Lot 3
Farragut, David G., 1801-1870, Union Admiral; commanded the West Gulf Blockading Squadron; won the battle of Mobile Bay, then, without bloodshed, captured New Orleans
L.S., signed D.G. Farragut, two pages, 4to., U.S. flag Ship "Hartford" Off the City of New Orleans, May 5, 1862. To R.M Shiefeldt, U.S. Consul in Havana, Cuba. With integral docketed leaf attached.
Farragut sends news of the various routes blockade runners were using and of the desperate conditions in New Orleans, four days after the occupation of that city He writes in part: "…twenty to thirty thousands bales of cotton have been destroyed by the enemy between this place and Baton Rouge, I apprehend that there is not a great deal left of last year’s crop to be transported. New Orleans is truly desolate — its wharves are in ruins while its banks are overflowed to within a few inches of its top. There are about four sailing vessels in port, and five or six steamers preserved from the ruins. General Butler and myself are now using every effort to induce the people to bring in marketing from the Country, in order to prevent starvation in the City…"
Tipped into reinforcing frame around second leaf, fresh and Very Fine. Complete transcription available on request.
Estimate 4,000 - 6,000
A combined Army-Navy force was sent to close Mobile Bay to blockade running. Farragut’s Union fleet of eighteen ships entered the heavily mined Mobile Bay and received devastating fire from Forts Gaines and Morgan and other points. Union mortar boats began bombarding the forts but after a week Farragut assessed that the mortars were doing little damage. At 2 a.m. on April 24th, with the immortal words "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" [mines were referred to as torpedoes at the time] he gave the signal for the fleet to run past the forts. By dawn his entire force had done so without losing a single ship. He continued up the river and captured the undefended city of New Orleans the next day.
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| Realized $3,000 |
