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Isaac S. Milner, one of the men in the main top, stated that when the Brooklyn stopped, Farragut ordered the Hartford’s pilot to “Run to the port of her.” The pilot responded, “Can’t sir, obstructions.” “To starboard then,” said the admiral. The pilot responded, “Channels full of torpedoes.” Milner then relates that without hesitation Farragut cried: “Damn the torpedoes! Go on!” John Crittenden Watson, Farragut’s flag lieutenant, standing on the poop deck during the battle, recounted that Farragut said: “Starboard, ring four bells, sixteen bells.” In another source, Watson claimed that Farragut said: “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead, Drayton! Hard a starboard! Ring four bells! Eight bells! Sixteen bells!”15 Thus, most of the commentaries claim that Farragut uttered some combination of “Ring four bells! Eight bells! Sixteen bells!” Interestingly, this is similar to the phrase that first shows up in print.