Battle of Mobile

naval Battle of the American Civil War, disputed the August 5th 1864.

She sees a northerner Escadre, under the orders of the Rear-admiral David Farragut, to force the entry of bay of Mobile and to override a squadron Southerner carried out by the battleship CS Tennessee.

The military situation

In July 1864, the northerners approach Atlanta. In accordance with the plan known as " anaconda" , which aimed at strangling the South, one of the objectives remaining, after the capture of the New-Orleans and Pensacola, was Mobile, last Bastion of the forcers of blockade Southerners.

The squadron of blockade of the West of the Gulf of Mexico (West GULF Blockade squadron) is in charge of the operation.

The layout of the premises

The bay of Mobile, with 150 miles in the East of the delta of the Mississippi, has a length of 30 miles, for a width of 6 miles approximately to its mouth. The depth of water is low. The town of Mobile, is at the bottom of bay, north.

The entry of bay is barred by islands relatively low, bearing of the forts in masonry. In the east, strong Morgan, 38 guns; in the West, on the Dauphine island, strong the Sheaths, 25 guns.

The principal channel, between the islands and the sand banks, is on the east coast of the master key, under the guns of strong Morgan.

Adversaries

Northerners

The northerner naval forces are under the orders of against admiral David G Farragut.

David Glasgow Farragut was born James G Farragut, the July 5th 1801 with Campbell Station, close to Knoxville, Tennessee. Wire of Jorge Farragut, sailor of Minorque, with the Balearic Islands, immigrant with the the United States in 1776. His/her father will serve the marine of his new country and it is quite naturally that the Farragut young person will follow the steps of his father.

One of the Farragut family friends was David Porter, officer famous of US Navy. It is told that Porter had been saved of a shipwreck by Jorge. At all events, David Porter offered to take care of the education of James and to make a naval officer of it. What the child due to appreciate since it decided to carry from now on the first name of David.

At 8 years, it finds Mousse; at 9 years, sharpened like " midshipman". 11 years, it attends with its first combat and to 12 receives its first command, that of a catch made by the Essex that it brings back to good port. Its course is traditional until the beginning of the American Civil War.

Although born in Tennessee, high in Louisiana, alive in Virginia (3 States which makes secession), there remains faithful to the Union. In January 1862, it receives stars of Rear-admiral and takes the command of the squadron of the blockade of the West of the Gulf of Mexico (West GULF Blockade squadron).

In April 1862, it forces the passage and seizes the New-Orleans, depriving the Confederation of the outlet of the the Mississippi.

In June 1862, it is with the seat of Vicksburg. But without much success, its ships being only of little utility.

In 1864, it receives the mission of seizing Mobile. It seizes the access of bay of Mobile the August 5th 1864. But the city will be taken later, by the Army. It will be named vice-admiral following this battle.

In 1866, the Congress of the United States grants the rank of admiral to him who it is the first to be obtained.

In 1867 - 1868, it orders the squadron of Europe (" European squadron").

In 1868, it is had a presentiment of to be presented in the form of a candidate to the presidency, but declines the proposal.

He dies the August 14th 1870, at the 69 years age, Portsmouth, New-Hampshire. The funerary convoy is led by the president Ulysses S Grant and is followed, inter alia, by 10 000 sailors and soldiers.

The admiral Farragut belongs to the American Pantheon. By comparison, one can even compare his image to that of Bayard for the French, all things considered, with Nelson for the British.

Let us return in July 1864, with the squadron which makes the blockade of bay of Mobile.

Its squadron includes/understands 26 ships. They will have set out again in 3 groups.

Those which will force the passage.

4 Monitor S, armoured ships whose general form resembles that of that which is at the origin of the name: " a cheese box posed on a planche".

Tecumseh, class canonicus, 1034 tons, 2 guns of 15" ;
Manhattan, idem;
Winnebago, Milwaukee class, 790 tons, 4 guns of 11" ;
Chikasaw, idem.

The two first are Monitor S " of high mer" (in English: " sea-going Monitor s"). They have a cylindrical turret carrying 2 Dahlgren guns of 15 inches.

The two last are river monitors. They carry two cylindrical turrets having each one two Dahlgren guns of 11 inches.

5 frigate S

Hartford, 2070 tons, 24 guns;
Brooklyn, 1900 tons, 21 guns;
Richmond, 1929 tons, 20 guns;
Lackawanna, 1533 tons, 8 guns;
Monongahela, 1378 tons, 8 guns.

3 Sloop S

Kenebec, 507 tons, 5 guns;
Itasca, 507 tons, 5 guns;
Oneida, 1032 tons, 9 guns.

6 Drain-hole S, propelled by side paddle wheels:

Octorara, 829 tons, 6 guns;
Metacomet, 974 tons, 6 guns;
Royal Port, 805 tons, 6 guns;
Seminole, 801 tons, 8 guns;
Galena, 738 tons, 10 guns;
Os; 1240 tons, 11 guns;

Its squadron is laid out in 2 columns. That of right-hand side, nearest to the guns of strong Morgan, is made up of the 4 Monitor S. That of left gathers the ships out of wooden.

To make sure that those will not be disabled and will not be immobilized in the middle of the passage, they are coupled, two to two, with a drain-hole moored on their left side.

The first is Brooklyn with, on its left, Octorara. Farragut makes him take the column heading because this ship has a device to avoid the " torpilles". Rather rudimentary device, since it is about a espars, placed under the bowsprit, and from where chains finished by hooks hang. This way, like a rake, the hooks are judicious to hang the " torpilles" by their chains and to draw aside them from the hull. It is also that which can put " in chasse". the most guns and it appears useful to be able to draw as soon as possible on strong Morgan, which the side provision of the guns would not allow.

Behind, one finds, in the order, Hartford and Metacomet, Richmond and royal Port, Lackawanna and Seminole, Monongahela and Kenebec, OS and Itasca, Oneida and Galena.

All the ships out of wooden installed, on their right side, of the chains as an impromptu shielding.

Those which remain in reserve.

4 others Canonnière S which remain in the East of Mobile Not.

Sebago,
Pembina,
Genesee,
Bienville

Those which will make diversion by attacking strong Powell.

Stockdale
Estrella
Narcissus
JP Jackson
Comenaugh

Southerners

The naval forces Southerners are under the orders of the admiral Franklin Buchanan. This one had been the commander of the Merrimack at the time of the Combat of Hampton Roads (1862). Today, it raises its mark on the Tennessee battleship.

the Tennessee battleship.

The battleship (" ironclad") is put on hold in October 1862, with Selma, Alabama; launched at the end of February 1863, it is towed to Mobile to be armed there. It receives there its Blindage, its machines and its guns. It is delivered the February 16th 1864 and put under the orders of the Lieutenant James D Johnston. It then does not comprise still any installation to accommodate the crew. It is a " ironclad" of traditional invoice for the confederated . I.e. it carries a Casemate to the tilted sides of 45°. The plans according to which it was built derive from those of Columbia. But the shielding comprises 3 layers, where its predecessors had only 2 of them. The plates provided by a foundry of Atlanta are 6,40 meters long (21 feet) for a width of 18 cm (7 inches). Their thickness is of 5 cm (2 inches). On before and until behind the cockpit, 3 thicknesses of these plates are riveted. Then, until the end of the casemate, the shielding includes/understands two layers of plates of 5 cm on a making third, it, only 2,5 cm (1 inch). The bridge has a made shielding of a layer of plates of 5 cm (2 inches).

The height of the casemate is of 2,44 meters (8 feet).

Its displacement is of 1273 tons. Its 63,70 meters length (209 feet), for a width of 14,63 meters (48 feet). It has a draft of 4,27 meters (14 feet).

Its machines come from a tradind ship, the " Alonzo Child". They are 2 steam engines supplied with 4 boilers. Tennessee has 2 four-bladed propellers. The machines miss power and will allow only one speed of 6 knots the battleship.

A serious defect can be raised. It comes from the chains making it possible to operate the Gouvernail. They with are discovered on the back bridge and without any protection.

Its crew includes/understands 133 sailors.

Its armament includes/understands 6 guns. On each side, 2 rifled bores Brooke of 6,4 inches. With before and in the back, 1 rifled bore, Brooke of 7 inches. The guns before and back are assembled on pivot and can use 3 ports to draw in the axis from the ship or on a side.

The ports are protected by mantelets from 13 cm thickness iron (5 inches), making it possible to protect the crew during the loading from the part. On dimensioned, these mantelets slide in slides making it possible to go up them with the top of the port. For the ports of the ends, the mantelets are fixed on bottom and swivel; chains allowing as of operating them.

the 3 other ships .

The other ships of the flotilla Southerner are ships out of wooden, not armor-plated, equipped with paddle wheels on the sides.

CS Sheaths, it has 6 guns. One 8 inches, striped, and 5 of 32 pounds.

CS Morgan, it has 6 guns, 2 of 7 inches, striped, and 4 of 32 pounds.

CS Selma. Old coastal vapor Florida, built in 1856 in Mobile, it moves 320 tons. It was used before war to make the connection between Mobile, La Nouvelle-Orléans, the lake Ponchartrain. It has 4 guns, one 6 inches striped and 3 howitzers ( Shell guns ) of 8 inches.

the defense system Southerner.

As the master key more in the West allows only light boats and ships to pass. The Southerners are sure that their adversaries will have to pass by the master key between Sand Island and the end of the peninsula where strong Morgan is installed. To be sure that the entering or outgoing ships are well under the fire of its guns, only a narrow passage is left free on the part on the right. The remainder of the narrow part is barred by piles (left left) and a minefield (in the center).

The mines, which one calls " torpilles" , at the time, are rather new weapons and that the Confederation uses to mitigate the smallness of its marine. She in installed ran several northerner ships a little everywhere and already. These “torpedes” are in fact of the small barrels. Coated tar, inside like outside, to try to keep them tight, they are filled of 100 pounds, or more, of black Poudre. leaving a small air pocket to ensure buoyancy. At each end of the barrel, a cone cut in a tree trunk is attached; this, as well for buoyancy, still, than to prevent as the barrel does not make the spinning top, preventing the detonators with pressure to do their work if a ship arrives at its contact.

There exist other known models, in the shape of truncated cones, for example; those are placed vertically in water and are surmounted detonator.

The detonators are various types. By pressure, like already quoted; the “torpedo” carrying several large “buttons” on one which one hopes to see the enemy building supporting to actuate the detonator. Operation is random insofar as it supposes that the machine remains fixed and is not agitated by the current or another reason. One finds then detonators with rocker; in this case, the “torpedo” is surmounted by a stem which the hull of the boat will rock, ensuring the play of a trigger which will ignite the load. Lastly, one quotes the existence, if not the use, of torpedes started remotely by electricity. In this case, the operator is with the shelter on bank and causes the explosion at the time that he judges convenient. Lastly, the torpedo is moored at the bottom of water by a weight in the mushroom shape to which it is connected by a strong chain.

In the channel giving on bay of Mobile, there are three lines of “torpedes”, in quincunx. It is nearly 180 machines which were placed, to the wire of the months, by the Southerners. To warn the forcers of Blockade, there is a buoy placed at the east and the west of the minefield.

The ships of the flotilla Southerner are placed at the east of the Chenal, with the shelter of the guns of strong Morgan. It is expected that if the northerners are presented, the 3 Canonnière S are placed behind the Minefield to take in row the attackers. The battleship having to make its deal of the ships having escaped to the “torpedes” or the guns of strong Morgan.

The combat

The northerner plan of attack

For the rear-admiral Farragut, essence is to pass strong Morgan, to return in bay. It envisages an attack in two columns. That of right-hand side, nearest to strong Morgan, will include/understand the monitors. Their armor must enable them to pass.

The monitors will be presented in the following order. At the head, Tecumseh. Behind, Manhattan, follow-up of Winnebago and Chickasaw.

The other ships, out of wood, not armor-plated, will form the left-hand column. To prevent that a ship is not found disabled under the guns Southerners, Farragut makes them lay out per pairs. On the right, the largest boat, its left a smaller boat, paddle wheel screw steamer. The column is presented as follows:

Brooklyn and Octorara,
Hartford and Metacomet,
Richmond and Port-Royal,
Lackawanna and Seminole,
Monongahela and Kennebec,
Os and Itasca,
Oneida and Galena.

The ships placed on the line, will install chains on their right side, in the hope that those constitute a protection against the balls. In the same way, the boats will be put in trailer, or to on the left try to protect them a little.

Lastly, the sailing ships of the column of right-hand side, will decrease their mast to preserve only the lower masts and the topsails. On all the sailing ships, one will place also nets, intended to protect the crew from the fall of espars.

Several times delayed, due to bad weather but also to await the arrival of the last monitor, Tecumseh, the attack is launched at the dawn of August 4th, 1864.

At dawn, in the fog of the morning, the ships form the lines of battle envisaged. The wind blows of the West, which charms the northerners because thus smoke will obstruct their adversaries.

6 hours of the morning. The northerner squadron, carried by flow, is presented in front of the bar and enters bay of Mobile.

The passage of the fort

5h30. Starting order.

6h10. Hartford passes the bar.

6h30. the line of battle is formed. Each ship sends, in top of each one of its masts, the flag of the Union.

7h05. Strong Morgan draws on Brooklyn.

7h30. The squadron is in position to counteract the shootings Southerners. The first blows of guns are given by the 15 inches of Tecumseh. As their guns can carry, the northerner ships draw on strong Morgan. Smoke such, and is carried by the wind towards the fort, that the admiral Farragut is led to go up in the Haubans of the Mizzenmast, until in lower part of the Hune, to try to see what occurs. This image, of the admiral in the stays, shouting its orders, became traditional US naval history; a little like, which in France, one would call a Image of Épinal.

Brooklyn stops its progression, having detected mines. Behind, the other ships stop in their turn. They are always under the fire of the Southerners.

Tecumseh, which carries out the line of the Monitor S passes on the left from the buoy known to mark the limit Is Minefield. Is this to go to shortest towards CS Tennessee? Or because it has problems of Gouvernail? Nobody will know it but the result is that it runs up against one of the rare mines in good state. The explosion causes a water way with before left. In a few minutes, the monitor capsizes and runs. Only, a score of sailors succeed in escaping. The majority of them manage to gain one of the towed boats or are collected by a boat of USS Metacomet; 4 others will swim to the shore, where they will be made prisoners and envoys with sadly celebrates camp of Andersonville. The 90 other sailors of the USS Tecumseh remain prisoners of the Cercueil of iron. The Travis Captain has Craven is with the number of the missings. He was in the steering gear, with the quartermaster John Collins. He will let this one pass in first, but will not have time to follow it.

Seeing the progression of his ships stopping, under fire Southerner, behind USS Brooklyn, the admiral Farragut would be, says one, cleaned: “With the devil, torpedes!!! Ahead all!!! ”. Always it is that Hartford exceeds Brooklyn by the left, followed by the other ships. By doing this, it is found in the minefield. But none of them will explode even if several sailors will pay to have intended to function of the detonators…

In accordance with the hopes of their chief, the northerner ships which ravel in front of strong Morgan suffer only little from fire Southerner. Only the last of the file of left, USS Oneida, will undergo serious damages. A shell of 7 inches crosses its hull, in spite of the safety channels, and explodes in the right boiler. The explosion and the extreme vaporblasts will stop any propulsion quickly. A second shell devastates the cabin of the captain but, more serious, destroyed the cables of the rudder. There still, the device envisaged by Farragut will save USS Oneida. It is USS Galena, moored on its side port side, which will enable him to gain bay, out of reach guns Southerners.

CS Selma draws on Hartford, dismounting to him one of its 2 guns of hunting. USS Metacomet cuts the bonds which connect it to the ship-admiral and gives hunting to the Southerner. Slower and less better armed, the third of its crew out of combat, Selma lowers house quickly. CS Sheaths, having received several blows under the water line, can only be failed to avoid running and is set fire to by its crew. CS Morgan takes refuge under the guns of strong Morgan and will then succeed in gaining Mobile.

The northerner ships drop anchor in bay, in the place named " middle ground" , which offers the most depth of water. The sailors can then take their meal. But one sees approaching the Tennessee battleship.

The combat of Tennessee

Tennessee could have remained with the shelter of the guns of strong Morgan and have bombarded, by far, the northerners. But the admiral Buchanan prefers, with plume, to launch out, only, with the attack of the northerner squadron.

He tries to launch his battleship against Hartford, for the éperonner. But its speed of snail does not enable him to succeed.

In fact the northerners will seek to approach it.

Consequences

on the conflict

The advertisement of this victory will contribute to the re-election of Lincoln in November.

It also contributes to seal the fate of the Confederation which loses its last large port giving him an opening on the rest of the world.

Appointed vice-admiral following this battle, the winner will be, on July 25th, 1866, high with the rank of admiral by the congress of the United States. D.G. Farragut, will be the first admiral of the history of the United States.

on the history of the Navy

This battle still inserts a nail in the coffin of the navy out of wooden. Once again, the vulnerability of the sailing ships and the ships out of wooden was highlighted. The future is the iron navy.

The torpedo, dormant or carried, is affirmed as a weapon promised with a great future.

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