Description:

Farragut David 1801 - 1870 "Damn the torpedoes!" Historically important signal orders, recorded by Signal Officer Lieut. John C. Kinney, between Admiral Farragut and Captain Alden during the Battle of Mobile Bay – certified by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles!
"As commander of the steam sloop U.S.S. ‘Brooklyn,' [Capt. James Alden] led Admiral David Farragut's battle line into Mobile Bay. When Alden stopped under heavy fire to locate and clear mines, of one which had sunk the ironclad U.S.S. ‘Tecumseh' with all hands save two, Farragut, aboard the U.S.S. ‘Hartford,' is said to have shouted, "Damn the torpedoes, four bells (or full speed ahead)." --- nps.gov


John C. Kinney. Autograph Document unsigned, 2 pages, 5" x 8", separate sheets. On lightly lined graph paper. Expertly reinforced on verso. Lieutenant Kinney, the Signal Officer, has handwritten the signal orders he relayed between Admiral Farragut and Captain Alden. From the Estate of Gideon Welles who has docketed on verso of the second page: "Signals / Farragut & Alden / at Mobile. / Kinni sig. officer." Letter of Authenticity of renowned autograph dealer Paul C. Richards certifies that the "docket [is] in the hand of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy." Fine condition.

As the two columns of Federal ships began their entrance into Mobile Bay on the morning of August 5, 1864, one of the monitors in the starboard column began to cut across the line of travel of the port column to intercept a Confederate monitor. The "Brooklyn" headed the column of wooden-hulled ships in the port column. At 7:25 A.M. her captain, James Alden, ordered his ship to stop.

In "The Naval Institute Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy," Craig Symonds writes, "At 7:30, the ‘Tecumseh' struck a torpedo, and the iron ship went down in less than a minute, taking 93 of its 124-man crew down with it. A witness to this disaster, Capt. James Alden in the ‘Brooklyn' saw floating objects in the water ahead and ordered his engines backed to stop forward progress. Farragut, in the ‘Hartford,' veered to port to pass ahead of the ‘Brooklyn' on a course that took him directly into the mine field.

"Alden called across that there were mines ahead, to which Farragut is supposed to have replied: ‘Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead.'" Neither Alden's warning nor Farragut's reply to his crew appear in these signal orders because these were not signal orders, but given verbally. It appears that Farragut's iconic order was given shortly after 7:30 AM, after Capt. Alden signaled that the "Tecumseh" was sunk by a torpedo and 7:35 A.M. when Admiral Farragut signaled the "Brooklyn" to "Go ahead," since he had ordered his ship full speed ahead.

Capt. Alden: "From the Brooklyn / The monitors are right ahead. / We cannot go ahead without pass= / ing them.Capt Alden / 7.25 am"

Adm. Farragut: "Capt of Brooklyn / Tell the monitors to go ahead / and then take your station / By order of Admiral Farragut: / 7.30 A.M."

Capt. Alden: "To Admiral Farragut. / Our best Monitor is sunk. / Capt. Alden. / 7.35" The monitor "Tecumseh" struck a torpedo at 7:30 A.M.

Adm. Farragut: "Capt. of Brooklyn / Go ahead / Admiral F. / 7.35"

Adm. Farragut: "Capt of Lackawana. Get ready & run down the / ram / Admiral F. / 8.30. (over)

Adm. Farragut: "To Ram Winnebago / Run down the Ram / Admiral F."

Adm. Farragut: "To Winnebago & Lackawana / Send your boats to the / ram & save the men"

Adm. Farragut: "To Capt of Lackawana / For God's sake keep out of the way & anchor / Admiral F." "(T.H. Stevens)" is penned in tiny script to the left of "Admiral F." Commander T.H. Stevens commanded the "Winnebago."

From the Estate of Gideon Wells, these signal orders were exhibited at the Mystic Seaport exhibit "America at Sea," 2005-2008.

Provenance: The Paul DeHaan Collection of Items Related to Admiral D.G. Farragut and the USS "Hartford"

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