Did you know that amongst the ranks of the great war heroes in early American history, there were two individuals of Hispanic heritage who happened to be of Hispanic heritage? If you were to visit Washington DC, you may come across the surname “Farragut”. That surname comes from two naval officers, who happened to be father and son, who both left their impact on American naval history. Both not only fought for our country, but they both began their naval careers at a young age, and both also experienced being prisoners of the British forces. Today’s post is all about the Farragut family.
Jordi Farragut Mesquida – American Revolutionary War
A native of Ciudadela on the island of Menorca, Jordi Farragut Mesquida, born in 1755, was one of the earliest notable Hispanics who served our country. At the young age of ten, he went to sea and went on to serve in the Spanish merchant marine which took him to Spanish America in the early 1770s where he was in charge of a cargo ship that helped facilitate trade between the port cities of Havana, Veracruz and New Orleans. Around that time, he heard about the American Revolution, a cause he found interest in. During the American Revolution, he served with the South Carolina Navy where he worked his way up. He went on to command a battery protecting the city of Charleston from the British forces.
Unfortunately, Farragut was taken as prisoner by the British and was taken to Philadelphia. He was eventually released in a prisoner exchange, and returned to the battlefield where he went on to participate in the Battles of Cowpens and Wilmington. From 1782-1783, he was the Major of a North Carolina State Regiment unit. Even after the U.S. Constitution took effect in the late 1780s, Farragut remained in service to the US Military where he notably served alongside Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812. Farragut married Elizabeth Shine with whom he went on to form a family. One of their children, James Glasgow Farragut went on to become a star naval officer under the name of “David Farragut” (see below). Jordi passed away in Mississippi in 1817.
SOURCES:
David Glasgow Farragut – War of 1812 and Civil War
Born in 1801 near Knoxville (Tennessee), David was born “James Glasgow Farragut”, the son of naval officer Jordi Farragut (see above) and Elizabeth Shine. The story begins in the early 1810s where the young Farragut began his naval career serving on board several ships. He was even able to fight in the War of 1812. In 1814, he participated in a battle between the American vessel Essex and two British vessels off the coast of Valparaiso, Chile. Amongst his other early naval adventures included exploring the Galapagos Islands, commanding several prize ships, and even being taken prisoner by the British after a battle with the Royal Navy. Farragut rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of lieutenant in 1825, Commander in 1841, and Captain in 1855.
From 1854 to 1859, he served as commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard in California. Upon the commencement of the Civil War in the early 1860s, Farragut, despite being a native Southerner, stayed loyal to the Union. In April 1862, he led Union troops to victory recapturing the city of New Orleans. Subsequent victories followed in Baton Rouge and Vicksburg. Farragut’s most notable moment in the war however was on August 5, 1864 during the Battle of Mobile Bay. During that battle, the USS Tecumseh hit a mine (at the time called a “torpedo”) and sank. Faced with the decision of either retreating or sailing through a minefield, he famously yelled his famous words “DAMN THE TORPEDOES, FULL SPEED AHEAD!” and rallied his men to sail on through. After three hours of battle, the CSS Tennessee surrendered giving the Union another major victory.
The war earned Farragut major esteem with President Lincoln commissioning the rank of rear admiral for him, then vice admiral in 1864. After the end of the Civil War, Farragut went on to become the first naval officer to be commissioned the rank of admiral in 1866. Unfortunately, his health began to fail in the post-war years. Despite that, he continued to command the US Navy until his death in 1870 during a visit in New Hampshire.
Comments