Ebenezer Farrand (1803 – March 17, 1873) was an American Commodore that served in the

Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the Navy, naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the Amer ...

and was notable for his service at the

Battle of Drewry's Bluff The Battle of Drewry's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Fort Darling, or Fort Drewry, took place on May 15, 1862, in Chesterfield County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Four Union Navy warships, includ ...

as well as his ship construction at Selma, Alabama.

Biography

Early military career

Ebenezer Farrand was born in 1803 in New York City. He later moved to

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

and entered service of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

on March 4, 1823, as a midshipman's warrant. He was promoted to midshipman in 1829 and initially commanded the newly constructed '' USS Ariel'' in 1831 before commanding the '' USS Falmouth'' in 1851. Due to his naval actions, he was promoted to commander on July 10, 1854.

American Civil War

Despite being a Northerner, Farrand sympathized with the Southern states and resigned from the United States Navy on January 21, 1861, as he was stationed at the Warrenton Naval Yard in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

as part of his first task as a Confederate. He was then promoted to Commander on June 6, 1861, and was sent to negotiate in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

for the construction of several gunboats. He was made Chief of Light House Bureau, replacing Raphael Semmes as he was commanding the ''

CSS Sumter CSS ''Sumter'', converted from the 1859-built merchant steamer ''Habana'', was the first steam cruiser of the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. She operated as a commerce raider in the Caribbean and in the Atlantic Ocean ag ...

''. In 1862, he was to a special service regarding ship construction before being sent to

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...

. He briefly served in Rockett's Yard at the

James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

, a few miles south of

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

before Union forces were beginning to threaten the Confederate capital. As a response, Farrand organized Confederate Army and Navy personnel at Drewry's Bluff and ordered guns from nearby ships as well as the sinking of the '' CSS Jamestown'' to obstruct the James River. When the Union forces under Admiral John Rodgers arrived with the '' USS Galena'' but were defeated at the

. For his victory at Drewry's Bluff, he received a direct thanking from the Confederate Congress itself. Farrand didn't stay at Drewry's Bluff for long as his command was relinquished to

Sydney Smith Lee Sydney Smith Lee (September 2, 1802 – July 22, 1869), called Smith Lee in his lifetime, was an American naval officer who served as a captain in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the third child of Henry "Light ...

and took charge of shipbuilding at

Selma, Alabama Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, in the Black Belt region of south central Alabama and extending to the west. Located on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has a population of 17,971 as of the 2020 census. Abou ...

. While based in Selma, Farrand oversaw the construction of Fort Stonewall on the

Alabama River The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa River, Tallapoosa and Coosa River, Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery, near the town of Wetumpka, Alabama, Wetumpka. Over a co ...

and Fort Sidney Johnston on the

Tombigbee River The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi (325 km) long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. Together with the Alabama, it merges to form the short Mobile River before the latter empties i ...

. As a result of his direct contributions, he helped with the completion of '' CSS Tuscaloosa'', '' CSS Huntsville'' and the '' CSS Tennessee''. On January 7, 1864, he was promoted to captain and followed the launched ironclads to

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...

but shortly after, assumed command of the Confederate naval forces at the

Battle of Mobile Bay The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was a naval and land engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fle ...

after Admiral Franklin Buchanan was wounded as the few Confederate ships left supported the land forces against the Union Navy but generally seemed disinterested in the battle as he refused to take orders due his rivalry with

Dabney H. Maury Dabney Herndon Maury (May 21, 1822 – January 11, 1900) was an officer in the United States Army, instructor at West Point, author of military training books, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. ...

. Following the Union capture of Mobile, Rear Admiral Henry K. Thatcher blocked the mouth of the

and Farrand surrendered as a result of this on May 8, 1865. He was paroled of charges of treason two days later at Nanna Hubba Bluff.

Postwar life

Farrand would spend his civilian life as an insurance representative at

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

as well as working as a railroad operator in

Attalla, Alabama Attalla is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, Etowah County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population was 6,048. History The town developed on the area of a former Muscogee people, Muscogee (Cre ...

before passing away on 17 March 1873 and was buried at the city cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrand, Ebenezer 1803 births 1873 deaths Confederate States Navy commanders Northern-born Confederates Military personnel from New York City