Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1869 — True Version of a Daring Act. [ARTICLE]

True Version of a Daring Act.

A RKFOjHTEU of the San Francisco Ctfcronfcfe visited* Admiral Farragut recently, and during his interview alluded to the battle of M»lufo Bay and the famous story of tho Admiral being lashed to the mast head of hie flag-ship, tho Hartford, and gallantly leading her into action. Admiral Farragut interrupted him, saying tlfe Whole story was purely a fiction. Reporter. At least the story has been allowed to remain uncontradicted for a long time. Will you. Admiral, be kind enough to tell me to What cause or incident its origin is due ? “ Admiral. With pleasure. It will afford you fin evidence of how a well-told and plausible story, frequently repeated, becomes universally accepted as a fact. At the commencement of the battle in Mobile Bay, for the purpose of obtaining the best view of tlie movements of the enemy, and to better govern the fleet under my command, I got into the lower part of the rigging of the Hartford, fust above what is known as the hammock railing. Reporter. Was not your position fraught with great peril ? Admiral I did not think so; but it wasfraught with g?bat discomfort. As the smoke ascended from the heavy cannonading my view became more obscured, and I was compelled to ascend the rigging gradually jitil finally I got some distance beneath the maintop. At this juncture Captain Percival Drayton—' Reporter. Your fleet captain, was he net? , Admiral. Yes, sir; Captain Drayton fearing, he said, thatl pught fall over- , board to cue of being 'wounded, called one of the Quartermasters, and cuttingoff 'a piece of the signal halyard, (a sfiiall ropeJorduvedhim to bring it upto me, that I mightrfeitoes my position more secure. With This rope I attached myself to the "* • Reporter You were not near the masthead then ? . Admiral. I was not. • Reporter. It is understood that you fired guns from the ijiasthcad; is that tijuet’. Admiral. It is the only true part of the story. I did have a crew in the masthead Who were firing guns—two twenty-four >ound howitzers. . This style of Warfare sa favorite theory pis ndne. I practised it throughout the war. Reporter. Did all'the vessels of your fleet do battle after a similar fashion* jAdmisal. Yes, sir; all fought with guns in the tops; and from the advantage of their elevation, did considerable execution in their engagements with the forts. Out of this fact of Admiral Farrilgnt’s having been some distance up the rigging lias grown the famous, story of “ Farragut a| the Masthead/ IU is almost cruel to destroy so interesting, a fiction, but the truth‘of history requires it. • '■ .... " '■<«♦♦»»..., .... A«4W was passed last winter, and is now m active operation In the State P'risdn <* New Jersey, for the remission of Bq Iprais of sentence of prisoners ehavior. The law proxies for g <if'» dally reoqrfl of the eontfaportmenl 'of nwb prisoner. nouth <4 continuous pi'deriy <te two days, and for. every month Ot manifest effort at intellectual improv;; me»t and self-control, to be certiflc.t by wiu moral instructor, one day. ; ■