 It was hoped that the cool sea breezes of New England would improve the aged and ailing admiral's health.As "Tallapoosa" neared Portsmouth on 4 July, she fired an Independence Day salute to her famous passenger, the Navy's highest ranking and most respected officer.Upon hearing the warship's guns, Farragut left his sick-bed, donned his uniform, and walked to the man-of-war's quarterdeck.