The Washington herald., 1914-08-05


Fifty years ago today Admiral David
@. Farragut led q fleet of wooden ships.
conveyed by monitors. past the forts at
the entrance OF Mobile Bay, and forced
the surrender Of the Confederate IRON
clad ram Tennessee. which engaged him
inside the harbor.
This was the heaviest naval engage
mentment in the war. It consisted Of two
parts. distinct In character, the frst be-
ing the passing OF the forts. the second
the engagement with the ram. Each last
ed about two hours.
On this day Farragut accomplished q
feat that at the besinning Of the war
would have been held impossible, in TAX
ing his wooden ships In daylight past q
heavily armed fort at close range. His
prior experience In passing the forts on
the Mississippi had established prece-
dent however. that he believed could
be safely followed; while the presence
OF four monitors in this case was count
ed on 10 give his fleet enough added
strength 10 offset the greater strength
Of the Mobile works.
Popular history presents on a glowing
page the scenes OF August 5, 1854. in Mo-
bile Bay. On that day, Farragut. al
ready famous. became a national hero.
the luster of whose name time could
not tarnish.
One incident alone, in four hours
crowded with stirring events. fixes him
In the popular fancy as the personifica-
ton Of valor, the ideal OF the sailor in
battle: the incident OF the old sea fighter
lashed in the rigging exclaiming,
Damn the torpedoes!'' as he ordered his
halted lines ahead and led II himself
across sunken mines in his path.
Farragut was surprised when he learned
that this made him hero with the pub
lie, saying. How curiously some triaing
incident catches the popular fancy" His
exclamation about the torpedoes was less
in keeping with his character than a
line in a letter he had written his wife on
the eve OF the battle: II am going into
Mobile Bay in the morning, IL God Is
my leader. as / hope He is, and in Him
I place my trust"
Trusting in God and keeping his pow
der dry. like many another man OF
blood and iron, Farragut went into the
battle with a serene belief that he would
emerge victorious.
knew of Torpedoes.
BY passing the forts at the entrance OF
Mobile Bay Farragut did not expect to
capture the city of Mobile. which was
thirty miles from the forts. His purpose
was to secure possession Of the harbor.
in order TO stop blockade running from
II, and to secure for his fleet a safe
anchorage. Possession of the harbor
meant the isolation and inevitable ulti-
mate surrender OF the forts, which were
three in number.
Fort Morgan, on Mobile Point, east OF
the main channel, covered that channel
at short range. II had heavy armament.
though its guns were not modern. Three
miles westward, on Dauphine Island, was
Fort Gaines. a lighter work, and four
miles beyond that was Fort Powell,
guarding Grant Pass. a channel into
Mississippi Sound. by which vessels could
proceed TO New Orleans.
Admiral Farragut had to concern him
self chiefly with Fort Morgan. He knew
the channel. here less than a mile wide,
had been sown with torpedoes, with the
exception Of a narrow passage near the
fort
Farragut's orders to his fleet required
that they pass between this buoy and the
fort. to avoid the torpedoes.
Monitor Fires First.
Out OF a feet OF twenty-three vessels
eighteen were detailed to make the pas
sage Of the channel. The others were to
remain outside and shell the fort OF
those chosen to go in. fourteen were OF
wood, and four were OF iron, the latter
being the monitors Tecumseh, Manhat-
tan. WinBebago, and Chickasaw.
The heavier wooden ships were high
sided, tall-spurred, steam sloops of war. |
They had been stripped Of their lighter
gpars. but were still noble targets. Each
ship had a lighter one lashed to her on
the side away from the fort, to aid in |
case Of need.
The monitors were ordered to take po- |
sition on the right OF the column had |
nearest the fort. to convoy the head Of |
the fleet into the channel. Farragut had |
wished to lead the column but had been |
ilssuaded.
Daylight showed the greatest activity |
On the feet. Signals passed constantly |
between the flagship and the other ves- |
sells. At $50 Farragut ordered the col |
lmn TO move. At 5:45 the last ship was |
under way and moving toward the chan |
mel. The monitors. being great clumsy |
ron RATS, were slow in taking their |
positions and moving head. and nearly |
/ hour passed before the last of them |
had swung into line.
The ships steamed steadily and silent |
y forward, the monitor Tecumseh lead
ng. At 6:22 the Tecumseh fired the first |
shot from the feet. It fell short of the |
tort. which reserved its fire, as the ves-
sells slowly approached II, until $50. The |
ire OF the fort was answered by the |
Brooklyn. the leading wooden ship. at
':o7. and by the Hartford, second in the |
Inc, at VII.
From that time the fire became gen.
sral. At first it was ineffective on both |
tides. The ships proceeded so slowly |
hat twenty minutes passed before the |
Ihots Of the fort began to tell on them.
Then great shells and round shot began |
o crash into their hulls, scattering splin-
frnv, TTaafFTatn0
"After You, Pilot"
About 7:30 the head Of the column
reached the danger point in the channel,
he line Of torpedoes. Commander Craven
n command OF the leading yessel-the
monitor Tecumsen-saw the red buoy and
loted by passing west OF It he could |