John Rodgers
Rear Admiral John Rodgers, (8 August, 1812 – 5 May, 1882) served in the United States Navy. He was the father of Vice Admiral William Ledyard Rodgers.
Life & Career
Rodgers was part of a famous naval "dynasty" that saw members serving as commissioned officers in the Navy from its founding through the early Twentieth Century. He was born in Maryland, the son of the founding member of the "dynasty," Commodore John Rodgers (1772-1838).
Rodgers was appointed Midshipman on 18 April, 1828. He fought in the Seminole Wars in Florida and was appointed to his first command, the armed tug John Hancock, in 1853 while a Lieutenant. In 1854 he assumed command of the North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition and was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1855.[1] [2]
Civil War
During the Civil War, Rodgers, promoted to the rank of Captain on 16 July, 1862, commanded experimental ironclad Galena in 1862, as well as the James River Flotilla. Later that year, he was appointed to command ironclad Weehawken and won renown with the capture of the Confederate ram Atlanta on 17 June, 1863. He later received a special a promotion to the rank of Commodore to date from this engagement. He was later appointed commander of ironclad Dictator, but difficulties in the vessel's completion meant he saw no more active wartime service.[3][4]
Postwar Service
Following the war, Rodgers commanded a Special Squadron making passage to San Francisco. En route, he witnessed a Spanish bombardment of Valparaiso, Chile, but maintained strict neutrality during the incident.[5][6]
Rodgers next became Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard from December 1866 to late 1869.[7][8]
Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 31 December, 1869, shortly after being appointed to command the Asiatic Squadron. While in this command, he led an expedition to Korea in 1871 that resulted in armed clashes with Korean forces.[9] This proved to be Rodgers' last tour of sea duty. Upon his return to the United States, he became Commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard from 1873 to 1877, and concluded his career as Superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory from 1877 until his death in Washington, DC from Brights disease in 1882.[10][11][12]
See Also
Bibliography
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by ? |
Commandant, Navy Yard, Boston 15 Dec, 1866[13] – after Sep, 1869[14] |
Succeeded by Oscar C. Badger |
| Preceded by ? |
Commander, Asiatic Squadron 5 Feb, 1870[15] – 15 Apr, 1872[16] |
Succeeded by Thornton A. Jenkins |
| Preceded by James Alden, Jr. |
Commandant, Navy Yard, Mare Island 30 Jun, 1873[17] – Apr, 1877[18] |
Succeeded by Edward R. Colhoun |
| Preceded by ? |
Superintendent, Naval Observatory 1 May, 1877[19] – 5 May, 1882[20] |
Succeeded by Robert L. Phythian |
Footnotes
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1860. p. 26.
- ↑ Wikipedia
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1863. pp. 16-17.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1865. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1866. pp. 14-15, 188.
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer 24 July, 1866 p. 1.
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer 17 December, 1866 p. 2.
- ↑ The Norfolk Virginian 21 September, 1869 p. 1.
- ↑ Wikipedia
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1873. p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1877. pp. 7-8.
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer 6 May, 1882, p. 1.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1867. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ The Norfolk Virginian 21 September, 1869 p. 1.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1870. p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1872. p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1873. p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1877. p. 8.
- ↑ Register of Officers, July 1877. p. .
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer 6 May, 1882 p. 1.
