Details
FARRAGUT, DAVID G., Rear-Admiral, U.S.N. Autograph manuscript PLAN FOR THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, n.p. [probably on board the flagship U.S.S. Hartford], n.d. [probably 20] - 21 April [1862]. Two pages, folio, on blue laid paper, folds strengthened with thin tissue.
FARRAGUT'S ORIGINAL BATTLE PLAN AND SHIP REGISTER FOR THE UNION NAVY'S ASSAULT ON NEW ORLEANS
A remarkable hand-drawn battle plan setting out Farragut's strategy for what became one of the greatest Union naval triumphs of the Civil War. The plan shows the channel of the Mississippi (labeled simply, "The River"), its shoreline, the Confederate barricade of chained unmanned ships across the river narrows, and the two defending Confederate forts, Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip (each labeled). In the river channel beneath the barricade, Farragut has roughly indicated the Union flotilla at anchor, captioned: "Our vessels at the present anchorage some of them are Transports for Coal & Ammunition." Above the barricade, he has then sketched the single-file line of Union vessels, in two divisions, as he intends them to proceed upriver past the two forts, where the Confederates had concentrated their artillery. In the blank margin is Farragut's detailed explanatory note, marked "Description: The Squadron are anchored principally now, on the left [west] Shore of the River. After we shall have succeeded in passing the barricade we all keep along & attack Fort Jackson [on the western bank]. The first Division leads, then the 2nd Division of Ships, is to follow the dotted line, and attack Fort St. Philip, until the gun-boats all get past both Forts, & then the whole Fleet are to proceed on their way up." Then, very likely the next day, Farragut makes a dated modification to his plan: "April 21st: I have just been informed that the barricade was forced last Night, by cutting the Chains - it was not blown up. We may expect to start up now, at any moment."
On the verso of the battle plan is Farragut's autograph register of the ships in his fleet, divided into "1st Division of Ships," 2nd Division of Ships," "1st Division of Gun-Boats," and "2nd Division of Gun-Boats." Each of the 18 naval vessels is listed by name, followed by the name of her captain. Commanders of the two divisions of gun-boats are recorded and Farragut notes which gun-boat division is to accompany which division of warships.
A keystone of the north's war strategy was to gain control of the Mississippi River; the principal step in this direction was the capture of New Orleans. Farragut was proposed as a Commander for the expedition and the idea was presented to him in a meeting in Washington in December 1861. Soon after, he was appointed to command the West Coast Blockading Squadron. Confidential orders issued him on January 20 directed him to "proceed up the Mississippi River and reduce the defenses which guard the approaches to New Orleans, when you will appear off that city and take possession of it under the guns of your squadron." A flotilla of mortar boats, commanded by Admiral D.D. Porter, accompanied Farragut's squadron. The Confederate defenses, located some 40 miles upriver from the mouth of the Mississippi, consisted of the heavily fortified Forts Jackson and St. Philip. On the morning of April 18 the mortar boats began a bombardment of the forts which lasted a full six days (it is estimated that 7,500 shells were fired at Fort Jackson alone). Still, the forts remained virtually undamaged by the hail of shells, so "Farragut reached the momentous decision to run by the forts before they were reduced--a movement contrary to the orders of the [Navy] Department and the advice of some of his ablest officers" (DAB). At 2 a.m. on 24 April Farragut ordered the squadron to run the forts. The wooden ships immediately came under a withering fire from the Confederate forts; Farragut's own ship, the Hartford, ran aground and was almost set afire by deadly fire rafts launched from shore. A Confederate ironclad, the Manassas valiantly attacked the Union column, damaging two warships before being run aground and sunk. But Farragut's dangerous gamble had succeeded: in spite of many casualties only one ship had been sunk by rebel gunboats and all but three of his squadron's ships successfully passed the forts. Proceeding upstream, his ships fought a fierce engagement with the Confederate flotilla, sinking 11 ships. On the 25th they anchored off the levee at New Orleans, which surrendered without a shot being fired. On the 28th the isolated Forts Jackson and St. Philip surrendered in turn. "By his energy, audacity, and application of correct strategic principles, Farragut had won a magnificent victory, the moral effect of which abroad as well as at home was exceedingly great. His achievement made him the leading officer of the Navy...." (DAB). "Capturing New Orleans and closing the Mississippi may well have been the Union Navy's most important achievement....The Confederacy lost at one and the same time the South's largest city and its most important port" (William M. Fowler, Jr., Under Two Flags: The American Navy in the Civil War, 1990, p.126, Chapters 5 and 6, and fn. reprinting Farragut's Order of Battle). At the request of President Lincoln, Farragut was the first to be granted the rank of Rear-Admiral, in July 1862.
Provenance:
Harry J. Sonneborn (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 5 June 1980, lot 145).
FARRAGUT'S ORIGINAL BATTLE PLAN AND SHIP REGISTER FOR THE UNION NAVY'S ASSAULT ON NEW ORLEANS
A remarkable hand-drawn battle plan setting out Farragut's strategy for what became one of the greatest Union naval triumphs of the Civil War. The plan shows the channel of the Mississippi (labeled simply, "The River"), its shoreline, the Confederate barricade of chained unmanned ships across the river narrows, and the two defending Confederate forts, Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip (each labeled). In the river channel beneath the barricade, Farragut has roughly indicated the Union flotilla at anchor, captioned: "Our vessels at the present anchorage some of them are Transports for Coal & Ammunition." Above the barricade, he has then sketched the single-file line of Union vessels, in two divisions, as he intends them to proceed upriver past the two forts, where the Confederates had concentrated their artillery. In the blank margin is Farragut's detailed explanatory note, marked "Description: The Squadron are anchored principally now, on the left [west] Shore of the River. After we shall have succeeded in passing the barricade we all keep along & attack Fort Jackson [on the western bank]. The first Division leads, then the 2nd Division of Ships, is to follow the dotted line, and attack Fort St. Philip, until the gun-boats all get past both Forts, & then the whole Fleet are to proceed on their way up." Then, very likely the next day, Farragut makes a dated modification to his plan: "April 21st: I have just been informed that the barricade was forced last Night, by cutting the Chains - it was not blown up. We may expect to start up now, at any moment."
On the verso of the battle plan is Farragut's autograph register of the ships in his fleet, divided into "1st Division of Ships," 2nd Division of Ships," "1st Division of Gun-Boats," and "2nd Division of Gun-Boats." Each of the 18 naval vessels is listed by name, followed by the name of her captain. Commanders of the two divisions of gun-boats are recorded and Farragut notes which gun-boat division is to accompany which division of warships.
A keystone of the north's war strategy was to gain control of the Mississippi River; the principal step in this direction was the capture of New Orleans. Farragut was proposed as a Commander for the expedition and the idea was presented to him in a meeting in Washington in December 1861. Soon after, he was appointed to command the West Coast Blockading Squadron. Confidential orders issued him on January 20 directed him to "proceed up the Mississippi River and reduce the defenses which guard the approaches to New Orleans, when you will appear off that city and take possession of it under the guns of your squadron." A flotilla of mortar boats, commanded by Admiral D.D. Porter, accompanied Farragut's squadron. The Confederate defenses, located some 40 miles upriver from the mouth of the Mississippi, consisted of the heavily fortified Forts Jackson and St. Philip. On the morning of April 18 the mortar boats began a bombardment of the forts which lasted a full six days (it is estimated that 7,500 shells were fired at Fort Jackson alone). Still, the forts remained virtually undamaged by the hail of shells, so "Farragut reached the momentous decision to run by the forts before they were reduced--a movement contrary to the orders of the [Navy] Department and the advice of some of his ablest officers" (DAB). At 2 a.m. on 24 April Farragut ordered the squadron to run the forts. The wooden ships immediately came under a withering fire from the Confederate forts; Farragut's own ship, the Hartford, ran aground and was almost set afire by deadly fire rafts launched from shore. A Confederate ironclad, the Manassas valiantly attacked the Union column, damaging two warships before being run aground and sunk. But Farragut's dangerous gamble had succeeded: in spite of many casualties only one ship had been sunk by rebel gunboats and all but three of his squadron's ships successfully passed the forts. Proceeding upstream, his ships fought a fierce engagement with the Confederate flotilla, sinking 11 ships. On the 25th they anchored off the levee at New Orleans, which surrendered without a shot being fired. On the 28th the isolated Forts Jackson and St. Philip surrendered in turn. "By his energy, audacity, and application of correct strategic principles, Farragut had won a magnificent victory, the moral effect of which abroad as well as at home was exceedingly great. His achievement made him the leading officer of the Navy...." (DAB). "Capturing New Orleans and closing the Mississippi may well have been the Union Navy's most important achievement....The Confederacy lost at one and the same time the South's largest city and its most important port" (William M. Fowler, Jr., Under Two Flags: The American Navy in the Civil War, 1990, p.126, Chapters 5 and 6, and fn. reprinting Farragut's Order of Battle). At the request of President Lincoln, Farragut was the first to be granted the rank of Rear-Admiral, in July 1862.
Provenance:
Harry J. Sonneborn (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 5 June 1980, lot 145).