The Top 5 Most Overlooked Civil War Sites in New York City #2: Admiral David Farragut Monument

Editor’s Note: Bill Morgan, the author of The Civil War Lover’s Guide to New York City (published by Savas Beatie), was kind enough to offer up his list of the top 5 most overlooked Civil War sites in the Big Apple as a series of guest posts here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog.  Bill’s introduction will be followed by one overlooked NYC site per week, every Monday for the next five Mondays.  Join Bill here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog, as he counts down his list.

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The Top 5 Most Overlooked Civil War Sites in New York City

by Bill Morgan

#2 ADMIRAL DAVID FARRAGUT MONUMENT

Madison Square, near East 26th Street

Admiral David Farragut Monument

Admiral David Farragut monument.

One of the most perfectly executed public memorials in the city is the statue of Admiral David Farragut (1801–1870), also located in Madison Square. In 1881, Augustus Saint-Gaudens placed his statue here on a pedestal designed by the noted architect Stanford White. In this case, the black granite pedestal is nearly as interesting as the sculpture it supports. The figure shows Farragut standing in the wind on his ship’s prow, ready to give the command “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” This order would help Farragut win the battle of Mobile Bay and make him the Civil War’s most famous naval officer. Three members of the crew of Farragut’s ship Hartford took part in the memorial’s unveiling. A neighborhood in east central Brooklyn was named for Farragut as well. This bronze composition was Saint-Gaudens’ first public commission and helped establish him as the country’s foremost sculptor. As a tribute to Saint-Gaudens himself, a nearby playground on Second Avenue at East 20th Street has been named in his honor.

Comments

One response to “The Top 5 Most Overlooked Civil War Sites in New York City #2: Admiral David Farragut Monument”

  1. Savas Beatie Avatar

    Thank you for this post, Bill Morgan, and A Civil War Blog for providing a platform to continue this discussion. Many Civil War readers are unaware of the important role New York City played in the war and the monuments dedicated to those involved. Your post provides insight into this particular landmark, the statue of Admiral David Farragut, which is enjoyable for both avid readers of Civil War material and newcomers to the topic. We look forward to seeing the upcoming posts in the following weeks.

    You can read more about the book, including an excerpt and author interview, at publisher Savas Beatie’s website here: http://tinyurl.com/d8a57vc

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