Naval officer; born near
Knoxville, Tenn., July 5, 1801; son of
George Farragut, who was a native of Minorca; came to
America in 1776; entered the
Continental army; was a bugler, it is supposed, at the age of seventeen, in the battle of the Cowpens; attained the rank of major; settled in
Tennessee; and was master in the United States navy, serving under
Patterson in the defence of New Orleans.
David entered the navy as midshipman when between nine and ten years of age, first serving under
Porter, and was with him in the terrible fight at
Valparaiso.
He was promoted to commander in 1841, having served faithfully up to that time.
Still persevering in duty, he was placed in very responsible positions afloat and ashore, and when the
Civil War broke out he was in command of the
Brooklyn, steam sloop-of-war.
He commanded the naval expedition against New Orleans in the spring of 1862, having the
Hartford as his flag-ship.
Organizing the West Gulf blockading squadron, on his arrival in the
Gulf of Mexico, by boldness and skill, with admirable assistants, he went up to New Orleans triumphantly.
He operated with great vigor on the
Mississippi River, afterwards, between New Orleans and
Vicksburg; and on July 16, 1862, was placed first on the list of proposed admirals.
In 1863 he co-operated in the capture of
Port Hudson, and in August, 1864, defeated the Confederate forces in
Mobile Bay.
His exploits in the
Gulf region gave him great fame, and in December, 1864, he received the thanks
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of Congress, and the rank of vice-admiral was created expressly for him. In July, 1866, he was promoted to admiral.
He visited
Europe in 1867-68, and was received with the highest honors.
He died in
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 14, 1870.
See
Mobile, Ala.;
New Orleans.
