The famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes” is traditionally attributed to Admiral David Glasgow Farragut of the U.S. Navy, during the Battle of Mobile Bay in the American Civil War (1864).

Who said it?

  • The quote is linked to Admiral David G. Farragut, a Union naval commander born in 1801 who became one of the most celebrated officers of the Civil War.
  • During the Battle of Mobile Bay, after learning there were naval mines (then called “torpedoes”) ahead, he is reported to have given the order now remembered as “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!”

What he reportedly said

  • Contemporary and later accounts differ slightly, but a common version is: “Damn the torpedoes. Four bells, Captain Drayton, go ahead. Jouett, full speed.”
  • Other witnesses recalled shorter variants like “Damn the torpedoes, go ahead,” but all versions convey his insistence on pressing the attack despite the danger.

Historical context

  • The incident occurred at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, as Union forces attempted to force their way past Confederate defenses and minefields guarding the harbor.
  • After a Union ship struck a mine and sank, the fleet hesitated, and Farragut’s order pushed them forward, leading to a significant Union victory and cementing the phrase in naval history.