Template:POTD/2008-07-09
David Farragut was the first senior officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and full admiral of the Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his possibly apocryphal order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, usually paraphrased: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" ("torpedo" was the contemporary term for what is now known as a naval mine).Photo credit: Mathew Brady or Levin Corbin Handy