New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-12
FARRAGUT IN PERIL.
Hard York of His Signal Officer to
Get Him to Seek Safety.

Just forty-five years ago to-day hung up the
two red lights which started Farragut's feet
their dash past the lower defences Of New Or
leans" said Captain B. s. Osbon, who signal
officer for Farragut, last Wednesday at the head
quarters Of the Arctic Club in this city, of which
he is secretary.
Captain Osbon is 3 man eighty-fve years old.
who even before the Civil War had been under fire
on several occasions. He first saw fighting in Chi
waters officer in the Anglo Chinese navy
soon after the English obtained possession Hong
Kong. and several years later he commanded boat
IN the navy Of q South American revolutionary
party and took part in six or more engagements
Continuing his recollections Of the fight at Ne~
Orleans, he said:
-Farragut was the coolest man that morning /
have ever seen He being killed twice
in the fight and l have always believed that his
escape was due entirely 10 me. Twice 7 made HIM
change his position. and each time the part OF the
rigging IN which he had been sitting was shot
away soon after lie left it. I had q hard time in
getting him down too. Soon after The fight began
J noticed that the shells from the two forts, Fort
Jackson and Fort 81. Philip, bursting mighty
where ne was hanging up in the rigging, 50
yelled him that he mad better come down. But
he didn't pay any attention Finally his
position looked 50 dangerous that thought would
t:-y q LITTLE to make him get in a safer place
7 had q very light pair OF field glasses you
know, field glasses pretty heavy, and
your hand soon gets tired holding thernj Well I
had lent him those glasses that morning and he
using them the time. l thought I would
pretend / afraid my glasses would get smashed
and would make him come down IN that way. But
when ] told him ne said 'Oh. IL YOU are 50 scared
about your glasses. take them don't want them
That made mad, and 1 told him I didn't give
Z rap about the glasses. What 7 wanted for
him 10 come down. That seemed TO convince him
! was pretty much worried about him IN a
minute two he did down. He had scarcely
touched the deck before shell burst exactly where
he had been sitting and carried away all that
part Of the rigging I called his attention TO It,
but the only sign OF recognition Of his narrow
cape he gave a slight smile
Ny duties carried me away from where I had
persuaded him 10 stand, but when ! back 10
the place again he wasn't there. l locked all
around, and finally sped him UP in another part
Of the rigging. In just perilous position he
had been in before. lie didn't seem whether
ne got in the most dangerous part of the ship or
not, II IL was not necessary. ] got him down
from there after about fifteen minutes. and. do
you believe 81, he hadn't been deck five minutes
before the place he had just left torn away
Dy & shell from the forts.
Yes, believe he owed his life to me ! wasn't
hit myself but got the worst kind Of wound.
standing near the railing Of the boat. when
shell hit st and sent splinters ill that side Of
! was simply covered with them from head 10
foot They actually pinned all my clothing TO the
skin II took me six months TO get all those spin
tiers out Of me. guess ought TO consider myself
lucky 70 get of with my life, but I believe the
luckiest escape had at Fort Sumter. was
The only Northern newspaper correspondent to
mat night The way Of II was was n friend OF
Ihe man who took down the boats with the rein
norcernenfs for the fort, a day or so before he
SeatU7o ne asked me TO along with him. We
mad TWO hundred troops with U.S. and expected two
VI lniee suhpoa's which were already down in that
helghporhood TO meet US Off Charleston But there
~as some MISTAKE and when arrived at the
mouth OF Charleston Harbor the night before the
ilght they had not appeared. And it was mighty
LUCKY uley haan ! can tell you. For n we had
he.en t 70 land ire next morning there would
not have been dozen left OF u.s. The Confed-
water. 80 "N' VI IAS
We saw the whole fight though and while we
would nave given anything had 10 have hsen
IN the fort, we were mighty glad we had mon been
Obliged 20 attempt 20 land that day But az was
saying, didn't realize until few rninrfas ago
das' at o'clock in the morning. forty-hve years
boats through the gauntlet" 49,