Uncle and the Admiral

Notable among the many exploits of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, was his leadership of the Civil War campaign to capture New Orleans. From January 20, 1862 when the order was given to "reduce" the forts protecting the city 75 miles down river, until the afternoon of April 25 when Capt. Theodorus Bailey and Lt. George H. Perkins "walked through the shouting mob to the City Hall and demanded the town's surrender", the officers and crew of the fleet were subjected to all matter of physical and mental hardship.

My interest in learning more about Farragut stemmed from a slip of paper with a brief note that my mother had written concerning Isaac BLANCHARD, brother of my g.grandfather Melvin Augustus: "died of fever after serving with Farragut". I was intrigued by this simple statement. Several accounts of Farragut's naval service have revealed that in addition to the rigors of life aboard ship, naval duty in the damp, sweltering climate of the coastal and river regions of the country exposed the men to a variety of ills including "swamp fever".

From a visit to Isaac's gravesite in Schuylerville, Saratoga, NY and from his naval service record in the Muster Rolls of U.S. Naval Personnel for the Civil War, a portion of the story has evolved. Isaac enlisted in February following the taking of New Orleans. He served on the vessels North Carolina, Colorado, and Albatross, and was discharged June 14, 1864. The stone marker located in the southeast corner of the Old Broad Street Cemetery and found lying on the ground, has been propped upright.

Ref: Mr. Lincoln's Admirals, Clarence Edward Macartney, 1956

Gravesite Inscription Old Broad Street Cemetery




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