hero tales from american history-第33章
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FARRAGUT AT MOBILE BAY
Ha； old ship； do they thrill； The brave two hundred scars You got in the river wars？ That were leeched with clamorous skill （Surgery savage and hard）； At the Brooklyn Navy Yard。
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How the guns； as with cheer and shout； Our tackle…men hurled them out； Brought up in the waterways 。 。 。 As we fired； at the flash 'T was lightning and black eclipse With a bellowing sound and crash。 * * * *
The Dahlgrens are dumb； Dumb are the mortars； Never more shall the drum Beat to colors and quarters The great guns are silent。 Henry Howard Brownell
FARRAGUT AT MOBILE BAY
During the Civil War our navy produced； as it has always produced in every war； scores of capable officers； of brilliant single…ship commanders； of men whose daring courage made them fit leaders in any hazardous enterprise。 In this respect the Union seamen in the Civil War merely lived up to the traditions of their service。 In a service with such glorious memories it was a difficult thing to establish a new record in feats of personal courage or warlike address。 Biddle； in the Revolutionary War； fighting his little frigate against a ship of the line until she blew up with all on board； after inflicting severe loss on her huge adversary； Decatur； heading the rush of the boarders in the night attack when they swept the wild Moorish pirates from the decks of their anchored prize； Lawrence； dying with the words on his lips； 〃Don't give up the ship〃； and Perry； triumphantly steering his bloody sloop…of…war to victory with the same words blazoned on his bannermen like these； and like their fellows； who won glory in desperate conflicts with the regular warships and heavy privateers of England and France； or with the corsairs of the Barbary States； left behind a reputation which was hardly to be dimmed； though it might be emulated； by later feats of mere daring。
But vital though daring is； indispensable though desperate personal prowess and readiness to take chances are to the make…up of a fighting navy； other qualities are needed in addition to fit a man for a place among the great seacaptains of all time。 It was the good fortune of the navy in the Civil War to produce one admiral of renown； one peer of all the mighty men who have ever waged war on the ocean。 Farragut was not only the greatest admiral since Nelson； but； with the sole exception of Nelson； he was as great an admiral as ever sailed the broad or the narrow seas。
David Glasgow Farragut was born in Tennessee。 He was appointed to the navy while living in Louisiana； but when the war came he remained loyal to the Union flag。 This puts him in the category of those men who deserved best of their country in the Civil War； the men who were Southern by birth； but who stood loyally by the Union； the men like General Thomas of Virginia； and like Farragut's own flag…captain at the battle of Mobile Bay； Drayton of South Carolina。 It was an easy thing in the North to support the Union； and it was a double disgrace to be； like Vallandigham and the Copperheads； against it； and in the South there were a great multitude of men； as honorable as they were brave； who； from the best of motives； went with their States when they seceded； or even advocated secession。 But the highest and loftiest patriots； those who deserved best of the whole country； we re the men from the South who possessed such heroic courage； and such lofty fealty to the high ideal of the Union； that they stood by the flag when their fellows deserted it； and unswervingly followed a career devoted to the cause of the whole nation and of the whole people。 Among all those who fought in this； the greatest struggle for righteousness which the present century has seen； these men stand preeminent； and among them Farragut stands first。 It was his good fortune that by his life he offered an example； not only of patriotism； but of supreme skill and daring in his profession。 He belongs to that class of commanders who possess in the highest degree the qualities of courage and daring； of readiness to assume responsibility； and of willingness to run great risks； the qualities without which no commander； however cautious and able； can ever become really great。 He possessed also the unwearied capacity for taking thought in advance； which enabled him to prepare for victory before the day of battle came； and he added to this。 an inexhaustible fertility of resource and presence of mind under no matter what strain。
His whole career should be taught every American schoolboy； for when that schoolboy becomes a voter he should have learned the lesson that the United States； while it ought not to become an overgrown military power； should always have a first…class navy； formidable from the number of its ships； and formidable still more from the excellence of the individual ships and the high character of the officers and men。 Farragut saw the war of 1812； in which； though our few frigates and sloops fought some glorious actions； our coasts were blockaded and insulted； and the Capitol at Washington burned； because our statesmen and our people had been too short…sighted to build a big fighting navy； and Farragut was able to perform his great feats on the Gulf coast because； when the Civil War broke out； we had a navy which； though too small in point of numbers； was composed of ships as good as any afloat。
Another lesson to be learned by a study of his career is that no man in a profession so highly technical as that of the navy can win a great success unless he has been brought up in and specially trained for that profession； and has devoted his life to the work。 This fact was made plainly evident in the desperate hurly…burly of the night battle with the Confederate flotilla below New Orleansthe incidents of this hurly…burly being； perhaps； best described by the officer who； in his report of his own share in it； remarked that 〃all sorts of things happened。〃 Of the Confederate rams there were two； commanded by trained officers formerly in the United States navy； Lieutenants Kennon and Warley。 Both of these men handled their little vessels with remarkable courage； skill； and success； fighting them to the last； and inflicting serious and heavy damage upon the Union fleet。 The other vessels of the flotilla were commanded by men who had not been in the regular navy； who were merely Mississippi River captains； and the like。 These men were； doubtless； naturally as brave as any of the regular officers； but； with one or two exceptions； they failed ignobly。 in the time of trial； and showed a fairly startling contrast with the regular naval officers beside or against whom they fought。 This is a fact which may well be pondered by the ignorant or unpatriotic people who believe that the United States does not need a navy； or that it can improvise one； and improvise officers to handle it； whenever the moment of need arises。
When a boy； Farragut had sailed as a midshipman on the Essex in her famous cruise to the South Pacific； and lived through the murderous fight in which； after losing three fifths of her crew； she was captured by two British vessels。 Step by step he rose in his profession； but never had an opportunity of distinguishing himself until； when he was sixty years old； the Civil War broke out。 He was then made flag officer of the Gulf squadron； and the first success which the Union forces met with in the southwest was scored by him； when one night he burst the iron chains which the Confederates had stretched across the Mississippi； and； stemming the swollen flood with his splendidly…handled steam…frigates； swept past the forts； sank the rams and gunboats that sought to bar his path； and captured the city of New Orleans。 After further exciting service on the Mississippi； service in which he turned a new chapter in the history of naval warfare by showing the possibilities of heavy seagoing vessels when used on great rivers； he again went back to the Gulf； and； in the last year of the war； was allotted the task of attempting the capture of Mobile； the only important port still left open to the Confederates。
In August； 1864； Farragut was lying with his fleet off Mobile Bay。 For months he had been eating out his heart w
