David Farragut

MAY 17, 1862.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

309

COMMODORE FARRAGUT.—[FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY HOLMES, 264 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.]

GEORGE PEABODY, ESQ.—[SEE PAGE 306.]

COMMODORE FARRAGUT, U.S.N.

FLAG-OFFICER DAVID G. FARRAGUT, the Commodore of the fleet now before New Orleans, is a native of the State of Tennessee, and is about sixty-three years of age. He is a citizen of his native State, and was appointed to the United States Navy from that State. He entered the service as a midshipman when a mere child, his warrant bearing date December 17, 1810. He was first on board the Essex, under the redoubtable Commodore David Porter, and served

with him also in the expedition around Cape Horn in 1813. After ten years of an adventurous life, in the year 1820 we find him still a midshipman on board the Franklin, a seventy-four-gun line-of-battle ship. On the 13th of January, 1825, he was commissioned a lieutenant.

In 1851 Lieutenant Farragut was ordered to act as Assistant Inspector of Ordnance, being second in command under Commodore Skinner. This position he held until after the end of the year 1853. Another field was at this time opened to the subject of our sketch by the establishment

of a new Navy-yard at Mare's Island, near San Francisco, California. Commander Farragut, then standing No. 18 on the list, was ordered to the chief command of this post, and became commandant of the new yard. In 1858 he was ordered to the command of the steam sloop Brooklyn, a twenty-five-gun vessel, forming a portion of the home Squadron under Flag-Officer M'Cluney. He was, however, removed from this command during the month of May, 1860, after being on board of the vessel over twenty months. When the present expedition was

fitted out Captain Farragut was appointed by the Navy Department as its Flag-Officer, and, judging by the reports that have reached us, he has bravely filled the position, and added one more sprig to the already heavy laurel wreath won by the navy of the United States.

Commodore Farragut is still an active and comparatively young-looking man. He has been twice married, the last time to the niece of George Loyall, Buchanan's Navy Agent at Norfolk, and one who is reported as bitter a secessionist as any in that vicinity.

CHARGE OF THE FIRST MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT ON A REBEL RIFLE PIT NEAR YORKTOWN.—SKETCHED BY MR. W. HOMER.—[SEE PAGE 315.]