▁ship ▁became ▁a ▁dispatch ▁vessel , ▁beginning ▁a ▁role ▁which ▁soon ▁brought ▁T alla po osa ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁more ▁interesting ▁miss ions . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁she ▁carried ▁Admir al ▁David ▁Far rag ut ▁to ▁Port land , ▁Maine , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁that ▁British ▁tur ret ed ▁batt les hip ' s ▁voyage ▁across ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁phil anth rop ist ▁George ▁Pe ab ody ▁who ▁had ▁died ▁in ▁England . ▁ ▁Early ▁the ▁following ▁summer , ▁the ▁double - ender ▁carried ▁Far rag ut ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁Port sm outh , ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁command ant ▁of ▁the ▁n avy ▁yard . ▁It ▁was ▁hoped ▁that ▁the ▁cool ▁sea ▁b ree zes ▁of ▁New ▁England ▁would ▁improve ▁the ▁aged ▁and ▁a iling ▁adm iral ' s ▁health . ▁As ▁T alla po osa ▁ne ared ▁Port sm outh ▁on ▁ 4 ▁July , ▁she ▁fired ▁an ▁Independ ence ▁Day ▁sal ute ▁to ▁her ▁famous ▁passenger , ▁the ▁Navy ' s ▁highest ▁ranking ▁and ▁most ▁respect ed ▁officer . ▁Upon ▁hearing ▁the ▁war ship ' s ▁guns , ▁Far rag ut ▁left ▁his ▁sick - bed , ▁don ned ▁his ▁uniform , ▁and ▁walked ▁to ▁the ▁man - of - war ' s ▁quarter deck . ▁There ▁he ▁commented , ▁" It ▁would ▁be ▁well ▁if ▁I ▁died ▁now , ▁in ▁har ness . ▁... "