Vallejo in Solano County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

USS Hartford 10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon

USS Hartford 10 Inch Smooth Bore Dahlgren Cannon Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, July 9, 2020

1. USS Hartford 10 Inch Smooth Bore Dahlgren Cannon Marker

Inscription.
10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon from the USS Hartford

Admiral Farragut fought his most famous battle aboard the USS Hartford at Mobile Bay during the Civil War.

Mobile was defended by three Confederate forts, Morgan, Gaines and Powell and the channel approaching Mobile was thoroughly mined as Farragut's fleet consisting of 14 ships in all, steamed opposite the first, Fort Morgan. The Monitor Tecumseh ran into a torpedo and sank immediately the Brooklyn immediately stopped and thereby threw Farragut's whole line into partial confusion. Farragut lashed to the main shrouds to prevent falling brought the Hartford to the front. Passing the Brooklyn whose hail Of "Look out for the torpedoes" brought forth Farragut's historic reply "Damn The Torpedoes 4 Bells Captain Drayton Go Ahead, Full Speed"

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 38° 5.898′ N, 122° 16.25′ W. Marker is in Vallejo, California, in Solano County. It is at the intersection of 8th Street and Railroad Avenue, on the right when traveling east on 8th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vallejo CA 94592, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, in Sacramento Valley, and specifically in the Central Valley. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 24 Pounder from the USS Independence (a few steps from this marker); Fourth Marine Division Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Breech Loading Cannon (within shouting distance of this marker);

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Mare Island Navy Yard Work Bell (within shouting distance of this marker); Farragut Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); German Marder and Torpedo (within shouting distance of this marker); H.B.M. Centurian Anchor (within shouting distance of this marker); Pillar of the Future Built by the Pillars of the Past (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vallejo.

More about this marker. The marker is located on the east side of Alden Park in the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

Also see . . . Battle of Mobile Bay (Wikipedia). 'The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Admiral Franklin Buchanan and three forts that guarded the entrance to Mobile Bay. A paraphrase of his order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" became famous. Farragut's actual order was "Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!".' (Submitted on July 12, 2020.)

USS Hartford 10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, July 9, 2020

2. USS Hartford 10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon and Marker

USS Hartford 10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon - additional marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, July 9, 2020

3. USS Hartford 10 Inch Dahlgren Smooth Bore Cannon - additional marker

Positioned directly below the cannon (see previous photo) is an additional identifying marker. However, it will be up to the reader's imagination to reconcile the indicated one-inch difference in bore size and discrepancy in dates (the Battle for Mobile Bay took place in August, 1864).

Vintage postcard view of the same (??) gun image. Click for full size.

circa 1920

4. Vintage postcard view of the same (??) gun

A no longer extant marker, possibly for the same gun and its missing companion, reads "These guns were aboard the Hartford, Farraguts flagship in the battles on the River Mississippi and at Mobile Bay."

WW I recruiting poster.... image. Click for full size.

Henry Alexander Ogden (image of lithograph courtesy of the Library of Congress), 1917

5. WW I recruiting poster....

Showing Admiral Farragut lashed to the rigging and issuing a variant of his oft-quoted phrase, in this instance, "Damn the torpedoes,Go Ahead!"

<i>USS Hartford, flagship of Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War</i> image. Click for full size.

McPherson and Oliver (courtesy of the Library of Congress), 1864

6. USS Hartford, flagship of Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War

Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 633 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 12, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.