There are moments in history that become larger than life—reduced to a single phrase, a single decision, a single flash of action.
“Damn the torpedoes.”
But behind that moment is a life shaped long before Mobile Bay.
In this episode, we trace the full arc of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut—from his beginnings along the Tennessee River near Campbell’s Station… to a childhood marked by loss… to a life forged almost entirely at sea.
By the time the Civil War began, Farragut was not an untested officer looking for opportunity. He was something far more dangerous—experienced, disciplined, and decisive.
At New Orleans, he proved he would act.
At Mobile Bay, he proved how.
But this story is not just about a command shouted in battle.
It is about:
Because when the moment came… Farragut did not wait.
He moved.
Full speed ahead.
🎧 Bonus Content
A full-length interview with Paul DeHaan, author of DAMN THE TORPEDOES, is available for premium supporters on Patreon.
Sources
DeHaan, P. (n.d.). Damn the torpedoes: Farragut & USS Hartford: 158 years of service. Self-published.
Farragut Museum. (n.d.). David Glasgow Farragut exhibits and interpretive materials. Farragut, TN.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). David Glasgow Farragut.
https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/david-glasgow-farragut/
Tennessee History for Kids. (n.d.). David Farragut.
https://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/people/david_farragut
American Battlefield Trust. (n.d.). Jorge Farragut.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/jorge-farragut
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Hosted by Big John Summers
Produced by Summers Media Enterprises
Music by Big John Summers
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