Control of Mobile Bay would close the last Confederate port on the Gulf of Mexico and Union Admiral David Farragut set out to gain that control with a full-scale 32-ship attack on the smaller enemy fleet and its three protecting forts. Despite the early loss of the U.S.S. Tecumseh to mines, the federal fleet was comprehensively victorious, despite the valiant resistance of the C.S.S. Tennessee which fought on alone till forced to surrender. (By John Osborne)