The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-10-20
IN MEMORY OF FARRAGUT
CONTINUED from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
two minute intervals from Capitol hill.
The tigurehead, which was carried on
a handsomely decorated float and
guarded by the six sailors, under COM
mand of Captain William Boyle, who
saw service on the decks of the old
| flagship Hartford" was greeted by
frequent applause along the line of
| march.
The programme included the presen-
tation Of the figurehead by Captain
Casper f. Goodrich, U. S. N, and it's
| acceptance by Mayor Preston; poem,
| 1.-THE Bay Fight" by Hon. Joseph l..
Barbour and the Grafton of the day by
United States Senator Joseph r. Haw-
| ley.
as follows:
| Hartford, Oct. 10, 1897.
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Citizens:
Let us congratulate the people of
| Hartford and the many who join them
here, upon the patriotic enthusiasm
with which they welcome this occasion.
Captain Goodrich, a son of Connecti-
cut, an able and accomplished officer
OF the navy, speaking in behalf of
| Commodore Hichborn, chief cOnstruc-
tor of the navy, has presented to our
city the relic now before us. the figure
head or "billet-h head" of the very nobly
| famous Warship Hartford His honor,
| Mayor Preston, duly authorized by a
| grateful city, has accepted the precious
gift and it will be lovingly guarded
| and kept where it may be seen by all,
perpetual reminder of the splendid
valor of the nations chosen champions
on the seas in causes always honora-
| BILE.
After reading from the official rec
ords of the Hartford, as kept in the
navy department, General Hawley con-
| tinued:
The keel of the frigate Hartford was
laid January /, 1858; 22d November,
| 1858, left her ways. One fair sponsor
broke across the ships figurehead a
bottle Of Connecticut water, and an
other, quite as fair, followed with a
bottle of Hartford spring water, while
the late Admiral Preble, then a lieu
tenant, concluded with a like quantity
| Of ocean brine.
When the Hartford was laid up fol
repairs after her return from New
| Orleans, August 1, 1868, 1t was found
that she had been hit 240 times.
| From her launching to her tempo
rary retirement she was eight times
and always the flagship of her squad
ron. Commodore Hichborn, who earn
estly urged her preservation and re
construction, worked at her laying
down in 1858, as an apprentice, ant
ID | ~ hnt CHI
was always a favorite because she
was unrivalled when built and was
probably the finest of her class evel
CONSTRUCTED. Admiral Farragut doubt
less knew it and sentiment combined
with fitness to keep her always flag
| ship. The Hon. Isaac Toucey was sec,
| rotary of the navy when she was bull
and possibly gave her the name. Sec.
rotary Welles was certainly her friend
She was never defeated nor was thu
admiral.
| General Hawley then reviewed thu
life of Admiral Farragut up to tn,
breaking out Of the civil war. Continu
ing, he said:
The administration having decided
upon a plan for gaining control of thu
Mississippi, Farragut was called tt
Washington, December 81, examined
the plan, declared it would succeed
looked at the list of vessels, and saic
he would engage to run by the forts
and capture New Orleans with two
thirds of that number. Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy Fox told him tina
more vessels would be added and tina
he would command the expedition
Farragut's delight and enthusiasm
| were unbounded. He did, however
drop the remark that II he had beer
consulted, he would not have employed
mortars He had no faith in then
since he saw the work at San Juan d.
Ulloa twenty-three years before. Jan
uary eth he received preparatory or
ders and few days after was formally
appointed to command the West Gul
| Blockade squadron. The Hartford wal
selected for his flagship. Mr.. Welles
letters of instruction leaned toward
a reduction of the defences before pass
ing up the river, but Farragut wa
master of the situation. She had onl,
steam enough for eight knots an hour
but she had q powerful battery of tn,
best type then existing-twenty-tw
Dahlgren nine-inch shell guns, clever
The fleet consisted of seventeen yes
sells independent of the mortar fiotilla
Four Of them were OF the Hartford
class and the aggregate batterie
amounted to 154 guns. The two grea
forts, Philip and Jackson, were abou
twenty miles above the passes ant
were supported by water batteries, tn
whole amounting to one hundred guns
force greatly superior to that of tn
fleet, if the saying is true that one gul
on shore is equal to four on ship. Som
of the guns were old and obsolete.
The Confederate leaders showed in
capacity, not to say imbecility in un
derestimating Farragut's movements
Daring men and two gunboats brok
up their line of distractions. Farragu
issued elaborate and skilfull directions
Porter renewed the argument for re
ducing the forts before going up tn
river. Farragut agreed to call a coun
Gil, but his mind was made up. H
considered the waste efforts and los
of time as causing greater risks tina
dashing through.
April 20 Farragut issued genera
order preparatory to proceeding up tn
river and in accordance with his orig
inal opinion. Bombardment from tn
mortars continued three days longer
and indeed during the whole period G