New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-26
ADMIRAL FARRAGUT.
THE PRIDE OF TIE AMERICAN NAVY.

edited by General Grant Wilson. No better
choice of a bographer conl6 have boon MADE
than Captain Mahan. himself distinguished mem
her of the service adorned by farragut. and more
over an author whose works have already demon
strated his thorough familiarity with naval history
both ancient and modern The present work does
not enter into rivalry with the very full ana
excellent biography written fourteen wears ago
by the AdmiraPs son. Mr.. Loyal Farragut, but it
has special merits Of its own which Will Always
recommend it, Captain Mahan is an accomplished
critic in all that relates to naval warfare ~o
he has not made the mistake TO which many
professional men are liable, of assuming 700 ihuo"
technical knowledge Oh the part OF their rcauers
His explorations of naval battles and manocuTes
are consequently distinguished Try rare lucidlN
The veriest land-lubbcr can follow them lhteih-
gently and with pleasure. and as result 'iie
narrative is much more effective than 1t wouid
otherwise have been.
We find moreover in Captain Mahans doom /"
spirit which Farragut himself would have heeh
the first 10 appreciate and delight in. All through
his story he is careful to bring into due prominence
the utter LOYALTY and fathfulness of the great sea
man OF him il may indeed be said. as the la'e
laureate of England said Of the Iron DUKE uliV
The path of duty the way to glory
There were great and glorious conJuhctuie' Ill
Farragut's career. For years promotion was so"
and opportunity lacking for the demonstrauon Vi
his finest qualities and aptitudcs- The piping 'iie
of peace might well have Slapped his proiesSioh"
industry and the wearsOme stagnatoh OF n''"'
affairs have snothered his ambition But ourAlS
all that eventless period he was hard al WORN
preparing himself for the crisis whch cai"' az
last and making ready 10 do the country every
service in his power .;
But it is questionable whether any liner ac'lon
IN his life CO? be pointed out than bls COURSE
yrben in 1861 ne was suddenly called upon I"
cboose between the North and the South between
LOYALTY and treason. lie a Southericr oN
residence and connections All his asSoclduor'
on land had from infancy been IN 'he SCUM
Living for years at Norfolk he was suIroui"'"
by Southern society; and at the critical hoi'c.'
this society was agtatcd almost 10 naa"cSS "
the factional passions of the time. we N"O"
how many officers both of tie army ana La ~
event with their section IN THOSE u"H "
tried mems souls Not to do SO was indeeu 10
.:. ,oor,v,dom and ostracism. But farraIut
rovnr besitated He saw the line of duty piaihN'
.rd ha followed il promptly Ii was clear from
tho first announcement of his position thaV III
could no longer live in Norfolk. lie leu 'Ie
,,ace at two hours notice, and repairing ao o"O'
70 NewYork fastened to place his services d.
,ba disposal of the Government theh sorelH
hos,od II was the most discouraging oil al
neriods for il was not yet possible 70 'eh Ho"
"a, the sectional feeling in both services coui"
cripple them, and SO many had the ueseiuous
been already that the main lact Oh III o'
being a Southerner was enough u 10y 49,
20 doubt and suspicion .o.,.,
r~an. ,cbo had no: then achieved distinction
h.. snryice though a comparatively old officer
nc Tins suspected at first. But FOX, VINO "'S
.bnr tho life and soul Of the Navy Department.
.or hin, talked with him, and became tnorou2nS
convinced of his trustworthiness; ana III .''i'
WAY his opportunity came to him. lhls o','l
and resoute decision was charac'cIisu0 %
man II appears again and again at tne CRUZ"
iunctures of his after life, ana 1t Is always Sc'N
associated with rcverent and earnest ucS"o'
not only 10 do right, but 10 40 IL MI uV u.s.
o..;blo r.ov The expedition against Char!csfoh
,ros tho occasion Of his first great naval achieNe
rant CAPTAIN Mahan's criticism OF the CharieS-
-, onoir is very GOOD. 1t was not decisive
action bccause in the circumstances, 1t could
not he seeing that the army and navy were
unable to act in that perfect concert wihch ""S
reccssary to permanent success. But IL hau !"
great effect upon the policy OF the tur"Pe"n
mowers, which was very important at the time
and il threyv altogether new light upon the much
vexed question of the relative strength OF SHIPS
and forts. ~
Farra4ut passed the Charleston forts, ara thus
showed what could be done lhehcelor""I''' ~
the end of the war. the Axiom mat powerful W."
vessels could run the gauntlet OF land ior'i'''-
ems anywhere. MAY be said 10 have been accepted
and proceeded upon in all the naval opeI""""S
Of the Federal Government. At Mobile lhdecn'
,bsre were 50 many other complications that for a
+;r,o the truth seemed in danger Of being reiuted
but there the lofty spirit and cool head OF tarra-
ont dominated a monacinG situation. ana from
AZ. nottla danger plucIcd the flower safety
The FIGHT at Ncw-Orleans. too, was IN 'hc cru"e
hecinnncs Of the war. We had not much oil Il
nay AT first and our governing statesmen ol,'
not at all understand what could be done witi
:. ca Iand-lubberly were their ideas or the SUD
loot that they began, after the fasmpn OF inc
middle ages, by putting army officers IN coii."lai'
90 eoets and at the best acted as though the
navy WAS merely an auXliiary' 10 DC suooi"""'''
-. turn 10 the requirements OF the army
Later. when FarraGut and Porter ana 'hen
,o1lant comrades had showH the country wha'
a. nav, could do by itself. our rulers were IN
Jarcor Of roirIe TO the other extreme, and exact
49,. .oo much of the sca-scrvice. Immense was'c
81 .imc and treasure resulted from the attempts
90 send mrn-of-war many hundred miles up
,;xors and once at least costly nect was very
yearly sacrificed through this foly-the ingenuity
~ nror,ntrcss If an engineer officer who damned
49, rivsr when il was falling being the only
.ource Of salvation for the greatly iHperIc''
v.ssols Farracut protested vsinly against q
nolicy tor want of policy which often sent war
vessels unsupported by troops, exploring Suar1
,nc or irving 10 get possession Of waterways
,rhoso hanks were haunted by large bodies OF
ruerillas, and which could not therefore be really
taken or held without troops. But there was 80
much TO do and so few to do it that many grave
matters came TO be neglected. ard tins among inc
rest. until Grant came 10 the 'front.' "SS"'i'''
supreme command, and at once began 10 sweep
away all the nonsense ana 10 pi'" in''i'0'"'
ana concerted action with the navy
The coast blockade was great tr!al TO Aainira,
Farragut, and its vicssitudes veAcd MS SOUL anu
no doubt contributed to age ana wear MN o"''
81. r. = orcat entorprsc, like the attack on