Evening journal., 1912-03-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Chat With Captain
Farragut
By Holland


On Jan 20, 1862, Captain David G.
Farragut was called to Washington
and received orders to command the
expedition that had been planned for
the capture of New Orleans. As soon
a possible Captain Farragut proceed
ed to his station and took charge Of
the west gulf blockading squadron.
But before he went to his COM
mand.' said the late Colonel LeGrand
b. Cannon, who was on the staff OF
Maior-General Wool who saved
Fortress Monroe to the Union and was
in command Of il during the first two
years of the war, Captain Farragut
stopped off az the fort Vague reports
had from time to time reached US that
The COnfederates at Norfolk were
trying to convert the old United States
.frigate Merrimac into a cannon-shot
ironclad; and naturally, mention was
made of these rumOrs in our conver-
sation with Farragut.
Il remember perfectly well the ex-
preston Of mistrust, almost of con-
tempt, which came to Farraguts face
efficiency of ironclad armor was un-
der way. At last Farragut burst out
with this statement:
Anybody who understands about
armOr, about guns and about war
ships will tell you that the whole
proposition can be reduced to an alb
surdty'
General Wool asked what he meant
by that statement, and Farragut re-
piled
" I mean simply this; that it is i'm
possible to build ship that won't
sink at her dock and have it shot
proof. II the ship has armor enough
on to resist the enemy's shot, then she
will be too heavy to float. And If they
over discover a way to armor plate a
ship capable OF resisting the pro
iectiles that we now have, then they
will be able speedily to build cannot
and invent projectiles that Will pcne-
trate any armOr.
Now you know. General Wool,
how / feel about it and l tell you in
perfect confidence that if ! could have
a fleet one ship Of which got by Fort
ress Monroe, even tRbugh | lost all
the others. then I could proceed an
my way mp the James river or TO
Norfolk and do whatever damage /
saw fit
But. said General Wool. no
wooden fleet could get by Fortress
Monroe
You should know. General Wool
answered Farragut. that il is one of
tho most difficult things in the world
to aim successfully a heavy cannon at
a moving object I could maneuyer a
ship under your fort. if / had heavy
ordinance enough. which in no time
would silence your guns
" Now, I will tell you what ! OK
poet TO do al New Orleans I don't care
snap of my fingers about the two
forts built to defend the city. It's the
city that I'm after, and not the forts.
4 will run at least one of my vessels
by those forts. no matter how hot is
tho battle, and no matter how many
others ! lose, and when ] get one of
my vessels beyond the forts 7 will
have New Orleans at my medley; th-
| city will have to captulate
Fifty years ago next month Captain
Farragut passed the forts guarding
New Orleans as he told General Wool
and staf he would do But his opinion
about irOn-clads as expressed that
day at Fortress Monroe-what would
David G.. Farragut have said about il
had he lived long enough TO see a
modern hattleship?
Copyright. 1912, by r. J Edwards.
All rights reservedD
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell Of
AN 1rishman and the lron-clad Mer-
rimac."