On August 5, 1864, Admiral Farragut and his fleet entered the harbor of the port city of Mobile, Alabama. Farragut had four monitor ironclads and seven wooden warships. The city was actually captured on August 23, 1864.
In August of 1864, Union Admiral David Farragut was faced with the task of sealing off the port of Mobile, Alabama. There were two Rebel forts Morgan and Gaines. Also was the Confederate ironclad ram, CSS Tennessee and three gunboats. Farragut also had to navigate around mines, torpedoes and sunken wood piles.
After Union Admiral Farragut failed to force the surrender of Vicksburg in June of 1862, he came to the conclusion that the city's defenses were far greater than anyone expected. Since he had been informed that controlling the Mississippi River was more vital than capturing Mobile Alabama, Farragut wanted to take care of the river situation so that he could turn his attention back to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Farragut did not see himself as an admiral in charge of river operations. With that said, Farragut looked to Memphis Tennessee for assistance. There a Union river flotilla could sail down river and help with the assault on Vicksburg.As can be seen, it would take several serious and unsuccessful Union campaigns to capture Vicksburg.
David Glasgow Farragut. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, but he had been in the US Navy for a great many years and did not go south when the war started. He and another Union naval commander forced the surrender of New Orleans in 1862. He receives the credit for shutting down Mobile, Alabama in August, 1864.
"Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" A torpedoe in this case was really a naval mine.
Perhaps the most famous naval hero for the Union was Admiral David Glasgow Farragut who is best remembered for saying "Darn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead, Drayton!" This was said after one of his ships was sunk by a mine at the battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama, August 5, 1864. But, of course, he didn't actually say "darn."
Mobile
admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans and Mobile.
Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan was charged with the defense of Mobile Alabama. After a struggle, Buchanan surrendered to Union Admiral Farragut on August 23, 1864.
Liberating New Orleans and Mobile
In August of 1864, Union Admiral David Farragut was faced with the task of sealing off the port of Mobile, Alabama. There were two Rebel forts Morgan and Gaines. Also was the Confederate ironclad ram, CSS Tennessee and three gunboats. Farragut also had to navigate around mines, torpedoes and sunken wood piles.
After the fall of New Orleans in the late Spring of 1862, Admiral Farragut sought permission to assault the Alabama port of Mobile. The US Navy, however, delayed any operations towards Mobile and instead ordered Farragut to secure control of the Mississippi River from New Orleans up to Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Mobile, AL
New Orleans and Mobile.
Admiral David Farragut was one of the USA's best admirals. If one were to narrow down his best two achievements in the US Civil War, one was certainly capturing New Orleans and seizing control of the valuable port of Mobile, Alabama.
In the American Civil War, Flag Officer David G. Farragut commanded the Union naval forces which, in April of 1862, captured New Orleans. Before the war's end, due to many successful operations in service of the Union, Farragut was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral. Shortly after the war, he was once again promoted to the rank of Admiral.
David Farragut
Union Admiral David D. Farragut looked to capture the port city of Mobile, Alabama after the fall of New Orleans. The Navy Department however delayed this move. They believed the next point of attack should be at Vicksburg.