View single post by susansweet
 Posted: Sun Jan 7th, 2007 03:44 am
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susansweet
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Joined: Sun Sep 4th, 2005
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Mana: 
 Farragut was on his command shiip Hartford , one ironclad in front of him.  The topedoes or as we call them mines were stretched out ahead of him.   The topedoes were not very effective not always going off when a ship went over them.  The Ironclad USS Tecumseh  ahead of  Farragut 's ship that was lashed  to another smaller ship .  The Tecusmseh hit a mine and went down with almost all hands lost. 

The other ships started to back up to turn around . Farragut knew to go back they would have to face the guns of the two forts at the entrance to the bay.  He counted on the mines not blowing up his ships as they went over them.  Hence, Damn the topedoes ,  Full speed ahead.  Farragut was up in the riggings in his regular place during a battle and could see the topedos in the water They all made it over them and the battle started. 

Oh and Buchanan and Farragut were good friends before the war.