‘Damn the Torpedoes, full speed ahead!’

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'Damn the Torpedoes, full speed ahead!'

Those were the words of America's first U.S. Navy Admiral, David Farragut, as he forced his armada past Fort Morgan into Mobile Bay.

On Aug. 5, 1864, Mobile, Alabama, was one of the last ports not controlled by the Union Navy. Confederate “blockade runners,” once past Northern patrol boats, could land and unload their precious cargo under protection from the cannon batteries in the fort, keeping the South’s dwindling hopes alive.

The obvious problem for the Union was the Port of Mobile being controlled by three heavily fortified forts at the neck of the bay able to cut off the natural entrance with firepower.

Covering the western side were Forts Gaines and Powell but it was the imposing Fort Morgan on the eastern embankment that dictated access. Fort Morgan was strategic in the War of 1812 sitting on Mobile point, holding the British at bay. Once that war was over, with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, the United States got busy building one of this country’s premier fortifications.

Because it was so isolated, basically on a sliver of land that jutted out 13 miles into the bay, it took 15 years to build.

The fort was designed in the shape of a five-pointed star or pentagram. Being in the south, slave labor was used to build this formidable bastion.

Looking at the vast space inside, my friendly guide told me over 40,000,000 bricks were laid and fired at the site. That sounded like an astronomical amount until you walked around.

The fort was finally completed in 1834 with a staggering cost for the day of $1,026,777.

On Jan. 4, 1861, as pressure grew towards a Civil War, the Alabama Militia easily seized the Fort from the U S government.

During the Civil War the fortification provided safe passage for any and all pro southern shipping.

As the War swung in the favor of the Union, many Southern ports were captured. In 1864, the Port of Mobile would end up being the last Confederate controlled seaport on the Gulf.

That same year, Union Gen. William Sherman was driving his army towards Atlanta with plans to cut Georgia in half. Fort Morgan remained a thorn in the flank of his planned “march to the sea.”

Admiral Farragut received orders that summer to take the port “with all haste.”

Farragut put together a task force of 18 ships, including three ironclads. The plan was to closely rush by the heavily defended Fort with the ironclads on the inside, taking most of the fire. Once past Morgan’s guns the flotilla would engage the much smaller but capable Confederate Navy that was leFort

The men in these ships fought a different but equally hard type of war. If you were assigned an ironclad, the heat, smoke and daily soot along with scarce food, battles and diseases made casualty counts high.

It reminds me of the struggles these seamen, artillerists in forts and soldiers on the ground had to endure. Daily living was a struggle. In comparison to life today where nothing important is what we have to complain about ie: social media comments, overpricing, getting disrespected or family dramas, give me a break. Try living like our ancestors did during an all out war!

Tangents are my favorite part of writing, now where were we.

On Aug. 5, 1864 Farragut initiated his plan. The South had 49 cannons ready, with their largest piece being a “32 lb'er.” This would be a massive shot, like being hit by a launched Buick.

The Bay, with the water current running close to Morgan, was also dotted with underwater mines or at the time called “torpedoes.”

As the Union armada became engaged, the three ironclad, protecting the other 15 ships, tried to rush by the fort. Farragut’s prized lead ironclad the Tecumseh hit a torpedo and sank within minutes killing all 94 men on board.

During the heated exchange Farragut could not see other ships due to the smoke from both his ships and the fort’s cannon fire. He climbed the main mast of his flagship, the USS Hartford for a needed look. Hearing his ironclad strike the mine he came down and shouted his famous command, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” and they did.

During the Battle of Mobile Bay the fort reportedly fired over 500 rounds of all sizes, heavily damaging several ships but none other than the Tecumseh sank.

The Union force now entered the bay to engage the 3 wooden and 1 ironclad that were the only ships left in the Confederate Navy to defend the port.

CSS Tennessee was one of the Confederacy's largest and most acclaimed ironclad, commanded by Admiral Franklin Buchanan.

Quickly, the three wooden Confederate ships were overwhelmed, either sunk or disabled. The Tennessee was alone.

Ordered by Admiral Buchanan, the ship charged into the center of the Union ships to destroy at will and survive as best they could.

Ironclads can take a lot of punishment and deliver decisive blows to lesser ships but after two hours of exchange the Tennessee was struck in the rudder, causing it to flounder. She raised a white flag shortly thereafter.

Now controlling the Bay, Union forces proceeded to siege the Fort for two weeks. After an unrelenting 24 hour bombardment on Aug. 23, the remaining Fort Morgan guardians conceded.

The Battle of Mobile Bay was another death nail to the Confederacy.

Sympathies in the South die hard. Despite being under siege, the city of Mobile didn’t give up until April 12, 1865, three days after Lee surrendered to Grant.

Fort Morgan is a testament to U.S. History, touching on many important events that define our country’s fascinating and complex past.