and of
Farragut's career as well. The ships were halted in a narrow channel,
right beneath the forts; a few moments' delay meant that they would be
blown out of the water.
"What's the matter there?" he roared.
"Torpedoes!" came the cry from the Brooklyn's deck, for her captain had
perceived a line of little buoys stretching right across her path.
"Damn the torpedoes!" shouted the admiral. "Go ahead, Captain Drayton,"
he continued, addressing his own captain. "Four bells!" and the
Hartford, swinging aside, cleared the Brooklyn and took the lead.
On went the flagship across the line of torpedoes, which could be heard
knocking against her bottom as she passed, but not one of them exploded,
and a moment later, one of the most daring feats in naval history had
been accomplished. Farragut had seen, instantly, that the risk must be
taken, and so he took it.
The remainder of the fleet followed the flagship, the forts were passed,
and the battle virtually won. The Confederate fleet, and especially the
great ram, was still to be reckoned with, but before proceeding to that
portion of the task, Farragut steamed up the harbor and served breakfast
to his men. Just as this was finished, the Tennessee attacked, and put
up a desperate fight, but finally became unmanageable and was forced to
surrender.
So ended the battle of Mobile Bay. It left Farragut's fame secure as one
of the greatest sea-captains of all time; great in daring, in skill, in
foresight, and with a coolness and presence of mind which no peril
could shake. Congress created for him the grade of admiral, before
unknown in the United States navy, and the whole country joined in
honoring him.
Swinging to and fro with the ebb and flow of the tide at the entrance of
Mobile Bay, is a buoy which marks the spot of a deed of purest heroism.
A few fathoms below that buoy lies the monitor Tecumseh, sunk by a
torpedo at the beginning of the battle, as we have seen, and the buoy
commemorates, not the sinking of the ship, but the se
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John Addington Symonds (October 5, 1840 - April 19, 1893) was an English poet and literary critic. He was an early advocate of the validity of male love which included for him pederastic as well as egalitarian relationships, and which he would refer to as lamour de limpossible.