Sunday, August 5, 2012

Seafaring Sunday: "Damn the Torpedoes!"


August 5, 1864: Union Navy Rear Admiral David Farragut wins the Battle of Mobile Bay, closing down the last Confederate port on the Gulf Coast.  He famously tied himself into the rigging of his ship during the action to guide his fleet through Confederate torpedoes and uttered the memorable line “Damn the torpedoes!  Full speed (or go) ahead!”

Header: World War I U.S. Navy recruiting poster featuring Farragut at Mobile Bay from the author's collection

2 comments:

Timmy! said...

Huzzah! for Admiral Farragut, Pauline! If that doesn't inspire the brethren, I don't know what will...

Pauline said...

Nothing says awesome quite like those Porter boys! Huzzah indeed.