captains of the civil war-第17章
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g is nothing to the evils of the rivergetting on shore； running foul of one another； losing anchors； etc。〃 In a confidential letter home he is still more outspoken。 〃They will keep us in this river till the vessels break down and all the little reputation we have made has evaporated。 The Government appears to think that we can do anything。 They expect； me to navigate the Mississippi nine hundred miles in the face of batteries； ironclad rams； etc。； and yet with all the ironclad vessels they have North they could not get to Norfolk or Richmond。〃
Back from Washington came still more urgent orders to join the Mississippi flotilla which was coming down to Vicksburg from the north under Flag Officer Charles H。 Davis。 So once more the fleet worked its laboriously wasteful way up to Vicksburg； where it passed the forts with the help of Porter's flotilla of mortar…boats on the twenty…eighth of June and joined Davis on the first of July。 There； in useless danger； the joint forces lay till the fifteenth； the day on which Grant's own 〃most anxious period of the war〃 began on the Memphis…Corinth line； four hundred miles above。
Farragut； getting very anxious about the shoaling of the water； was then preparing to run down when he heard firing in the Yazoo； a tributary that joined the Mississippi four miles higher up。 This came from a fight between one of his reconnoitering gunboats； the Carondelet； and the Arkansas； an ironclad Confederate ram that would have been very dangerous indeed if her miserable engines had been able to give her any speed。 She was beating the Carondelet； but getting her smoke…stack so badly holed that her speed dropped down to one knot； which scarcely gave her steerage way and made her unable to ram。 Firing hard she ran the gauntlet of both fleets and took refuge under the Vicksburg bluffs； whence she might run out and ram the Union vessels below。 Farragut therefore ran down himself； hoping to smash her by successive broadsides in passing。 But the difficulties of the passage wasted the daylight； so that he had to run by at night。 She therefore survived his attack； and went downstream to join the Confederates against Baton Rouge。 But her engines gave way before she got there； and she had to be blown up。
Farragut was back at New Orleans before the end of July。 On the fifth of August the Confederates made their attack on Baton Rouge； but were beaten back by the Union garrison aided by three of Farragut's gunboats and two larger vessels from Davis's command。 The losses were not very severe on either side； but the Union lost a leader of really magnificent promise in its commanding general； Thomas Williams； a great…hearted； cool…headed man and most accomplished officer。 The garrison of Baton Rouge； being too small and sickly and exposed； was withdrawn to New Orleans a few days later。
Then Farragut at last returned to the Gulf blockade。 Davis went back up the river； where he was succeeded by D。D。 Porter in October。 And the Confederates； warned of what was coming； made Port Hudson and Vicksburg as strong as they could。 Vicksburg was now the only point they held on the Mississippi where there were rails on both sides； and the Red River； flowing in from the West between Vicksburg and Port Hudson； was the only good line of communication connecting them with Texas； whence so much of their meat was obtained。
For three months Farragut directed the Gulf blockade from Pensacola； where； on the day of his arrival； the twentieth of August； he was the first American to hoist an admiral's flag。 The rank of rear…admiral in the United States Navy had been created on the previous sixteenth of July； and Farragut was the senior of the first three officers upon whom it was conferred。
Farragut became the ranking admiral just when the United States Navy was having its hardest struggle to do its fivefold duty well。 There was commerce protection on the high seas； blockade along the coast； cooperation with the army on salt water and on fresh； and of course the destruction of the nascent Confederate forces afloat。 But perhaps a knottier problem than any part of its combatant duty was how to manage； in the very midst of war； that rapid expansion of its own strength for which no government had let it prepare in time of peace。 During this year the number of vessels in commission grew from 264 to 427。 Yet such a form of expansion was much simpler than that of the enlisted men； and the expansion of even the most highly trained enlisted personnel was very much simpler than the corresponding expansion of the officers。 Happily for the United States Navy it started with a long lead over its enemy。 More happily still it could expand with the help of greatly superior resources。 Most happily of all； the sevenfold expansion that was effected before the war was over could be made under leaders like Farragut： leaders； that is； who； though in mere numbers they were no more； in proportion to their whole service； than the flag as mere material is to a man…of…war； were yet； as is the flag； the living symbol of a people's soul。
Commerce protection on the high seas was an exceedingly harassing affair。 A few swift raiders； having the initiative； enjoyed great advantages over a far larger number of defending vessels。 Every daring raid was trumpeted round the world； bringing down unmeasured； and often unmerited； blame on the defense。 The most successful vigilance would； on the other hand； pass by unheeded。 The Union navy lacked the means of patrolling the sea lanes of commerce over millions and millions of desolate square miles。 Consequently the war…risk insurance rose to a prohibitive height on vessels flying the Stars and Stripes； and； as a further result； enormous transfers were made to other flags。 The incessant calls for recruits； afloat and ashore； and to some extent the lure of the western lands； also robbed the merchant service of its men。 Thus； one way and another； the glory of the old merchant marine departed with the Civil War。
Blockade was more to the point than any attempt to patrol the sea lanes。 Yet it was even more harassing； for it involved three distinct though closely correlated kinds of operation： not only the seizure； in conjunction with the army； of enemy ports； and the patrolling of an enemy coastline three thousand miles long； but also the patrolling of those oversea ports from which most contraband came。 This oversea patrol was the most effective； because it went straight to the source of trouble。 But it required extraordinary vigilance； because it had to be conducted from beyond the three…mile limit； and with the greatest care for all the rights of neutrals。
By mid…November Farragut was back at New Orleans。 A month later General Banks arrived with reinforcements。 He superseded General Butler and was under orders to cooperate with McClernand； Grant's second…in…command； who was to come down the Mississippi from Cairo。 But the proposed meeting of the two armies never took place。 Banks remained south of Port Hudson； McClernand far north of Vicksburg； for； as we shall see in the next chapter； Sherman's attempt to take Vicksburg from the North failed on the twenty…ninth of December。
The naval and river campaigns of '62 thus ended in disappointment for the Union。 And； on New Year's Day； Galveston； which Farragut had occupied in October without a fight and which was lightly garrisoned by three hundred soldiers； fell into Confederate hands under most exasperating circumstances。 After the captain and first lieutenant of the U。S。S。 Harriet Lane had been shot by the riflemen aboard two cotton…clad steamers the next officer tamely surrendered。 Commander Renshaw； who was in charge of the blockade； amply redeemed the honor of the Navy by refusing to surrender the Westfield； in spite of the odds against him； and by blowing her up instead。 But when he died at the post of duty the remaining Union vessels escaped； and the blockade was raised for a week。
After that Commodore H。H。 Bell； one of Farragut's best men； closed in with a grip which never let go。 Yet even Bell suffered a reverse when he sent the U。S。S。 Hatteras to overhaul a strange vessel that lured her off some fifteen miles and sank her in a thirteen…minute fight。 This stranger was
