David Took On Goliath 150 Years Ago Today-- Part 3

This account from the Civil War Naval Chronology.

Confederate Secretary of the Navy Mallory wrote, "The annals of naval warfare record few enterprises which exhibit more strikenly than this of Lieutenant Glassell the highest qualities of a sea officer." I have to wonder at this point why Glassell would have been honored this way when he jumped off his ship?

The near success of the David prompted Dahlgren to emphasize the need for developing defensive measures against ship-borne torpedoes. He said that the Union ships should be protected by outriggers and the Union should employ similar craft. He also wanted his own torpedoes to use against the Confederates especially since, "We can make them faster than they can."

--Old B-Runner