September 13, 1864: Clearing Out Those Pesky Mobile Bay Torpedoes

SEPTEMBER 13TH, 1864:  Rear Admiral Farragut's sailors continued to clear the main ship channel in Mobile Bay of torpedoes such as the one that sank the USS Tecumseh on 5 August.  He reported to Secretary Welles that 22 torpedoes had been raised.

He added:  "This part of the channel is now believed to be clear, for, though beyond doubt many more were originally anchored here, reports says they have sunk over one hundred to the bottom."

Despite the admiral's efforts, Union ships would be destroyed in the vicinity of Mobile Bay by torpedoes for months to come.

Damn the Torpedoes!!  --Old B-Runner