated with The
Great Admiral and frequently heard nom his oTn lips
a detailed description OF every cdcat OF the battle
that was standin. by his side when lie examined Pages
painting then IN the artists stndO. Gnd was assured by
HIM that 1t was wonderfully correct repIesentauoui
that often heard him c2i0l BrOwne's poem a most
hfe-ike aGd spirited ssccl" and further, ttat was
informed Of the Admiras position by the late PerciVa
Draytou feet captain before the ITrlord sailed cut OF
Mobile Bay. This personal evidence Is supplemental
md singulaly c0rroh0atcd by the written testimony
now in nv possession. OF several Of the officers who par
ticipaed IN that battle, and vino were stationed In such
positions ana upon such duty brought them nto con
slant intercourse with taeir commander throughout the
whole period m action. This latter evidence includes
the statements OF Rear Admiral Thornton 4. Jcnkls,
who commanded toe Richmond the vessel nest III
column TO the flagship; Can't James T. j0wett IN com
nand of The Motacone the cOnsort OF the Hartford
whose station until he ordered 20 cast loose to cap
ture tho selma was on the wheelhouse Of his vessel
directly below the position held hy the Admiral to
enable him the better to receive and execute the orders
given; Capt Lewis A. Kimberly, executive officer OF tic
Hartford Commanders Arthur r. Yates and j. Ctitten-
den Watson. the foruef acting aid and the latter nag
lieutenant to the Commauder-inChief; LeutCom-
mandcrs A. Mayo Dyer, and Henry c. Nichols On tlie
Metlcomet and Lieut.. Joseph Maethore, in charge of
tie howitzcrs in the main-top OF the Hartford.
The testimony Of these accomplished officers, selected
particularly On account Of their positions dEiing that
cyentul day, snsuary accofiant and corresponds
10 perfectly with the accounts given by tine late Admiral
himself rs TO justify the writer in ting that the
suboned sketch ia true and trustworthy history OF
Tarraguts positions during the Mobile Bay hght.
DETAILS or TIE EVENT.
Shortly after the line OF battle was formed and the
vessels i'm column got well under Admiral FarraguS
went into the port mail rigging and took position
short distance above tle shecI-hoc. Ills otjec, 10
D. N.,+ o-tT tn main in
unobs.ructed view OF the operations Of the enemy Al
the firing increased aud the hus Of his vessels became
enveloed in smoke, he went mp the rigging step by stop
until he reached the junction OF tue iutock shrouds
Understanding The rtiines and an arm passed through
tue rigging, eabiing him 80 use his marine glass; lie l.,
manned uuu the batteries and passed aud the
smoke had cleared when e returned u the poop
d.ek Whilst in tle position described, CVt Drayton,
commanding the flagship, fearing that he <ie AdihiraD
.i he wounded and fall 10 the deck overheard. sent
tie ena-C CHartermastcr % him With fsmi!i piece OF
rope--a halnmock-!ashing-with the request that he
would secure himself to the rigging. Ihe old hero sent
it back saying. 30 not santt" whorcupon the Cap
tain returned it with the message Tel Admiral Farra
cut that he viii oblise me by making himself iast,
upon which the Admiral took the rope passed b tW.co
around lis body AMI then colcd the end several times
Ia the rigging admitting IL q sensible Qrccauon and
adding AZ he fastened It. There tell Captain Drayton
I'm ali right"
tie subsequent encounter WIN lic ltllNtrs'
his actual posit.o" was in the port mizzcn rigging
few r. tlues above the deck. and whilst there he
again secured 10 tie shToud, with small rope, by his
devoted Lieutenant and friend. Lieut. Commander
j. C. watson certified 10 by himself As stated, the Ad-
rira took this position for tie sole purpose Of command
ing An unosUctcd view or the entire scene of acOn
the dense volume ~ smoke which rested upon the bay
rendering il impossible any distance from tho
decks The statement that II to enable HIN 10 cling
10 tie foot OF rusty old pilot. Martin Freeman" by
"passn- his arm mp through the lubboIUlc Is pGO-
nouueed au aJsurdy by tie officers and those familiar
with the construction of frigate who insist that fIom
his aoiaal j,osoI it would have been physical imp0s
sbility unless the sinewy OF the brave Old hero
WAS susceptible Of clougation Of three a;hons"
IA another officer expresses IL, unless he had
long as IA main top gallant studdng sal boOm!' Lieut..
Marthon alone maintains that when the Brooklyn stop
ped he ran up higher aud asked the pilot whether there
was pass between Tint vessel and the batteries
PILOT freeman ii the IlD-tOp leaning against the
rail- giving his orders Capt Jevett by motions, and
communicating EcIn those at tie holm Of the Hart
/ ford by speaking tuhc.
TINS account so fully confirmed by those Immediately
around the Admiral apart from the personal assurances
of the Admiral himself, establishes beyond dispute. the
admirable o. Pages picture OF Farraeut
ashed 10 the rigging Of the Hartford and, taken con
neetom with the events suddenly developed by the un-
wa1antabc action OF the brooklyn in backing the
bows Of tic Flag Ship vixen directly abreast OF the bat
tcrcs Of the enemy and ulon the sinking OF e Tecun-
sea- susaius the ACCURACY and hfc!ike charm of the
spirited poem OF Henry Howard Browno, descriptive Of
" The Bay Fight"
II "od salts" smile This porca rendering he's
been ayeired it mast surely Therefore in token %
taeiT appreciation Of the poets descriptive power, for
doubt whether the vide range ot the English language
there can founIa nsiiItns sketch OF brilliant
naval engagement. Take. or example. the one yers6
,.hfei, tpr.piy ffru.,iy tes e.Ory o.