The Civil War admiral who sailed straight into a minefield

Farragut’s Bold Charge Through Mobile Bay’s Minefields

On August 5, 1864, the fate of Mobile Bay hung in the air.

Admiral David Farragut led 18 Union ships toward Alabama’s last major Confederate port, which sat guarded by mines called “torpedoes” and the mighty Fort Morgan.

Trouble struck fast when USS Tecumseh hit a mine and sank in just 30 seconds.

As water rushed in, Commander Tunis Craven met pilot John Collins at the escape hatch and said, “After you, pilot,” giving up his life to save another.

When other ships froze in fear, Farragut yelled his now-famous order: “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!”

Today, Fort Morgan stands as a monument to this bold naval battle that helped win the Civil War.

Farragut Lined Up His Ships Like Pairs of Dancers

Union Admiral David Farragut set up his fleet for a risky attack on August 5, 1864. He arranged 18 ships in a smart pattern to attack Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Four ironclad monitors led the way, with Tecumseh at the front. Behind them came 14 wooden ships tied together in pairs for protection.

Farragut’s own flagship Hartford was tied to the Metacomet.

The attack began at 5:30 in the morning, with ships moving toward a bay guarded by Fort Morgan’s 46 big guns and underwater mines, called torpedoes back then.

The Tecumseh Sank in Just Half a Minute

At 7:40 that morning, disaster hit the Union fleet.

The lead ship USS Tecumseh turned left to fight the Confederate ironclad Tennessee but struck an underwater mine. The blast ripped through the ship’s hull, sinking it in just 30 seconds.

As water rushed in, Commander Tunis Craven and civilian pilot John Collins both reached the escape ladder together. Craven stepped back saying, “After you, pilot,” letting Collins escape while he went down with the ship.

Only 21 sailors out of 114 survived as the vessel vanished beneath the waves.

Brooklyn’s Captain Got Cold Feet Under Fire

Captain James Alden of the USS Brooklyn saw the Tecumseh sink and stopped suddenly. He feared pushing through the minefield after seeing what happened.

This caused a traffic jam as Union ships piled up behind him, all while Fort Morgan’s gunners blasted them with cannon fire. The ships drifted too close to the fort’s guns as Confederate gunners found their range.

Farragut climbed up Hartford’s mainmast to see through the thick battle smoke and spot what was going wrong.

Farragut Shouted His Famous Order and Took the Lead

Seeing his fleet in danger, Farragut made a bold choice. He yelled down to Hartford’s captain Percival Drayton: “Damn the torpedoes!

Drayton, four bells! ” Then he called to Metacomet’s commander James Jouett: “Jouett, full speed!”

This ordered them to move ahead at top speed. The Hartford and Metacomet passed the stalled Brooklyn to lead through the dangerous minefield.

Farragut bet that most torpedoes had been underwater too long to work properly.

The Fleet Made It Through Without Hitting a Single Mine

Farragut’s gamble worked perfectly. The Hartford sailed through the torpedo field without any explosions.

All 17 remaining Union ships followed Hartford’s path, and by 8:30 that morning, they had passed Fort Morgan’s guns. Once inside the bay, the ships got back into formation, now safe from the fort’s shore guns.

Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan saw the Union fleet coming and readied his small squadron of four ships for a fight.

Confederate Wooden Gunboats Got Crushed Quickly

The three Confederate wooden gunboats stood no chance against Farragut’s powerful fleet. The USS Metacomet chased down and captured the CSS Selma after cutting her off.

The CSS Gaines took so many hits that her crew had to run her aground to stop her from sinking, then set her on fire. Only the CSS Morgan managed to escape in the chaos, eventually making it back to Mobile.

This left Admiral Buchanan with just one ship, the ironclad CSS Tennessee, to face Farragut’s entire fleet alone.

Tennessee Took on the Whole Union Fleet Single-Handed

Admiral Buchanan made an incredibly brave move. He steamed his lone ironclad Tennessee straight at the Union fleet despite facing 18-to-1 odds.

The Tennessee tried to ram Union ships but moved too slowly because of her poor engines. Her thick iron armor stopped most Union shots at first as she fired back at multiple ships.

Buchanan told his crew to “Fight until you sink yourselves, but do not surrender. ” The Tennessee then anchored near Fort Morgan’s guns while Buchanan planned his next move.

Union Ships Played Bumper Cars with the Tennessee

Around 10 that morning, the Tennessee came out for one final attack against the regrouped Union fleet. Three Union ships – Monongahela, Lackawanna, and Hartford – took turns ramming the Confederate ironclad.

The Hartford pulled alongside and fired her entire broadside into Tennessee from just 12 feet away. Four Union monitors closed in and hammered the isolated Confederate flagship with their big guns.

The Tennessee lost her steering chains to Union fire, leaving her unable to turn or aim her guns.

Buchanan Broke His Leg and Raised the White Flag

The heavy Union bombardment sent iron fragments flying inside the Tennessee. One hit Admiral Buchanan’s leg, breaking it badly.

Two crew members died and eight others got wounded as Union shells exploded against the ship. With his ship unable to steer and the smokestack shot away, Buchanan knew they couldn’t keep fighting.

Commander James Johnston asked the wounded admiral for permission to surrender. At 10 AM, just three hours after the battle started, Johnston raised the white flag.

Wounded Confederates Got Medical Care in Pensacola

Farragut showed mercy to his defeated enemies. He sent Tennessee’s wounded sailors, including Admiral Buchanan, to Pensacola Naval Hospital under a flag of truce.

Buchanan later ended up as a prisoner at Fort Lafayette in New York until a prisoner exchange in February 1865. The Confederates lost 12 killed and 20 wounded, with 280 men captured from the Tennessee and Selma.

Union losses were much higher at 145 killed and 170 wounded, with most deaths coming from the Tecumseh sinking.

Mobile’s Fall Helped Lincoln Win Re-election

The battle closed Mobile Bay to Confederate blockade runners.

Fort Gaines gave up on August 8, and Fort Morgan surrendered on August 23, completely sealing off Mobile’s port. This cut off vital Confederate supply lines from Cuba and other foreign ports.

The victory came at a perfect time for President Lincoln, who faced a tough re-election campaign in 1864 after years of bloody war.

Combined with General Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in September, the Mobile Bay victory boosted Northern morale and helped secure Lincoln’s win in November.

The last major Confederate port on the Gulf Coast was now closed, tightening the Union’s naval grip on the South.

Visiting Fort Morgan, Alabama

Fort Morgan at 51 Hwy 180 West in Gulf Shores is where Admiral Farragut made his famous “Damn the Torpedoes” charge through Confederate minefields during the Battle of Mobile Bay.

You can explore the star-shaped fort and artillery positions on self-guided tours for $8 adults, $5 students/seniors, or $20 family passes. The fort opens 8am-5pm daily, museum 9am-4pm.

Active military get free admission with ID.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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