"Richmond" was present with Farragut's fleet when the epic naval assault against Mobile Bay was mounted on 5 August 1864. For this attack, "Richmond" was lashed to the starboard side of , and proceeded with the fleet across the bar. Fort Morgan opened fire and the action was soon general. Fifteen minutes later as the monitors were preparing to meet the defending Confederate casemate ram , struck a moored "torpedo" or mine and sank in seconds. Then , just ahead of "Richmond", backed athwart "Richmond's" bow in order to clear "a row of suspicious looking buoys." "Richmond" and "Port Royal" in turn went hard astern, causing the entire line of wooden ships to fall into disarray. Admiral Farragut in "Hartford" decided the boldest course through the torpedo fields was the only one possible and gave his famous command "Damn the torpedoes ... full speed ahead!" Moving into the bay, "Richmond" opened fire on the Confederate steamers , , , and "Tennessee". At the same time the gunboat , cast off from "Hartford", captured "Selma". Soon afterward "Port Royal" was sent after the disabled "Gaines".