JULY 13TH, 1864: Union Colonel Albert J. Myer forwarded intelligence to Rear Admiral Farragut regarding the naval defenses of Mobile Bay: "A line of piles driven under water extends from the shoal water near Fort Gaines, across Pelican Pass Channel, and to the edge of the main ship channel.
"One observant describes this obstruction as five rows of piles driven closely together. The other informant does not know how many are the piles are how closely driven....
"From the western edge of the main ship channel, where the fixed obstructions terminate, a torpedo line extends eastward across that channel to a point differently estimated as 400 yards and as at nearly one half mile from Fort Morgan."
A "torpedo party" of seven men was reported to be in charge of the underwater obstructions. These torpedoes almost turned back Farragut one month later, until he uttered those famous words.
"____ the Torpedoes, Full ____ _____." --Old B-Runner
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