David Glasgow Farragut was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and full admiral in United States Navy history, celebrated for his decisive Civil War naval victories. His presence in the Flatiron District endures through the Farragut Monument in Madison Square Park, a bronze sculpture dedicated in 1881 that marked the breakthrough commission for sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
The Farragut Monument stands at Fifth Avenue and 26th Street in Madison Square Park, where it has anchored the northern end of the park for over 140 years. This collaboration between Saint-Gaudens and architect Stanford White launched both men's careers and established the template for American public memorial art during the Gilded Age.
| Full name | David Glasgow Farragut |
| Born / Died | July 5, 1801 / August 14, 1870 |
| Profession | United States Navy Admiral; first rear admiral, vice admiral, and full admiral in U.S. Navy history |
| Active in Flatiron | 1810–1870 (active military career); monument presence in Flatiron since 1881 |
| Known for | First full admiral in U.S. Navy history, decisive Union victory at Battle of Mobile Bay, legendary "Damn the torpedoes" command |
| Key Flatiron location | Farragut Monument, Madison Square Park, Fifth Avenue at 26th Street, New York, NY 10010; dedicated May 25, 1881; NYC Landmark and National Register of Historic Places — EXISTS |
| Notable legacy | The Farragut Monument in Madison Square Park launched Augustus Saint-Gaudens' career as America's greatest sculptor and remains one of the Flatiron District's most significant public artworks. |
Who Was David?
David Glasgow Farragut was born James Glasgow Farragut on July 5, 1801, near Knoxville, Tennessee. His life changed at age nine when naval hero Commodore David Porter adopted him after Farragut’s mother nursed Porter’s dying father. The boy changed his first name to David in honor of his adoptive father—a gesture that foreshadowed a lifetime of fierce loyalty.
David Glasgow Farragut: A Career That Began in Childhood
Farragut’s naval career started at an age when most children are learning arithmetic. At 12, during the War of 1812, he served as a prize master commanding a captured British vessel, making him one of the youngest naval commanders in American history. This wasn’t ceremonial—the boy was responsible for sailing an enemy ship and its crew to port.
The decades that followed brought steady advancement through the ranks, but Farragut’s defining moment came during the Civil War. At 63, during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he ordered himself lashed to the rigging of his flagship USS Hartford to direct the battle from above the gun smoke. When Confederate mines (then called torpedoes) threatened his fleet, he reportedly shouted the words that became American legend: “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”
The Making of an Admiral
His victories at New Orleans in 1862 and Mobile Bay in 1864 helped strangle the Confederacy’s access to the sea. Congress created the rank of full admiral specifically to honor him—the first such rank in U.S. Navy history. Today, visitors to Madison Square Park can see the monument that has honored his memory since 1881. Farragut died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on August 14, 1870, revered as the greatest naval commander since the Revolutionary War.
David Glasgow Farragut's Connection to the Flatiron District
Admiral Farragut never walked the streets of the Flatiron District—he died in 1870, before the neighborhood emerged as New York’s social and commercial heart. Yet his posthumous presence has anchored Madison Square Park for nearly a century and a half, making him inseparable from the district’s identity.
The Monument That Launched Two Careers
The Farragut Monument stands at the northern end of Madison Square Park, at Fifth Avenue and 26th Street. Dedicated on May 25, 1881, it was the first major public commission for sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, then a relatively unknown 33-year-old Irish immigrant. The monument’s success transformed him into America’s preeminent sculptor of the Gilded Age.
The pedestal and curved exedra (bench) were designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White, establishing a creative partnership with Saint-Gaudens that would produce some of America’s greatest monuments, including the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial in Boston. The Farragut Monument remains one of several historic monuments scattered throughout Madison Square Park.
What Visitors See Today
The bronze statue depicts Farragut in naval uniform, standing with the confident bearing of a commander surveying his fleet. Below him, two allegorical female figures represent “Loyalty” and “Courage”—carved in bluestone, they recline against the exedra’s curved bench with a sinuous grace that was revolutionary for American sculpture. [VERIFY specific models used for the allegorical figures]
The monument was designated a New York City Landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A Dedication Ceremony for the Ages
The 1881 dedication was a major civic event. Thousands gathered in Madison Square as President Chester A. Arthur attended the unveiling [VERIFY exact attendance of President Arthur]. The ceremony reflected the Gilded Age’s appetite for grand public spectacle and the nation’s desire to honor its Civil War heroes before they passed from living memory.
Why Madison Square?
In 1881, Madison Square was the cultural and social center of New York. The park was surrounded by fashionable residences, the original Madison Square Garden, and the city’s elite institutions. Placing Farragut here was a statement: this was not a forgotten hero consigned to a secondary park, but a national figure given pride of place in the nation’s largest city—a moment captured in the Flatiron District’s history.
Legacy and Impact
The Farragut Monument’s influence extends far beyond honoring one admiral. It established Augustus Saint-Gaudens as the defining voice in American public sculpture and created the template for the “American Renaissance” style of monument design that dominated the next three decades.
Stanford White’s architectural base—with its flowing allegorical figures and integrated seating—showed that a monument could be both artwork and public amenity. This idea influenced countless memorials across the country, including the Lincoln Memorial’s approach to combining sculpture with architecture.
For the Flatiron District, the monument helped establish Madison Square Park as a place where art and civic life intersect. Today’s Mad. Sq. Art program, which installs contemporary sculptures throughout the park, continues a tradition the Farragut Monument began in 1881.
Visitors to Madison Square Park can still sit on the exedra bench where New Yorkers have rested for 144 years, looking up at the same bronze figure that Gilded Age crowds gathered to unveil. The Flatiron District walking tour includes this stop—the park’s most historically significant sculpture and a permanent reminder that great public art can honor the past while serving the present.
Before Augustus Saint-Gaudens became the name every American city wanted on their monuments, he was an unknown sculptor betting his career on a single commission in Madison Square Park. The Farragut Monument didn't just honor a Civil War hero—it invented the American style of public memorial art that shaped the Lincoln Memorial, the Shaw Memorial, and every bronze general you've ever walked past without really seeing.
Key Facts Worth Knowing
- 1813: At age 12, David Farragut served as a prize master commanding a captured British ship during the War of 1812, making him one of the youngest naval commanders in American history.
- 1864: During the Battle of Mobile Bay, the 63-year-old Farragut ordered himself lashed to the rigging of his flagship USS Hartford so he could direct the battle from above the gun smoke.
- 1881: The Farragut Monument became the first major public sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, launching his career as America's most celebrated Gilded Age sculptor.
- 1810: Nine-year-old James Glasgow Farragut was adopted by Commodore David Porter and changed his first name to David in his adoptive father's honor—a name he would make legendary.
- 1906: Stanford White, who designed the Farragut Monument's base, was shot and killed at Madison Square Garden's rooftop theater, just blocks from the monument that launched his partnership with Saint-Gaudens.
FIND THEIR LEGACY TODAY
- Farragut Monument, Madison Square Park, Fifth Avenue at 26th Street, New York, NY 10010 — Look for the bronze statue of Farragut in naval uniform, with allegorical figures "Loyalty" and "Courage" on the bluestone base. The curved exedra bench invites visitors to sit. NYC Landmark and National Register site.
- Madison Square Park, 23rd to 26th Streets, Fifth Avenue to Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 — The park itself, where the monument has stood since 1881, is landmarked and serves as the civic heart of the Flatiron District.
- Woodlawn Cemetery, 4199 Webster Avenue, Bronx, NY 10470 — Farragut's burial site, where he was interred after his death in 1870.
- Farragut Square, Washington, D.C. (outside NYC) — Contains another Farragut statue by sculptor Vinnie Ream, also dedicated in 1881, offering a comparison to Saint-Gaudens' interpretation.
Explore More of Flatiron's History
→ Madison Square Park Monuments: The Stories New Yorkers Walk Past Every Day — The Farragut Monument is the park's most significant historic sculpture—this guide explores its context among Madison Square's other memorials.
→ Madison Square Park NYC: What to See, Eat & Do (2025) — The complete guide to the park where Farragut's monument has anchored the northern end since 1881.
→ Flatiron District History: NYC's Landmark Evolution — The monument's 1881 dedication occurred during the Flatiron District's emergence as New York's Gilded Age cultural center.
→ Flatiron District Walking Tour – Historic NYC Landmarks — The Farragut Monument is a must-see stop on any walking tour of the district's historic sites.
→ Madison Square Park Art: The Changing Gallery New Yorkers Walk Through Daily — The Farragut Monument established Madison Square's tradition of public art that continues with today's contemporary installations.
In Plain English
David Glasgow Farragut (1801–1870) was the first full admiral in United States Navy history, famous for his Civil War victories and the legendary command "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" at the Battle of Mobile Bay. His connection to New York's Flatiron District is the Farragut Monument in Madison Square Park at Fifth Avenue and 26th Street, dedicated in 1881. The monument was the first major work by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and architect Stanford White, launching both men's careers and establishing the template for American public memorial art.
Frequently Asked Questions About David Glasgow Farragut
Q: What did Admiral Farragut say at the Battle of Mobile Bay?
A: Admiral David Farragut reportedly shouted "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. When Confederate mines (then called torpedoes) threatened to halt his fleet, the 63-year-old admiral—lashed to the rigging of his flagship USS Hartford to see above the gun smoke—ordered his ships to press forward. The exact wording may have been paraphrased over time, but the command became one of the most famous military quotes in American history.
Q: Where is Admiral Farragut's statue in New York City?
A: The Admiral David Glasgow Farragut Monument stands in Madison Square Park at Fifth Avenue and 26th Street in Manhattan's Flatiron District. Dedicated on May 25, 1881, it was sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens with a base designed by architect Stanford White. The bronze statue and its curved bench (exedra) are designated a New York City Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Q: Was David Farragut the first admiral in the U.S. Navy?
A: Yes, David Glasgow Farragut was the first rear admiral (1862), first vice admiral (1864), and first full admiral (1866) in United States Navy history. Congress created these ranks specifically to honor his Civil War victories, including the capture of New Orleans in 1862 and the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. Before Farragut, the highest permanent rank in the U.S. Navy was captain.
Q: Who sculpted the Farragut Monument in Madison Square Park?
A: Augustus Saint-Gaudens sculpted the Farragut Monument, which was dedicated in 1881. This was his first major public commission and launched his career as America's preeminent sculptor of the Gilded Age. The monument's architectural base and exedra were designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White, beginning a creative partnership that produced many of America's greatest public monuments.
Q: How old was David Farragut when he joined the Navy?
A: David Farragut became a midshipman in the U.S. Navy at age nine in 1810, after being adopted by naval hero Commodore David Porter. By age 12, during the War of 1812, he served as a prize master commanding a captured British ship—one of the youngest naval commanders in American history. He changed his first name from James to David in honor of his adoptive father.