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Jordi Farragut Mesquida, anglicized as George Farragut (born September 29 or September 30, 1755 – June 4, 1817), was a Spanish American naval officer, born in Ciutadella de Menorca, then under British occupation. He fought during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
and with the
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
in battles in the South. After commanding a Spanish trading ship in the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United St ...
and Caribbean, he had joined the South Carolina Navy as a lieutenant when the war broke out. He anglicized his Catalan name when he joined the South Carolina Navy.


Early life

Jordi Farragut Mesquida was born to Antoni Farragut and Joana Mesquida in Ciutadella,
Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capit ...
(an overseas territory of the
Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, whi ...
between 1708 and 1782, now part of
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
). He first went to sea at the age of 10, and left Menorca as a young man to join the Spanish merchant marine after studies in the Barcelona School of nautical studies. He commanded a small vessel that traded goods between
Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
(
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
),
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Havana, Cuba Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
.


American War of Independence

He joined his new country at the beginning of the American Revolution, initially as a lieutenant in the South Carolina Navy, and anglicized his first name to George. Farragut fought the British at Savannah and was captured in the
Siege of Charleston The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The British ...
in 1780. Farragut's left arm was broken by a cannonball during the fighting in Charlestown. After being released in a prisoner exchange, he fought as a volunteer at the
Battle of Cowpens The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17, 1781 near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina, between U.S. forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and British forces under Lieutenant Colo ...
and at Wilmington. He was described by his contemporary George W. Siever ''"as a short, chunky man; very brave and a funny genius."'' North Carolina service record: * NC State Regiment: 1782–1783, On May 1, 1782, he was selected as a major over the units of Light Horse within the North Carolina State Regiment. His unit was disbanded in January 1783.


Marriage and family

After the war, Farragut married
Scotch-Irish American Scotch-Irish (or Scots-Irish) Americans are American descendants of Ulster Protestants who emigrated from Ulster in northern Ireland to America during the 18th and 19th centuries, whose ancestors had originally migrated to Ireland mainly from t ...
Elizabeth Shine (1765–1808) from North Carolina. They moved west to Tennessee, where their son
David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. F ...
(born James Glasgow Farragut) was born in 1801. They had several children. After President
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
bought the Louisiana territory, people were needed to staff the new U.S. port at New Orleans. Many residents of the former French and Spanish city distrusted anglos; Jefferson's policy favored staffing New Orleans with officials who spoke French or Spanish. East Tennessee native William C.C. Claiborne, a good friend of Farragut's, became the territory's first U.S. governor. His recommendation of Farragut resulted in the offer of a new job. His son James, who would grow up to become Admiral
David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. F ...
, was born in 1801. In 1805, Farragut moved to New Orleans, and his family followed, in a 1,700-mile flatboat adventure aided by hired rivermen, the young James Farragut's first voyage. The family was still living in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
David Porter, on active duty with the Navy as an officer. The senior Porter was brought to their house one day suffering from
sunstroke Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, ...
, and, despite Elizabeth's care, he died. The same day, Elizabeth died of
yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. I ...
. George, age 53, made plans to place his young children with friends and family who could better care for them. He was visited by the younger Porter, who thanked him for his wife's care of his father and expressed sympathy for his loss. Porter offered to adopt James and introduce him to a career in the Navy. James and his father agreed. Soon after, George Farragut bought a large piece of property outside of town on the Pascagoula River, and spent his final years there.


Death

Jordi Farragut Mesquida died in
Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula Combined Statistical Area. The population was 22 ...
, on June 4, 1817, at age 62 of yellow fever.


See also

* Hispanics in the United States Navy


References

*''Legacy: Spain and the United States in the Age of Independence, 1763–1848,'' National Portrait Gallery, Sociedad Estatal para la Acción Cultural Exterior de España (SEACEX), the Smithsonian Latino Center, and the Fundación Consejo España-Estados Unidos.


External links


Contribution of Spanish and Latin Americans to the American Revolutionary War
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farragut, George 1755 births 1817 deaths
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
United States Navy personnel of the American Revolution North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution People from Menorca Spanish military personnel of the American Revolutionary War Spanish emigrants to the United States