He traveled there first .
His family followed , in a 1,700 - mile ( 2,700 km ) flatboat adventure aided by hired rivermen , the then four - year - old Farragut 's first voyage .
He traveled there first and his family followed , in a 1,700 - mile ( 2,700 km ) flatboat adventure aided by hired rivermen , the then four - year - old Farragut 's first voyage .