This letter was written on July 30, 1864, shortly before the battle of Mobile Bay. This battle was intended to enforce the Union blockade of Mobile and is considered one of the more important battles of the Civil War. Indeed, it was during this battle that Farragut made his famous comment Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead! The document itself is fairly mundane: it communicates H. R. Billings's official detachment from the USS Vincennes and orders him to report for duty to Farragut off Mobile. C. H. Greene received this letter on July 31, 1864 and reported it on August 02, 1864.