Posted on 07/05/2014 6:15:27 AM PDT by Master Zinja
July 5th is the birthday of Admiral James Farragut, the first man to hold the ranks of rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral in the United States Navy. Farragut is notable particularly for his actions during the Civil War, including the capture of New Orleans in 1862. He continued to be on active duty until his death in 1870.
Aaaaaaaaaand, I screwed up.
Somehow put up JAMES and meant to say DAVID.
Yup, DAVID FARRAGUT.
ALWAYS proofread. Must’ve been too much Fourth on the Fourth.
If I recall he was a southerner who elected to fight for the North. His capture of New Orleans did much to seal the fate of the CSA. If the South had put more into the forts and ironclads defending the Big Easy they might have kept his Yankee fleet out—but union problems kept the two Ironclads from being finished when they were needed—They would have been better off with one—finished—that two half built. By the time he captured Mobile, Alabama, the war was over.
Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!
If I recall correctly, Farragut suffered from vertigo in his old age, but insisted that his sailors lash him to the mast so he could remain on deck and stand up straight during battles.
Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead.
They turned this into the theme song for Charles Coburn in “The More The Merrier”, with Joel McCrae and Jean Arthur.
Very funny movie.
Virginia supplied many of the Civil War's most famous leaders, including for the Confederacy: Generals Robert E. Lee, Jackson, Stuart, Johnson, Ewell, Hill & Pickett.
For the Union: Generals Winfield Scott & George Thomas, Admirals David Farragut and Samuel Lee.
Virginians did not originally want to secede, and when forced by war to do so, split their state almost in half -- by territory: 63% Confederate (VA), 37% Union (WV), by population: roughly 70% - 30% and by pre-war serving military officers: 60% Confederate, 40% Union.
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