Now tell me, do you know who that is off the top of your head? If you don't (or even if you do!), he was the first U.S. Navy Admiral. Cool right? I'm not much of a history nerd, but anything naval interests me. Here is a short biography of him:
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| David Glasgow Farragut 1801-1870 |
He was born July 5th, 1801 in Tennessee. His name at birth was James Glasgow Farragut, though he went by Glasgow as a child. Even when he was a small toddler he loved the water. He took every possible opportunity to cross the river with his father, the ferryman. His mother, Elizabeth Shine-Farragut, died in 1808 from cholera. His father was left crushed by his wife's death with all the children to care for. Captain David Porter asked Maj. George Farragut for permission to adopt one of the motherless Farragut children. Young Glasgow volunteered to go live with Captain Porter and his wife.
When Glasgow turned nine years old, he received his commission into the Navy. At that point, his adopted father, Captain Porter, changed his first name to David, the name he would have to given to his son if he had had one. Midshipman Farragut went on board the
Essex under the protection of Captain Porter, the commanding officer on board the
Essex.
Mister Farragut, as he was called on board the
Essex, served in the crew for three years. When he was twelve, the
Essex captured a British ship. There were not enough officers on board the
Essex to be spared to command the newly captured ship, so Midshipman Farragut was appointed commander of the vessel. Well, the British captain did not take kindly to being commanded by a twelve year old. He announced that he was going down below to get his guns and shoot young Farragut. Farragut ordered that the British officer be shot if he came out of his cabin. He wisely stayed below. Farragut sailed that ship back to American ports unharmed. (Pretty amazing for a 12 year old, huh?!)
Farragut continued to work for the U.S. Navy. When the Civil War started, he was torn by loyalty to state or loyalty to country. His love for the flag under which he sailed won. Many of his friends turned against him. His best friends told him to leave the South. Farragut did. Finally, the Navy called him to take a fleet of ships and sail up the Mississippi River to New Orleans. If New Orleans was conquered, then food could no longer come up the river to supply the cities and armies. The South would slowly be starved out.
When coming up the river to capture New Orleans, only one ship was there to oppose Farragut. This ship was an Iron-side commanded by Captain Buchanan--the very 'friend' who had told Farragut to leave the South. The
Tennessee crippled multiple ships of Farragut's fleet. Finally, one of Farragut's ships remembered the
Tennessee's weakness. All of her steering machinery was exposed. Once this was destroyed, the
Tennessee was grounded. She couldn't move.
The war was won and America remained united. Farragut was hailed as a hero and named Admiral of the U.S. Navy in 1866. The very first American Admiral. He died four years later in 1870. He was 69 years old. Farragut was a man who helped to ensure the unity and strength of his country. He gave it his all.
Today, there is an academy named after him. The Admiral Farragut Academy. This academy is in St. Petersburg, FL. There are also two memorial statues of this naval hero.
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| This memorial statue is in Washington DC, two blocks from the White House. |
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| This statue is in NYC |
