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C3. Admiral David Farragut Sitting In Uniform With Hat On Lap And Sword

David Farragut was born on 5 July 1801 in Tennessee, but lost his mother at an early age andwas adopted by David Porter. He was appointed a midshipman at age 9, and served in theWar of 1812. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1825, commander in 1841 and rose to therank of captain in 1855. He served routine and standard duties, and saw little combat until the Civil War when he was 60 years old.

On 18 April 1861, the day after Virginia seceded from the Union, Farragut left his home in Norfolk, Virginia and remained loyal to the Union. The US Navy named him as commander of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron in 1861 and charged him with capturing NewOrleans. Slipping past the guns at Fort Jackson, and Fort Saint Philip, Farragut arrived at the city on 25 April 1862, and it was captured five days later. His success gave the North a confidence boost. His victory was of strategic importance, opening much of the Mississippi River to the North, and impeding European recognition of the South.

In March 1863, he attacked the batteries at Port Hudson and his flagship, Hartford and a gunboat, passed them. On 1 August 1863, Farragut sailed for New York. Hartford, which had been struck 240 times by shot and shell, as well as Farragut, were well received in New York.  On 5 August 1864, Farragut struck at Mobile, Alabama, and fought past the defensesand captured the Confederate ships in the area. Although the city itself was not captured until April 1865, Farragut effectively closed the Confederacy’s last major Gulf port. When hislead ship, an ironclad, Tecumseh, struck a mine (a.k.a. torpedo) and sunk immediately,Farragut shouted the memorable words: Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.

For leading his fleet to the capture of New Orleans (1862) he was promoted to rear admiral, and for the capture of Mobile Bay (1864) he was promoted to vice admiral, the first man inthe U.S. Navy to hold that title. Congress had created two grades for him — vice-admiral in1864 and admiral in 1866. He died on 10 November 1870 at age 69. $150.

C6. Rear Admiral James Lardner (USN 1820-1866)

Commodore in 1862 and named Rear Admiral in 1866 while on retired list.  Died 12 April 1881. James Lardner commanded the steam frigate Susquehanna and was part of Du Pont’s circle of fire at Port Royal during the Civil War in 1861. He also commanded the East Coast blockading squadron in 1862-1863 and the West Indian Squadron in 1864. $100