Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-21
FARRAGUT'S FAMOUS FIGHT
Passing the Batteries Below New
Orleans Fifty Years Ago.
RECoLLEcTIoNS OF SIGNAL MAN
Fierce Contest of ships and shore
Forts and Blazing Rats
on the Morning of
April "a, 1862.

In the dead OF an April night fifty years
ago the watchers on board a cluster Of
, United States war vessels saw for a
moment two tiny red lights twinkling
against the darkness. At once came
whispered orders. obeyed without a
sound. and the squadron crept forward.
bent on the accomplishment OF one Of the
most gallant exploits in all naval history
1t was Farragut's squadron. In front
crouched somewhere in the blackness,
were confederate gunboats and ironclads,
fire RATS. piled high with death-bearing
freight, forts trimmed with wicked can.
non.
April "A, lS62-half century ago with
in few days. In single file Farragut's
seventeen vessels stole onward straight
toward the huge chains which the con.
federates had strung across the Missis.
sipp's mouth. straight into waters soon
TO be Redeemed by cleaning fire and run.
-~ning blood. straight for New Orleans, 10
cut the confederacy in two by wrenching
the city from the grasp of It's southern
commanders.
Silent, on the silent ships. Farragut and
his men stood at their posts. They knew
well what was before them-had they not
seen the tiny lights that had twinkled
for a moment and then vanished into the
night?-snd. knowing. they waited grimly
steeling themselves to the work that
Is for brave men alone.
RecoIIections of n Participant.
The man who hoisted those two red
lights to the masthead OF the Hartford,
Farragut's flagship, is still living in New
York
He is IS years old now. He is well
nigh bedridden. the frame which was
once the frame Of sturdy sailor is bent;
the cheek tanned by boisterous sea
breezes is sunken and creased.
But time has struck in vain at the old
fellows memory: enshrined intact therein
is that day OF fifty years ago. as ter.
rible and glorious as ever-as vivid TO the
oetogenaran Of today as to the young
man who sent Farraguts flotilla into the
hell that was ranged before New orleans
TO meet It.
Bradley s. Osborn-Captain Bradley s.
Osborn-that is the name OF the broken
veteran of today who was signal officer
( on that April night of 1862 He lies on a
couch most OF the time. waiting for the
signal that is bound to be run up some
fday for all Of us, but he waits without
fear, as a fighting man should. And II
Captain Osborn is not a fighting man.
who is?-he who has seen murder CLINT
ing from the cutlasses OF Chinese pirates.
and heard the dying gasp of gunboats
sunk in bloody little South American
ARRAYS. and better than all the rest, has
made the dash into New Orleans by the
side OF the most gallant OF American
\ sea fighters.
He told 1t all over again one day last
week, propped up on a couch. and as
he spoke, all the commonplaces OF city
life that surrounded him were forgotten
the little room, with its desk and piles
OF old paper and war prints. the buzz OF
trolley cars and automobiles. the cries
OF newsboys-forgotten. to give place to
smoke and fire. ships-of-the-line plunging
ahead under full sail. brave hearts beat
Ing high, and the roar OF guns and the
scream OF shells and all the smell and
thrill Of battle.
Going to the Front.
He told the yarn from the beginning
how It was that he happened to ship with
Farragut-how he came to be the man
who hoisted the fateful signal.
when the attack on New Orleans was
first thought Of" he said. David P. Por-
ter was named to head It. At that time
was war correspondent and artist, but
had also seen plenty Of naval service
t. in China, the Argentine and this country
itself. and besides l knew Porter, so
asked to be taken along.
But, he said. Osborn this kettle Of
fish is all upset-rm not to command the
expedition and he told me to run up TO
=, Philadelphia and see a man whose name
! hadn't heard until then-Farragut.
81 found Farragut at the Continental
hotel in Philadelphia.
81 can only take you along as a
clerk he said. I'll go as a clerk said
! promptly. l got nay dunnage together
and reported on board the flagship Hart
ford.
THE officers and crew looked upon me
as a nuisance. They had no particular
use for correspondents or clerks. l didn't
say anything. But one day saw a fel-
low on the deck making an awful mess
OF fixing up a sail.
For Gods sake. let me try" said,
out of patience, and did the Job as I
had learned to do 1t in my experience as
a sailor. One of the officers noticed IT,,
and later ! heard some one whisper as /
passed: That reporter is a navy man.
After We had put to sea and were
headed for New Orleans, Farragut sent
for me. told me that his signal officer
could be used to better advantage in
some other capacity. and gave me the job
1t carried with II the rank Of lieutenant
That evening Executive Officer Thomas
invited me to the wardroom dinner. l
wasn't a nuisance any more.
Bound to Get Through.
of course We had TO walt before max
ing that dash into New Orleans and do a
lot Of accommodating. and after awhile
some Of the men got restless and nervous
~ was sent over one day to one Of our
unboats, where Farragut said he had
Heard the men were as blue as indigo
How do you think you're going to
fight II you're blue like this? I said TO
them. You think 1t looks bad there,
went on, pointing toward where the
confederate forts we're; well. cheer up.
was never so sure CT anything in nv
life as I am that we're going to take
New Orleans They cheered up all right
and put up one Of the best fights in the
whole squadron when we went past the
forts.