David Glasgow Farragut

Portrait of Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, officer of the Federal Navy (Vice Adm. from Dec. 3, 1864) Source: Library of Congress LC-B813- 1561 A

Biographical Notes

Born: July 5, 1801, “in a log cabin on a 640-acre tract of land on the north bank of the Holston River about fifteen miles southwest of Knoxville in the state of Tennessee, which had joined the Union just five years earlier.” [1]
Married: 1824, September 2 to Susan Caroline Marchant (died 1840, December 27)
Married: 1843, December 26 to Virginia Dorcas Loyall
Birth of son: 1844, October 12 “Loyall”
Died: 1870, August 14, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Military Notes

The U.S. Navy’s first admiral.

Nicknamed: Unknown

Wars Fought

American Civil War

Ranks Held

Midshipman, Appointed 1810, December 17
Lieutenant, Commissioned 1825, January
Commander, Commissioned 1841, September 27
Captain, Commissioned 1855, September 14
Rear Admiral, Commissioned 1862, July 16
Vice Admiral, Commissioned 1864, December 23
Admiral, Commissioned 1866, July 25

Battles Fought

Captured New Orleans, 1862, April 25
Battle of Mobile Bay, 1864, August 5

Commands Held

Executive Officer of Delaware, 1841, February (Brazil Station)
Command of Decatur, 1842, June (Brazil Station)
Command of Saratoga, 1847, March (Gulf of Mexico)
Second-in-command, Norfolk Navy Yard, 1848, February
Command of Brooklyn, 1858, December (Caribbean)
Command of West Gulf Blockading Squadron, 1862, January 9
Command of European Squadron, 1867, July 15