In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, the United States navy had
but ninety vessels of all kinds. Twenty-one of these were not fit for
service. Only eleven of those in commission were in American waters. The
rest, which were scattered all over the world, were recalled at once.
Some of those in far away ports were commanded by southern captains, and
it would take them several months to reach America.
It was feared that they would take their vessels into southern ports,
and turn them over to the Confederate government. These fears, however,
were groundless, for all the vessels were safely brought into northern
ports. With few exceptions, all the naval officers were loyal to the
United States.
Of all these naval officers, none was more loyal than Captain Farragut.
In his home in Virginia, he had watched the growing troubles with a sad
heart. He was a southerner by birth, and his most tender ties were in
Virginia. It was there that he had spent many years with the Porter
family, and there he had numerous friends. It was there, also, that he
had married and made his home.
He knew that, should war break out, he would be called upon to choose
between his friends in the South, and his government in the North.
"God forbid," he said, "that I should have to raise my hand against the
South." These very words showed that his decision had been made.
He felt that he owed his first allegiance to the United States
government, which had given him his education, employment, and rank. He
could not take up arms against the flag of his country. It was under
this flag that he had received his first commission as midshipman. In
that proud moment he had taken his oath to die in its defense.
On the ocean, he had seen the proudest colors lowered to the victorious
stars and stripes. At Valparaiso, he had stood on the bloody deck of the
_Essex_, and had seen men give their lives in order that the flag should
not be hauled down. He had traveled from ocean to ocean, and had seen
the star spangled banner respected by all nations.
For some weeks before the actual beginning of war, there was much
excitement in Norfolk. Every day the men met together in the stores to
talk over the latest news, and there were many lively discussions among
them. In these meetings, Captain Farragut boldly asserted his loyalty to
the government, and this caused him the loss of many of his friends.
One morning, when in discussion with some officers, one of them said to
him, "A person of your sentiments cannot live in Norfolk."
"Well, then," he calmly replied, "I can live somewhere else."
He felt that the time for action had come. He went home at once, and
told his wife that he was going to "stick to the flag," and that they
must move to the North.
With sad hearts, they sailed away from Norfolk.
They went to New York, and made their home on the Hudson, in a town
called Hastings.
Even there, Captain Farragut met with a cold reception. The people were
suspicious of the southern officer who had come to live among them. They
did not consider the great sacrifice that he had made in leaving home
and friends.
Determined to do his duty, he wrote to offer his services to the
government. Congress could not, at once, accept them. No minor position
could be given to Captain Farragut; it must be one full of
responsibility.
It was not long, however, until the government had need of his services.
The Mississippi River separated two large sections of the southern
states, and its control was of the greatest importance to both the North
and the South.
At the beginning of the war, all the river from Cairo, Illinois, to the
Gulf, was controlled by the South. The capture of the upper forts in
this section was first attempted by the North.
Large armies marched against them by land, and a fleet of river gunboats
sailed down from the north to assist them. These gunboats were river
steamers which the government had covered with plates of iron and armed
with cannon.
While the northern river forts were thus being attacked, an expedition
was planned to capture the fortifications near the river's mouth.
The strongest of these were Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip. These were
between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico, and their capture would give
New Orleans to the North. This was considered a very important
undertaking.
After much discussion, the Navy Department decided that Captain Farragut
was best fitted to command this expedition. So Commander David D. Porter
was sent to Hastings to talk the matter over with him. This commander
was the son of the Captain Porter who had adopted David Farragut when a
boy.
When Captain Farragut heard of the proposed expedition he was very
enthusiastic. He hurried at once to Washington, where he was appointed
commander of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron. This was in January,
1862. His orders were to capture Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and take
New Orleans.
A few weeks before this an event took place which came near making
serious trouble for the United States. The Confederate government had
appointed two commissioners, John Slidell and James Mason, to go to
England to see if they could not get help from that country.
As it would be dangerous for them to sail in a Confederate vessel, they
went to Havana, Cuba, where they took passage in an English vessel named
the _Trent_.
Although they had tried to do this very secretly, Captain Wilkes,
commanding a warship of the United States, heard about it, and
determined to capture these men, if possible. So he pursued the _Trent_
and obliged her to stop.
The Confederate commissioners refused to leave the _Trent_, and,
therefore, Captain Wilkes sent an armed force on board and carried them
off. He then took them to Boston harbor, where they were imprisoned in a
fort of the United States.
This act caused great indignation in England, and it was only through
the prompt and wise action of President Lincoln and Congress that war
was averted. An apology was made and the Confederate commissioners were
allowed to proceed on their voyage without further molestation.