David Farragut is the Union admiral associated with the order “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” during the Battle of Mobile Bay. On August 5, 1864, Farragut led a Union fleet past Confederate defenses and mines—then called torpedoes—to seize control of the entrance to Mobile Bay, Alabama.
The dramatic order came after the Union monitor USS Tecumseh struck a mine and sank, causing the USS Brooklyn to hesitate. Farragut’s flagship, USS Hartford, pressed forward through the minefield. The fleet successfully entered the bay, defeated the Confederate squadron, and helped capture the forts guarding the waterway. The victory closed Mobile Bay to Confederate blockade runners, although the city of Mobile itself remained in Confederate hands until 1865.
The quotation is widely accepted as a summary of Farragut’s decision, but historians debate its exact wording. Contemporary accounts suggest he may have said something closer to “Damn the torpedoes. Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead. Jouett, full speed.” The popular version became famous because it captures the admiral’s willingness to maintain momentum despite an apparently dangerous naval obstacle.