Farragut, David Glasgow

David Glasgow (1801-1870), an American naval commander. Farragut was born at Campbell Station, East Tennessee, July 5, 1801, and died August 14, 1870, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 1810 Farragut entered the navy as a midshipman, serving under Captain David Porter. In 1823 he took a gallant part in a battle between the American naval forces under Commodore Porter and a band of pirates who were sheltering in Cuba. This was the end of piracy in the West Indies. Rising by regular routine, the Civil War found Farragut a captain living at Norfolk, Virginia. Although his domestic ties were with the South, Farragut removed his family to the North, and remained in the United States navy. His first orders of importance were to blockade the mouth of the Mississippi and capture New Orleans. After a grand defense and the sinking of ships on both sides, Farragut won a brilliant victory. He silenced Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson on the banks of the Mississippi, and took possession of New Orleans April 24, 1862. During the following summer, he opened the Mississippi for some distance above New Orleans, and March 14, 1863, he passed Port Hudson under a terrible fire of artillery and opened communication with Flag Officer Porter on the upper Mississippi. He was made rear admiral for this service. July 9 Port Hudson fell, and the entire Mississippi River was open. The control of the Mississippi now devolved upon Rear Admiral Porter. August 5, 1864, Rear Admiral Farragut, with four iron-clads and fourteen wooden vessels, won the victory of Mobile Bay. During the fight Farragut was stationed high up in the main rigging of his flag-ship, whence the expression, "Farragut at the masthead." Congress created the grade of admiral, a position to which Farragut was appointed in recognition of his gallant services.

Farragut is credited with introducing into the American navy a system of tactics at that time of great advantage in attacking forts or stationary ships. Instead of anchoring in a bunch or in a semicircle, the ships of the attacking fleet were formed in line and sailed around and around a circle. Each ship came abreast, delivered its fire without stopping, sailed on out of range, loaded its guns, and came in again in its regular turn to deliver another broadside. In this way, the movements of the attacking ships prevent the gunners of a fort from securing a good aim. No ship was under fire for a great length of time. All the ships were brought into immediate and frequent action. It was impossible for the fort or defending fleet to concentrate artillery fire on any particular ship. The gunners of the defense were under constant fire, while the gunners of the attacking fleet had an opportunity to rest and repair damages as they sailed around the farther part of the circle. Tactics of this sort have been superseded by reason of long-distance rapid-firing guns.

Farragut was a fine student,--a great reader of books whenever his duties did not require attention. He was a man of high character and fearlessness. Statues have been erected in his honor in the cities of Washington and New York.