1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
United States
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Native Americans meeting with Europeans, 1764
United States
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Flag
United States
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The signing of the
Mayflower Compact, 1620.
United States
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The
Declaration of Independence: the
Committee of Five presenting their draft to the
Second Continental Congress in 1776
2.
Union (American Civil War)
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The Union was opposed by 11 southern slave states that formed the Confederate States, or the Confederacy. All of the Unions states provided soldiers for the U. S. Army, the Border states played a major role as a supply base for the Union invasion of the Confederacy. The Northeast provided the resources for a mechanized war producing large quantities of munitions and supplies. The Midwest provided soldiers, food, horses, financial support, Army hospitals were set up across the Union. Most states had Republican governors who energetically supported the war effort, the Democratic Party strongly supported the war in 1861 but in 1862 was split between the War Democrats and the anti-war element led by the Copperheads. The Democrats made major gains in 1862 in state elections. They lost ground in 1863, especially in Ohio, in 1864 the Republicans campaigned under the National Union Party banner, which attracted many War Democrats and soldiers and scored a landslide victory for Lincoln and his entire ticket. The war years were quite prosperous except where serious fighting and guerrilla warfare took place along the southern border, prosperity was stimulated by heavy government spending and the creation of an entirely new national banking system. The Union states invested a great deal of money and effort in organizing psychological and social support for soldiers wives, widows, orphans, and for the soldiers themselves. Most soldiers were volunteers, although after 1862 many volunteered to escape the draft, Draft resistance was notable in some larger cities, especially New York City with its massive anti-draft riots of 1863 and in some remote districts such as the coal mining areas of Pennsylvania. In the context of the American Civil War, the Union is sometimes referred to as the North, both then and now, as opposed to the Confederacy, which was the South. The Union never recognized the legitimacy of the Confederacys secession and maintained at all times that it remained entirely a part of the United States of America, in foreign affairs the Union was the only side recognized by all other nations, none of which officially recognized the Confederate government. The term Union occurs in the first governing document of the United States, the subsequent Constitution of 1787 was issued and ratified in the name not of the states, but of We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union. Union, for the United States of America, is repeated in such clauses as the Admission to the Union clause in Article IV. Even before the war started, the preserve the Union was commonplace. Using the term Union to apply to the non-secessionist side carried a connotation of legitimacy as the continuation of the political entity. In comparison to the Confederacy, the Union had a large industrialized and urbanized area, additionally, the Union states had a manpower advantage of 5 to 2 at the start of the war. Year by year, the Confederacy shrank and lost control of increasing quantities of resources, meanwhile, the Union turned its growing potential advantage into a much stronger military force
Union (American Civil War)
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Charleston Mercury Secession Broadside, 1860 - "The Union" had been a way to refer to the American Republic
Union (American Civil War)
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Map of the division of the states during the American Civil War. Blue (the U.S. Army's uniform color) indicates the Union states; light blue represents Union states which permitted slavery (
border states). Red represents states in rebellion, also known as the
Confederate states. Unshaded areas were U.S. territories.
Union (American Civil War)
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The Union had large advantages in men and resources at the start of the war; the ratio grew steadily in favor of the Union. In the chart, "cauc men" means white men.
Union (American Civil War)
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An anti-Lincoln Copperhead pamphlet from 1864
3.
United States Navy
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The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U. S. Navy is the largest, most capable navy in the world, the U. S. Navy has the worlds largest aircraft carrier fleet, with ten in service, two in the reserve fleet, and three new carriers under construction. The service has 323,792 personnel on duty and 108,515 in the Navy Reserve. It has 274 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 operational aircraft as of October 2016, the U. S. Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. It played a role in the American Civil War by blockading the Confederacy. It played the role in the World War II defeat of Imperial Japan. The 21st century U. S. Navy maintains a global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the Western Pacific, the Mediterranean. The Navy is administratively managed by the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Navy is itself a division of the Department of Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of Defense. The Chief of Naval Operations is an admiral and the senior naval officer of the Department of the Navy. The CNO may not be the highest ranking officer in the armed forces if the Chairman or the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, the United States Navy is a seaborne branch of the military of the United States. The Navys three primary areas of responsibility, The preparation of naval forces necessary for the prosecution of war. The development of aircraft, weapons, tactics, technique, organization, U. S. Navy training manuals state that the mission of the U. S. Armed Forces is to prepare and conduct prompt and sustained combat operations in support of the national interest, as part of that establishment, the U. S. Navys functions comprise sea control, power projection and nuclear deterrence, in addition to sealift duties. It follows then as certain as that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive naval force we can do nothing definitive, the Navy was rooted in the colonial seafaring tradition, which produced a large community of sailors, captains, and shipbuilders. In the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, Massachusetts had its own Massachusetts Naval Militia, the establishment of a national navy was an issue of debate among the members of the Second Continental Congress. Supporters argued that a navy would protect shipping, defend the coast, detractors countered that challenging the British Royal Navy, then the worlds preeminent naval power, was a foolish undertaking. Commander in Chief George Washington resolved the debate when he commissioned the ocean-going schooner USS Hannah to interdict British merchant ships, and reported the captures to the Congress
United States Navy
United States Navy
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United States Navy portal
United States Navy
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USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente during the
Quasi-War
United States Navy
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USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere during the
War of 1812
4.
Rear Admiral
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Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the admiral ranks, in many navies it is referred to as a two-star rank. It originated from the days of naval sailing squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy, each naval squadron would be assigned an admiral as its head, who would command from the centre vessel and direct the activities of the squadron. The admiral would in turn be assisted by a vice admiral and this has survived into the modern age, with the rank of rear admiral the most-junior of the admiralty ranks of many navies. In some European navies, and in the Canadian Forces French rank translations, in the German Navy the rank is known as Konteradmiral, superior to the flotilla admiral. In the Royal Netherlands Navy, this rank is known as schout-bij-nacht, denoting the role junior to the squadron admiral, the Royal Australian Navy maintains a rank of rear admiral, refer to Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia. Since the mid-1990s, the insignia of a Royal Australian Navy rear admiral is the Crown of St. Edward above a crossed sword and baton, like the Royal Navy version, the sword is a traditional naval cutlass. The stars have eight points, unlike the four pointed Order of the Bath stars used by the army, prior to 1995, the RAN shoulder board was identical to the Royal Navy shoulder board. The Royal Navy shoulder board changed again in 2001 and the Australian, rear Admiral Robyn Walker AM, RAN became the first female admiral in the Royal Australian Navy when she was appointed Surgeon-General of the Australian Defence Force on 16 December 2011. In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of rear-admiral is the Navy rank equivalent to major-general of the Army, a rear-admiral is a flag officer, the naval equivalent of a general officer. A rear-admiral is senior to a commodore and brigadier-general, and junior to a vice-admiral and lieutenant-general, the service dress features a wide strip of gold braid around the cuff and, since June 2010, above it a narrower strip of gold braid embellished with the executive curl. On the visor of the cap are two rows of gold oak leaves. Konteradmiral is an OF-7 two-star rank equivalent to the Generalmajor in the German Army, see also The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard is the naval component of the Military of Guyana. As such, the ranks of the Coast Guard are naval ranks similar to the practice in the respective Coast Guards of Jamaica and Trinidad, the rank of rear admiral was first awarded to chief of staff commodore Gary Best on August 19,2013. The rank insignia consists of two silver pips with green highlights, beneath a crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by the gold-colored Caciques crown with red, the Indian Navy also maintains a rear admiral rank senior to commodore and captain ranks and junior to vice admiral ranks. The rank insignia for a rear-admiral is two stars beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by Emblem of India, worn on shoulder boards, before Islamic Revolution The Iranian Imperial Navy. After Islamic Revolution The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, also known as the Iranian Navy, a rear admiral in the Pakistani Navy is a senior and two-star rank naval officer, appointed in higher naval commands. Like most Commonwealth navies, the rear admiral rank is superior to commodore, however, the rank is junior to the three-star rank vice-admiral and four-star rank admiral, who is generally a Chief of Naval Staff of the Navy
Rear Admiral
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US Navy Rear Admiral
Michelle J. Howard uses the
public address system to address the crew of
USS Wasp in 2009. Howard has since been promoted to
admiral.
5.
Brazil Squadron
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When the Cisplatine War between Argentina and Brazil ended, the station remained and continued to protect American interests during several other conflicts. The squadron was active in suppressing the African slave trade. The South Atlantic Squadron ceased to exist when it was absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet in 1905, when the sailors arrived at the settlement, its Argentine population was found to be suffering from starvation so Commander Silas Duncan evacuated the colonists to the mainland. Because of this the Falklands were left unpopulated and open for British colonization a few years later, argentinas dispute with the United Kingdom over rights to the islands culminated in the 1982 Falklands War which left the British in control. Exaggerated accounts in opposition of the American expedition claim that the USS Lexington destroyed the town with naval gunfire, africa Squadron, Potomac Books,2006, pp. 233–234
Brazil Squadron
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A wash painting of the brig USS Bainbridge.
6.
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
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The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. Those blockade runners fast enough to evade the Union Navy could only carry a fraction of the supplies needed. They were operated largely by British citizens, making use of ports such as Havana, Nassau. The Union commissioned around 500 ships, which destroyed or captured about 1,500 blockade runners over the course of the war, for this purpose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, done at the City of Washington, this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-fifth. The British proclamation also formally gave Britain the diplomatic right to discuss openly which side, if any, to support. A joint Union military-navy commission, known as the Blockade Strategy Board, was formed to make plans for seizing major Southern ports to utilize as Union bases of operations to expand the blockade. It first met in June 1861 in Washington, D. C. under the leadership of Captain Samuel F, in the initial phase of the blockade, Union forces concentrated on the Atlantic Coast. The November 1861 capture of Port Royal in South Carolina provided the Federals with an ocean port and repair. It became a base of operations for further expansion of the blockade along the Atlantic coastline. Apalachicola, Florida, received Confederate goods traveling down the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia, another early prize was Ship Island, which gave the Navy a base from which to patrol the entrances to both the Mississippi River and Mobile Bay. The Navy gradually extended its reach throughout the Gulf of Mexico to the Texas coastline, including Galveston, with 3,500 miles of Confederate coastline and 180 possible ports of entry to patrol, the blockade would be the largest such effort ever attempted. The United States Navy had 42 ships in service, and another 48 laid up. At the time of the declaration of the blockade, the Union only had three ships suitable for blockade duty, the Navy Department, under the leadership of Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, quickly moved to expand the fleet. In 1861, nearly 80 steamers and 60 sailing ships were added to the fleet, some 52 more warships were under construction by the end of the year. By November 1862, there were 282 steamers and 102 sailing ships, by the end of the war, the Union Navy had grown to a size of 671 ships, making it the largest navy in the world. By the end of 1861, the Navy had grown to 24,000 officers and enlisted men, four squadrons of ships were deployed, two in the Atlantic and two in the Gulf of Mexico. Blockade service was attractive to Federal seamen and landsmen alike, Blockade station service was considered the most boring job in the war but also the most attractive in terms of potential financial gain
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
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A 1861 characterized map of the Union blockade, known as
Winfield Scott 's
Anaconda Plan.
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
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The Confederate
blockade runner SS Banshee in 1863
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
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Blockade runner SS A.D. Vance, captured by the Union Navy and recommissioned as
Advance
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
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CSS David engaging
New Ironsides on 5 October 1863, during the blockade of Charleston.
7.
European Squadron
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The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil War. In 1905, the squadron was absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet, the Egyptian Expedition in June and July 1882 was a response by the United States to the British and French attack on Alexandria during the Anglo-Egyptian War. Other ships of the squadron from July 1901 included the cruiser USS Albany and this article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
European Squadron
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USS Franklin - squadron flagship from 1867 to 1868
European Squadron
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United States Marines and
Royal Marines during the occupation of Alexandria in 1882.
European Squadron
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RADM Louis M. Goldsborough
European Squadron
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ADM David G. Farragut
8.
Aegean Anti-Piracy Campaign
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Aegean Sea Anti-Piracy Operations began in 1825 when the United States government dispatched a squadron of ships to suppress Aegean Greek pirates. Due to the Greek civil wars and the decline of the Hellenic Navy, American merchant vessels were attacked, so the Mediterranean Squadron began escort and patrol duties. The operations terminated in 1828 as piracy ceased, in the wake of the Hellenic Navys decline after 1824, the Navy turned increasingly to privateering. With the breakdown of law and order in the Aegean, piracy became widespread, several American merchant ships were plundered by 1825, so that year President James Monroe sent Commodore John Rodgers to protect American commerce. The sloops and schooners were the vessels deployed against the pirates because the larger men-of-war were too large to be effective. Many of the Greek pirates used small, three-masted vessels called mistikos and were armed with one bow gun. Commodore Rodgers first squadron in the Aegean occupied its time by convoying merchant ships, in 1826 the squadron was withdrawn, but another was sent in 1827 after a new escalation in piracy. Again the naval force was under John Rodgers command, USS Warren would be the first to fight the brigands in a battle, she was newly constructed and sailed from Boston in February 1827. One boat and fifteen pirates were also taken, while sailing in convoy on October 16, Lieutenant Louis M. Goldsborough of the Porpoise liberated the British brig Comet after watching it get captured by 250 pirates in five vessels. In the ensuing battle, around ninety brigands were killed or wounded while the Americans suffered no casualties, three brigs left the convoy at that point and two of them were later attacked. The first brig was captured off Chios and the second was abandoned by her crew before it was captured, on October 23, one American sailor from the Porpoise was wounded in a skirmish near Andros. USS Warren chased a ten-gun pirate brig on October 25 and it grounded off Argentiere before sinking, one pirate boat was burned during the landing and the town shelled. On November 7, an expedition from the Warren under the command of Lieutenant William L. Hudson destroyed one pirate boat. The Warren also landed men on Argentiere and Milos in December, by the end of 1827, the United Kingdom, Russia and France had deployed their own fleets to the Aegean for suppression of piracy and to support Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. In January 1828 a combined fleet of British and French warships attacked Carabusa, west Indies Squadron Wombwell, A. James. The Long War Against Piracy, Historical Trends, fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Combat Studies Institute Press. This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Aegean Anti-Piracy Campaign
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Greek pirate boats attacking the HMS Comet, which led to
intervention by the USS Porpoise after departing its convoy.
Aegean Anti-Piracy Campaign
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USS North Carolina.
9.
Battle of Doro Passage
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The Battle of Doro Passage was a naval engagement during the United States Navys operation against Greek pirates in the Aegean Sea. On October 16,1827 a British merchant ship was attacked by pirates in Doro Passage off the islands of Andros, the Greek War of Independence shifted the balance of sea power in the Mediterranean Sea against the Ottoman Empire. This power shift led to a rise in piracy particularly among the Greek islands in the Aegean, in 1825, after several American merchant ships had been attacked, the American navy sent a squadron of warships to protect American interests and persecute pirates. Lieutenant Benjamin Cooper commanded the twelve gun schooner USS Porpoise in October 1827 and was in the process of escorting a convoy of five American ships, at dusk on October 16, the convoy was sailing through Doro Passage when suddenly the wind came to a calm. The British brig Comet had fallen behind drifted away from the rest of the convoy and she was attacked by 200 to 300 Greek pirates in five boats called mistikos. In general the mistikos were small but fast three masted galleys armed with one bow gun, the pirates quickly took control of Comet and put most of the crew in chains before attempting to flee back to their islands. The British captain and some managed to lower a boat and paddle to the Porpoise. Lieutenant Conner gave the order to fire and give chase to the Greek pirates. However, because of the calm, the sailors had to propel their ship by oars, when rowing failed to close the range, Lieutenant Cooper dispatched four boats with thirty-five men under the command of Lieutenant Louis M. Goldsborough. With boats the Americans felt they could close the distance between the two vessels faster and cut out the captured brig and it was now dark, so when the Greeks opened fire on the approaching boats they had trouble hitting their targets. No Americans were hurt throughout the action, during the boarding a wardroom steward killed eleven of the pirates singlehandedly, Lieutenant John A. Carr killed the pirate leader and several others with his pistol. Ultimately eighty to ninety pirates became casualties and the remaining escaped to shore in their boats, Lieutenant Goldsborough received recognition for winning the largest battle of the American campaign in the Aegean and a message of thanks from the British government. Golden Age of Piracy Goldsborough, Louis Malesherbes, Rear-Admiral, U. S. N, a Naval Encyclopædia, Comprising a Dictionary of Nautical Words and Phrases, Biographical Notices, and Records of Naval Officers, Special Articles of Naval Art and Science. Philadelphia, L. R. Hamersly & Co.1881, wilson, James Grant, John Fiske, eds. New York, D. Appleton and Company, the Long War Against Piracy, Historical Trends. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Combat Studies Institute Press
Battle of Doro Passage
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Greek pirates attacking the HMS Comet merchant ship.
Battle of Doro Passage
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Louis M. Goldsborough
10.
Siege of Veracruz
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The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from March 9–29,1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, U. S. forces then marched inland to Mexico City. After the battles of Monterrey and Buena Vista, much of Zachary Taylors Army of Occupation was transferred to the command of Major General Winfield Scott in support of the upcoming campaign. That campaign, determined by Scott and other Washington officials, would be a Veracruz landing, Veracruz was considered to be the strongest fortress in North America at the time. Puebla Libres, Orizaba, Veracruz, Oaxaca and Tehuantepec national guards, Fort San Juan de Ulúa – offshore on the Gallega Reef. Gen. Jose Durán with 1,030 men and 135 guns, artillery, Puebla and Jamiltepec activo battalions, companies of Tuxpan, Tampico, see Orders of Battle Mexican War. The Americans arrived at Anton Lizardo, Veracruz in early March, Scott agreed with Conners suggestion for a landing site at Collado Beach,3 mi south of Veracruz. The 1st Regular Division under Worth was chosen to make the landing first, followed by Pattersons volunteers, Conners Mosquito Fleet moved to within 90 yd of the beach to supply covering fire if necessary. By 12,15 pm on 9 March, this force was off Collado Beach, just before the main force touched the beach, a gig dashed ahead, and General Worth with his staff jumped ashore. Worths whole division landed without firing or receiving a single shot, by 11 pm, Scotts entire army had been brought ashore without a single man lost, and the first large scale amphibious landing conducted by the U. S. military was a success. Once ashore Pattersons division began marching northward to effect a complete envelopment of the city, one of Pattersons brigades under Gideon Pillow drove off a Mexican cavalry at Malibrán, cutting off the Alvarado road and the citys water supply. Quitman and Shields managed to drive off cavalry attempting to prevent the investment, by 13 March, the U. S. had completed a 7 mi siege line from Collado in the south to Playa Vergara in the north. On 17 March, siege lines were dug for Scotts siege artillery, sufficient for taking the city, the besiegers were plagued by sorties from the city, and Col. Juan Aguayo used the cover of a storm to slip his Alvarado garrison into Veracruz. Perry, Conners successor, returned from Norfolk, Virginia after making repairs on the USS Mississippi, perry and Conner met with Scott regarding the Navys role in the siege, and offered six guns that were to be manned by sailors from the ships. The naval battery was constructed under the direction of Captain Robert E. Lee 700 yd from the city walls. On March 22, Morales declined a surrender demand from Scott, the Naval batterys heavy cannonballs easily broke the coral walls. Congreve rockets were fired into the defenses and the fire forced the abandonment of Fort Santiago as Mexican morale began to drop. On March 24, Persifor F. Smiths brigade captured a Mexican soldier with reports that Antonio López de Santa Anna was marching an army from Mexico City to the relief of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
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Scott's siege guns were in place on ground outside the city
Siege of Veracruz
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Collado beach is on the right
Siege of Veracruz
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The amphibious assault on Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
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Attack of the Gun Boats, San Juan de Ulloa, after a sketch by J. M. Ladd, USN
11.
American Civil War
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The American Civil War was an internal conflict fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865. The Union faced secessionists in eleven Southern states grouped together as the Confederate States of America, the Union won the war, which remains the bloodiest in U. S. history. Among the 34 U. S. states in February 1861, War broke out in April 1861 when Confederates attacked the U. S. fortress of Fort Sumter. The Confederacy grew to eleven states, it claimed two more states, the Indian Territory, and the southern portions of the western territories of Arizona. The Confederacy was never recognized by the United States government nor by any foreign country. The states that remained loyal, including border states where slavery was legal, were known as the Union or the North, the war ended with the surrender of all the Confederate armies and the dissolution of the Confederate government in the spring of 1865. The war had its origin in the issue of slavery. The Confederacy collapsed and 4 million slaves were freed, but before his inauguration, seven slave states with cotton-based economies formed the Confederacy. The first six to declare secession had the highest proportions of slaves in their populations, the first seven with state legislatures to resolve for secession included split majorities for unionists Douglas and Bell in Georgia with 51% and Louisiana with 55%. Alabama had voted 46% for those unionists, Mississippi with 40%, Florida with 38%, Texas with 25%, of these, only Texas held a referendum on secession. Eight remaining slave states continued to reject calls for secession, outgoing Democratic President James Buchanan and the incoming Republicans rejected secession as illegal. Lincolns March 4,1861 inaugural address declared that his administration would not initiate a civil war, speaking directly to the Southern States, he reaffirmed, I have no purpose, directly or indirectly to interfere with the institution of slavery in the United States where it exists. I believe I have no right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so. After Confederate forces seized numerous federal forts within territory claimed by the Confederacy, efforts at compromise failed, the Confederates assumed that European countries were so dependent on King Cotton that they would intervene, but none did, and none recognized the new Confederate States of America. Hostilities began on April 12,1861, when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter, while in the Western Theater the Union made significant permanent gains, in the Eastern Theater, the battle was inconclusive in 1861–62. The autumn 1862 Confederate campaigns into Maryland and Kentucky failed, dissuading British intervention, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which made ending slavery a war goal. To the west, by summer 1862 the Union destroyed the Confederate river navy, then much of their western armies, the 1863 Union siege of Vicksburg split the Confederacy in two at the Mississippi River. In 1863, Robert E. Lees Confederate incursion north ended at the Battle of Gettysburg, Western successes led to Ulysses S. Grants command of all Union armies in 1864
American Civil War
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New Orleans the largest cotton exporting port for New England and Great Britain textile mills, shipping Mississippi River Valley goods from North, South and Border states.
American Civil War
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Clockwise from top:
Battle of Gettysburg,
Union Captain John Tidball's artillery,
Confederate prisoners,
ironclad USS Atlanta, ruins of
Richmond, Virginia,
Battle of Franklin
American Civil War
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Sen. Stephen Douglas, author of the
Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854
American Civil War
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Sen. John J. Crittenden, of the 1860
Crittenden Compromise
12.
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
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Two forts on the Outer Banks had been built by the Confederates, to protect their commerce-raiding activity. Although held up by bad weather, the fleet was able to land troops under General Ben Butler and this battle represented the first application of the naval blockading strategy. The Union retained both forts, providing access to the sounds, and commerce raiding was much reduced. The victory was welcomed by a demoralised Northern public after the humiliation of 1st Bull Run, the engagement is sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark. The North Carolina Sounds occupy most of the coast from Cape Lookout to the Virginia border, with their eastern borders marked by the Outer Banks, they were almost ideally located for raiding Northern maritime commerce. Cape Hatteras, the easternmost point in the Confederacy, is within sight of the Gulf Stream, ships in the Caribbean trade would reduce the time of their homeward journeys to New York, Philadelphia, or Boston by riding the stream to the north. Raiders, either privateers or state-owned vessels, could lie inside, watchers stationed at the Hatteras lighthouse would then signal a raider, which would dash out and make a capture, often being able to return the same day. In 1861, only four inlets were deep enough for ocean-going vessels to pass, Beaufort, Ocracoke, Hatteras, and Oregon Inlets. Hatteras Inlet was the most important of these, so it was given two forts, named Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark Fort Hatteras was sited adjacent to the inlet, Fort Clark was about half a mile to the southeast, closer to the Atlantic Ocean. The forts were not very strong, Fort Hatteras had only ten guns mounted by the end of August, with five guns in the fort. Furthermore, most of the guns were rather light 32-pounders or smaller, of limited range, the personnel problem was even worse. North Carolina had raised and equipped 22 infantry regiments to serve in the war, the six regiments remaining were responsible for the defense of the entire North Carolina coastline. Only a fraction of one regiment, the 7th North Carolina Volunteers, the other forts were likewise only weakly held. Fewer than a thousand men garrisoned Forts Ocracoke, Hatteras, Clark, reinforcements, if needed, would have to come from as far away as Beaufort. Strangely, the authorities in North Carolina did little to keep the poor state of their defenses secret. Several Yankee captains, victims of either capture or shipwreck, were detained at or near Hatteras Island while awaiting return to their homes. They were allowed free access to the forts, and made mental notes of everything. When they returned to the North, at least two of them gave full and valuable descriptions to the Navy Department, the depredations on Northern commerce emanating from Hatteras Inlet could not pass unnoticed
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
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Capture of the Forts at Cape Hatteras inlet
Alfred R. Waud, artist, August 28, 1861.
13.
Battle of Roanoke Island
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The defense was augmented by four forts facing on the water approaches to Roanoke Island, and two outlying batteries. At the time of the battle, Wise was hospitalized, so leadership fell to his second in command, during the first day of the battle, the Federal gunboats and the forts on shore engaged in a gun battle, with occasional contributions from the Mosquito Fleet. Late in the day, Burnsides soldiers went ashore unopposed, they were accompanied by six howitzers manned by sailors, as it was too late to fight, the invaders went into camp for the night. On the second day, February 8, the Union soldiers advanced but were stopped by an artillery battery, although the Confederates thought that their line was safely anchored in impenetrable swamps, they were flanked on both sides and their soldiers were driven back to refuge in the forts. The forts were taken in reverse, with no way for his men to escape, Col. Shaw surrendered to avoid pointless bloodshed. Northeastern North Carolina is dominated by its sounds, large but shallow bodies of water that lie between the mainland and the Outer Banks. Although they are all one body, intimately connected and having a water level. The largest of these is Pamlico Sound, immediately behind Hatteras Island, to its north is the second largest, Albemarle Sound, the linkage between these two, somewhat narrow, is further constricted by Roanoke Island. The portion of the waterway between Roanoke Island and the mainland is known as Croatan Sound, both the island and the sound are about ten miles long. The sound at its widest point is a more than 4 miles across. On the eastern side of the island is Roanoke Sound, much narrower, shallower, several North Carolina cities were sited on the sounds, among them New Bern, Beaufort, Edenton, and Elizabeth City. Others, not lying directly on the sounds, were accessible to the rivers that emptied into them, as much as a third of the state is in their watershed. Through most of the first year of the Civil War, the Confederate forces retained control of the sounds, the sounds were linked to Norfolk, Virginia by the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal and the Dismal Swamp Canal. The blockade of Norfolk could not be complete so long as cargoes could reach the city through its back door, Roanoke Island was the key to control of the Sounds. If controlled by the Union forces, they would have a base that could be attacked only by an amphibious operation, if the Union established naval superiority there, all points on the mainland shores would be equally vulnerable to assault. The defense of Roanoke Island started in an accidental manner and they remained there for the next three months, making somewhat desultory efforts to expel the Union forces from Hatteras Island. Little was done to secure the position until early October, when Brig. Gen. Hill was assigned to command the defenses of North Carolina in the vicinity of the sounds. Hill set his soldiers to putting up earthworks across the center of the island, shortly after his departure, his district was split in two, the southern part was assigned to Brig. Gen. Lawrence OB
Battle of Roanoke Island
–
Sketch showing route of Burnside's forces to
Hatteras Inlet.
U.S. Government Printing Office, 1866
Battle of Roanoke Island
–
Capture of Roanoke Island, Feby. 8th 1862, by Currier and Ives
Battle of Roanoke Island
–
Map of Roanoke Island, showing forts and fleet dispositions, February 7, 1862, on the left, and on the right, the battlefield where opposing armies met on February 8. Prepared by Lt. Andrews, 9th N.Y. Regiment.
14.
Battle of Elizabeth City
–
The Battle of Elizabeth City of the American Civil War was fought in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Roanoke Island. It took place on 10 February 1862, on the Pasquotank River near Elizabeth City, the participants were vessels of the U. S. The battle was a part of the campaign in North Carolina that was led by Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, the result was a Union victory, with Elizabeth City and its nearby waters in their possession, and the Confederate fleet captured, sunk, or dispersed. At the outset of the American Civil War, the Union sought to implement its Anaconda Plan to isolate and defeat the Confederacy. The crucial first step was to blockade the Confederate coast to prevent access to Europe, the Union then sought to use its naval advantage to advance the rest of the Anaconda Plan by cutting parts of the Confederacy off from one another. Elizabeth City lies near the mouth of the Pasquotank River, where it flows into Albemarle Sound from the north, North of the city is the Dismal Swamp Canal. To the east is the segment of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal. Much of the food and forage delivered from North Carolina to southeastern Virginia was transported along these two canals, in particular, Norfolk, Virginia depended upon continued access to the canals for its subsistence. So long as the North Carolina Sounds remained in Confederate hands and that changed, however, in early February 1862. With the elimination of the batteries, however, all that stood in the way of the Union Navy was the Mosquito Fleet of the Confederate States Navy, the first shots of the Burnside Expedition were fired on 7 February 1862, in the Battle of Roanoke Island. On that first day of the battle, a force of 19 Union gunboats bombarded, rather inconclusively, four Rebel forts facing Croatan Sound. The Federal ships were parts of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, the Confederate vessels were drawn from a unit led by Flag Officer William F. Lynch, termed the Mosquito Fleet, intended to serve on Albemarle Sound and nearby waters. The gunnery duel lasted from noon until sunset, one other ship was damaged, but not by enemy action, CSS Forrest damaged her screw by running on a submerged obstacle, and was thereafter unable to move under her own power. The remainder of the Mosquito Fleet suffered only minimal damage and they had to retire at the end of the day, with Forrest in tow, solely because they had nearly run out of ammunition. Flag Officer Lynch took his fleet to Elizabeth City, to resupply, failing to find ammunition to replenish his magazines, he sent Commander Thomas T. Hunter, former captain of CSS Curlew, to Norfolk. He later sent CSS Raleigh up the Dismal Swamp Canal for the same purpose, Hunter returned with enough to resupply only two ships, Lynch divided it among all of his remaining serviceable ships. Raleigh, however, was not able to return in time, no further changes of status affected the Mosquito Fleet. On the eve of battle, Lynch had at his six ships in the water, each with only enough shot
Battle of Elizabeth City
–
USS Commodore Perry' s guns, 1864
Battle of Elizabeth City
–
The Pasquotank River near Elizabeth City, site of battle of 10 February 1862
Battle of Elizabeth City
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USS Hetzel as she appeared at the time of her civil war service.
Battle of Elizabeth City
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CSS Ellis after her capture
15.
Battle of New Berne
–
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Armys Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E. Branch, although the defenders fought behind breastworks that had been set up before the battle, their line had a weak spot in its center that was exploited by the attacking Federal soldiers. When the center of the line was penetrated, many of the militia broke, General Branch was unable to regain control of his troops until they had retreated to Kinston, more than 30 miles away. New Bern came under Federal control, and remained so for the rest of the war, New Bern lies on the left bank of the Neuse River, about 37 miles above its exit into Pamlico Sound. The river is broad in this vicinity, and is enough that vessels that can navigate the sound can also ply the river. In the colonial era, the town was important as a seaport. Nevertheless, New Bern was still a significant military target, as the railroad connected the coast with the interior passed through the city. A short distance further up, at Goldsboro, the crossed the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. Thus, if New Bern were to fall into Federal hands, the land in this part of North Carolina is low and rather flat, and is sometimes marshy. In 1862, the land was mostly covered with open pine forest, although in places it was broken into low hills with deciduous forests. It is crossed by creeks that sometimes rise to the status of small rivers. One of these, the Trent River, separates New Bern from the land to its south, the slightly smaller Slocums Creek, enters 16 miles farther down the Neuse. It was to be the site for the attacking Federal forces. The entire action, aside from the takeover of the city, was confined to the land between two streams. The railroad ran on a system of berms and occasional cuts about a mile inland from the river and it entered the city on a bridge over the Trent River. A county road passed over the land, also connecting New Bern with Morehead City. In the vicinity of the battle, it lay between railroad and the river, but it crossed the railroad about a mile and a north of what would be the battlefield. The road continued to the northwest, crossing the Trent on a drawbridge some 4 miles west of the city, in the manner of the time, the road was unpaved, as the Union soldiers learned to their sorrow
Battle of New Berne
–
The present-day location of Fort Thompson. Only the earthenworks remain. The
Neuse River can be seen in the background.
Battle of New Berne
–
The advance of the Gunboats up the river to New Berne, N. Carolina. Passing the Barricade. Valentine, Herbert Eugene, artist.
Battle of New Berne
–
Battle of New Bern as illustrated in
Harper's Weekly. 5 April 1862
16.
Battle of Fort Macon
–
The Siege of Fort Macon took place from March 23 to April 26,1862, on the Outer Banks of Carteret County, North Carolina. It was part of Union Army General Ambrose E. Burnsides North Carolina Expedition during the American Civil War, in late March, Major General Burnside’s army advanced on Fort Macon, a casemated masonry fort that commanded the channel to Beaufort,35 miles southeast of New Bern. The Union force invested the fort with siege works and on April 25 opened a fire on the fort. Within a few hours the forts began to collapse, and in late afternoon the Confederate commander, Colonel Moses J. White. Burnsides terms of surrender were accepted, and the Federal troops took possession of the fort the next morning, Fort Macon was one of a system of coastal forts that were built around the borders of the still-young United States following the War of 1812. It was built on the end of Bogue Banks, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Begun in 1826, it was completed and received its first garrison in 1834, as it was intended for defense against attacking enemy naval forces, it was built of masonry. Gunfire from a ships deck was not accurate enough at that time to be able to break down brick. Although the advent of rifled artillery would make its walls vulnerable. It was an out of date when the Civil War came. After the first spate of enthusiasm, the fort was allowed to deteriorate, the woodwork rotted, the ironwork rusted, and gun carriages were allowed to decay. The garrison was reduced in size, until by the time of the beginning of the Civil War the care of the fort was entrusted to a single sergeant. When the fort was taken over by North Carolina troops under Captain Josiah Solomon Pender on April 14, the local military authorities immediately set about improving the armament. A total of 56 pieces were mounted, but they had ammunition for three days of action. At the time of the siege, the garrison of the fort numbered about 430 officers and men, sickness reduced this number by about a third. Despite the poor diet and other living conditions that they suffered, morale among the men was generally not good, as they were cut off from their families, and White was unpopular, both with his men and with the people of Beaufort. A few men deserted during the siege, when battle came, the fort was outdated, inadequately armed, poorly supplied, and intended for a different form of combat than that it faced. These deficiencies are adequate to explain why the fort succumbed so readily at the first blow and his plan was approved by General-in-Chief George B. McClellan and the War Department
Battle of Fort Macon
–
Fort Macon, NC
Battle of Fort Macon
–
Coastal North Carolina in the vicinity of Fort Macon, showing how it dominated the seaward approaches to Morehead City and Beaufort.
17.
Peninsula Campaign
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The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B, McClellan, was an amphibious turning movement against the Confederate States Army in Northern Virginia, intended to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. McClellan landed his army at Fort Monroe and moved northwest, up the Virginia Peninsula, Magruders defensive position on the Warwick Line caught McClellan by surprise. His hopes for a quick advance foiled, McClellan ordered his army to prepare for a siege of Yorktown, just before the siege preparations were completed, the Confederates, now under the direct command of Johnston, began a withdrawal toward Richmond. The first heavy fighting of the campaign occurred in the Battle of Williamsburg, in which the Union troops managed some tactical victories, an amphibious flanking movement to Elthams Landing was ineffective in cutting off the Confederate retreat. In the Battle of Drewrys Bluff, an attempt by the U. S. Navy to reach Richmond by way of the James River was repulsed. As McClellans army reached the outskirts of Richmond, a battle occurred at Hanover Court House. The battle was inconclusive, with casualties, but it had lasting effects on the campaign. On August 20,1861, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan formed the Army of the Potomac, with himself as its first commander. During the summer and fall, McClellan brought a degree of organization to his new army. It was an achievement, in which he came to personify the Army of the Potomac. He created defenses for Washington that were almost impregnable, consisting of 48 forts and strong points, on November 1,1861, Gen. Winfield Scott retired and McClellan became general in chief of all the Union armies. The president expressed his concern about the vast labor involved in the role of army commander and general in chief. On January 27, Lincoln issued an order that all of his armies to begin offensive operations by February 22. On January 31, he issued an order for the Army of the Potomac to move overland to attack the Confederates at Manassas Junction. Although Lincoln believed his plan was superior, he was relieved that McClellan finally agreed to begin moving, on March 8, doubting McClellans resolve, Lincoln called a council of war at the White House in which McClellans subordinates were asked about their confidence in the Urbanna plan. They expressed their confidence to varying degrees, after the meeting, Lincoln issued another order, naming specific officers as corps commanders to report to McClellan. McClellan retooled his plan so that his troops would disembark at Fort Monroe, Virginia, in the Battle of Hampton Roads, Virginia defeated wooden U. S
Peninsula Campaign
–
George B. McClellan and
Joseph E. Johnston, respective commanders of the
Union and
Confederate armies in the Peninsula Campaign.
Peninsula Campaign
–
Brig. Gen.
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Peninsula Campaign
–
Brig. Gen.
Erasmus D. Keyes
Peninsula Campaign
–
Maj. Gen.
D. H. Hill
18.
John R. Goldsborough
–
Commodore John R. Goldsborough was an officer in the United States Navy. Goldsborough was the brother of U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough, Goldsborough was born in Washington, D. C. on 2 July 1809, the son of a chief clerk in the United States Department of the Navy. He was a cadet-midshipman aboard the frigate USS John Adams, the flagship of Commodore David Porter in the West Indies Squadron, as a midshipman, he was attached to the ship-of-the-line USS North Carolina and the sloop-of-war USS Warren in the Mediterranean Squadron from November 1824 to June 1830. Warrens commanding officer, Master Commandant Lawrence Kearny, personally thanked him for the manner in which he carried out the capture of Helene, Goldsborough was promoted to passed midshipman on 28 April 1832 and to lieutenant on 6 September 1837. From 1844 to 1850 he was assigned to the United States Coast Survey and was involved in charting the United States East Coast, commanding the schooner USS Wave for at least part of that time. Prior to Goldsboroughs Coast Survey tour, U. S. Navy Lieutenant George M. Known as the red right return system, it has been in use in the United States ever since. Promoted to commander on 14 September 1855, Goldsborough commanded the Naval Rendezvous at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1855 to 1859, on 1 June 1861, Union captured a Confederate blockade runner, the schooner C. W. On 9 August 1861, York captured the Union schooner George G. Baker and Union intervened, recapturing George G. Baker and forcing the crew of York to set York on fire, Union then was transferred to the Potomac Flotilla in August 1861. He was promoted to captain on 16 July 1862 and that took command of a settlement of former slaves at St. Simons Island. He left Colorado in November 1863 and took up duty at Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. From 1865 to 1868, Goldsborough commanded the screw sloop-of-war USS Shenandoah, voyaging to the Azores, Goldsborough was promoted to commodore on 13 April 1867 while aboard Shenandoah. Goldsborough retired from the Navy on 2 July 1870, around 1833, Goldsborough married the former Mary Lawrence Pennington, who resided in Philadelphia during his Navy service. Goldsborough was a Freemason during his lifetime, but later withdrew from both Masonic Lodges of which he was a member, Goldsborough died in Philadelphia on 22 June 1877. He is buried with his wife at the Church of St. James the Less in Philadelphia, John R. Goldsborough at Find a Grave John R. Goldsborough at Find a Grave
John R. Goldsborough
–
John R. Goldsborough
19.
Rear Admiral (United States)
–
Rear admiral in the United States refers to two different ranks of commissioned officers — one-star flag officers and two-star flag officers. By contrast, in most nations, the rear admiral refers to an officer of two-star rank. The abbreviation for personnel from the USN, USCG, and NOAA is RDML, whereas for the USPHS, Rear admiral ranks above captain and below rear admiral. Rear admiral is equivalent to the rank of general in the other uniformed services. In the United States uniformed services, rear admiral replaced the rank of commodore in 1985, Rear admiral ranks above rear admiral and below vice admiral. Rear admiral is equivalent to the rank of general in the other uniformed services. It is the highest permanent rank during peacetime in the uniformed services, all higher ranks are temporary ranks and linked to their specific commands or office and expire with the expiration of their term of command or office. Before the American Civil War, the American Navy had resisted creating the rank of admiral, instead, they preferred the term flag officer, in order to distinguish the rank from the traditions of the European navies. During the American Civil War, The US Congress honored David Glasgow Farraguts successful assault on the city of New Orleans by creating the rank of admiral on July 16,1862. During World War II, the U. S. Navy, by the end of the war, all incumbents had been advanced to the rank of two-star rear admiral and the commodore rank was eliminated in both services. Lower-half rear admirals were promoted to full rear admirals, or upper half status. However, both categories of rear admiral wore two-star insignia, an issue that was a source of consternation to the other services. Although not flag officers, these officers were entitled to a blue and white command pennant containing the initials. 97–86 expanded commodore from a title to a permanent grade by creating the one-star rank of commodore admiral. After only 11 months, the rank was reverted to just commodore, however, this caused issues with the Navy due to the difficulty in discriminating those commodores who were flag officers from commodores who were senior captains in certain command positions. 99–145 renamed commodore to the current grade of rear admiral effective on November 8,1985, up until 1981, all rear admirals wore two stars on their shoulder bars and rank insignia. Since then, rear admirals wear one star while rear admirals wear two, verbal address remains rear admiral for both ranks, on correspondence, where the rear admirals rank is spelled out, the acronym and follows the rear admirals rank title to distinguish between one and two stars. The flags of restricted line officers and staff officers have blue stars on a white field
Rear Admiral (United States)
–
US Navy Rear Admiral
Michelle J. Howard uses the
public address system to address the crew of
USS Wasp (LHD 1) in 2009. Howard has since been promoted to
admiral.
20.
Commodore (United States)
–
Commodore was an early title and later a rank in the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the Confederate States Navy. For over two centuries, the designation has been varying levels of authority and formality. Because the U. S. Congress was originally unwilling to authorize more than four officer ranks in the navy until 1862, considerable importance was attached to the title of commodore. Like its Royal Navy counterpart at the time, the U. S. Navy commodore was not a higher rank, an American commodore in the early period, like an English commodore or a French chef descadre, was an officer assigned temporary command of more than one ship. He continued his permanent or regular rank during the assignment, once employed as a commodore, however, many jealously held onto the impressive title after their qualifying assignment ended. The Navy Department tried to discourage such continuing usage because it led to confusion, in 1857, Congress established the grade of flag officer. This generic title was intended to promote the efficiency of the Navy, like the courtesy-title commodores, flag officers reverted to captain once their squadron command assignment was completed. Because of the acute need for officers at the beginning of the American Civil War, naval tradition was ignored, eighteen commodores were authorized on July 16,1862. The rank of commodore continued in the Navy until March 3,1899, in short, U. S. Navy commodores were not being treated as flag officers by other navies, or given the respect that the Navy Department thought was their due. If there were an odd number of admirals, the lower half of the list was to be the larger. The U. S. Supreme Court later held that the rank of commodore had been removed from the U. S. Navy and this act disgruntled all the brigadier generals, who could now be outranked by officers who were their juniors in terms of service. This was a point of controversy for many years, especially after 1916. Thus the two-star rank of admiral was now equal to that of major general. The COMINCH of the U. S. Navy and Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest J. King, president Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed, making the suggestion that the title be revived. As a result, the officer rank for the U. S. Navy. In actual practice, some officers on admirals staffs were also promoted to the rank of commodore, by the end of the War in the Pacific in August 1945, there were over 100 commodores in the U. S. Navy and U. S. Coast Guard. After World War II, and with the drawdown in size of both the Navy and the Coast Guard, very few of the wartime commodores were ever promoted to rear admiral. All promotions to commodore ceased in 1947, and nearly all of the commodores who had held the rank had either been promoted to rear admiral or had retired from the Navy by 1950
Commodore (United States)
–
The command pennant of the Commander, Submarine Squadron 16 above the headquarters at Kings Bay, Georgia.
Commodore (United States)
–
19th century commodore sleeve stripes
21.
United States Department of the Navy
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The Secretary of the Navy is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. They supervise their military services of the Department of the Navy. They are assisted by a Vice Chief of Naval Operations and an Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. Unlike its U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force counterparts, the Department of the Navy consists of all elements of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. According to Navy Regulations Section 0204-2, the term Navy Department refers only to the offices at the seat of government. The bill passed in the House on 17 May 2007, but encountered opposition among members of the DoD civilian leadership and among senior Navy admirals, in the Senate, the provision was replaced in S. Amdt. 2011, an amendment in the nature of a substitute proposed by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan on 9 July 2007, the amendment removed the renaming provision and also made other changes. The House version including the provision was withdrawn in conference committee, Naval Vessel Register Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations United States Navy Regulations, Accessed on 2011-03-23. Department of the Navy website US Marine Corps official website US Navy official website Department of Defense website Department of the Navy in the Federal Register
United States Department of the Navy
–
Seal of the U.S. Department of the Navy
22.
United States Secretary of the Navy
–
The Secretary of the Navy is a statutory office and the head of the Department of the Navy, a military department within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Navy consists of two Uniformed Services, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. In effect, all authority within the Navy and Marine Corps, specifically enumerated responsibilities of the SECNAV in beforementioned section are, recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, mobilizing, and demobilizing. The Secretary also oversees the construction, outfitting, and repair of ships, equipment. The Secretary of the Navy is a member of the Defense Acquisition Board, chaired by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, the CNO and the Commandant act as the principal executive agents of the SECNAV within their respective services to implement the orders of the Secretary. The United States Navy Regulations is the principal regulatory document of the Department of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps have their own separate staffs, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Headquarters Marine Corps
United States Secretary of the Navy
–
Incumbent
Ray Mabus since May 19, 2009
United States Secretary of the Navy
–
Seal of the Department of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
–
Chairman of the Marine Committee
United States Secretary of the Navy
–
Member of the Marine Committee
23.
Paul Hamilton (politician)
–
Paul Hamilton was the 3rd United States Secretary of the Navy, from 1809 to 1813. Paul Hamilton was born in Saint Pauls Parish, South Carolina and he left school at the age of sixteen due to financial problems. During the American War of Independence he served actively in military roles in the southern states and he participated with Colonel William Harden in the capture of Fort Balfour. Following the war, he was a planter and public figure, Hamilton served South Carolina in many public offices including state Representative, State Senator, Comptroller, and the 42nd Governor. In 1809, President James Madison selected Hamilton to become the third Secretary of the Navy and his term in office included the first months of the War of 1812, during which time the small United States Navy achieved several remarkable victories over British warships. Hamilton was a proponent of preparedness, especially sea fortifications. Although he wanted to strengthen the Navy, he found the Congress hostile, however, he was responsible for the Naval Hospitals Act of 1811. Secretary Hamilton resigned at the end of 1812 and returned to South Carolina, three Navy destroyers have been named USS Paul Hamilton in his honor along with the USS Hamilton and one Liberty ship named SS Paul Hamilton. Also bearing his name is the town of Hamilton, Georgia and this article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History & Heritage Command. SCIway Biography of Paul Hamilton NGA Biography of Paul Hamilton Paul Hamilton at Find a Grave Paul Hamilton Papers at the University of South Carolina Librarys Digital Collections Page
Paul Hamilton (politician)
–
Paul Hamilton
24.
Washington Navy Yard
–
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D. C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U. S. Navy, the Yard currently serves as a ceremonial and administrative center for the U. S. S. Navy Judge Advocate Generals Corps, Marine Corps Institute, the United States Navy Band, in 1998, the yard was listed as a Superfund site due to environmental contamination. The history of the yard can be divided into its history and cultural. The land was purchased under an Act of Congress on July 23,1799, the Washington Navy Yard was established on October 2,1799, the date the property was transferred to the Navy. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U. S. Navy, the original boundaries that were established in 1800, along 9th and M Street SE, are still marked by a white brick wall that surrounds the Yard on the north and east sides. The next year, two lots were purchased. The north wall of the Yard was built in 1809 along with a guardhouse, after the Burning of Washington in 1814, Tingey recommended that the height of the eastern wall be increased to ten feet because of the fire and subsequent looting. The southern boundary of the Yard was formed by the Anacostia River, the west side was undeveloped marsh. The land located along the Anacostia was added to by landfill over the years as it became necessary to increase the size of the Yard, the USS Constitution came to the Yard in 1812 to refit and prepare for combat action. For the first thirty years of the century, the Navy Yard was the Districts principal employer of enslaved African Americans. Their numbers rose rapidly and by 1808, the muster lists, the number of enslaved workers gradually declined during the next thirty years. While the total number of enslaved workers declined, free African Americans remained a presence on the shipyard. Sailors of Navy Yard were part of the hastily assembled American army, the Navy Yard sailors, and Marines of nearby Marine Barracks, Washington, D. C. were in the third and last line of defense at Bladensburg. Together, they fought hand to hand with cutlasses and pikes against the British regulars before being overwhelmed, as the British marched into Washington, holding the Yard became impossible. Tingey, seeing the smoke from the burning Capitol, ordered the Yard burned to prevent its capture by the enemy, both structures are now individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Following the War of 1812, the Washington Navy Yard never regained its prominence as a shipbuilding facility, the waters of the Anacostia River were too shallow to accommodate larger vessels, and the Yard was deemed too inaccessible to the open sea. Thus came a shift to what was to be the character of the Yard for more than a century, ordnance, the Yard possessed one of the earliest steam engines in the United States
Washington Navy Yard
–
Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
–
Latrobe Gate, the ceremonial entrance to the Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
–
Colored
lithograph of Washington Navy Yard, circa 1862
Washington Navy Yard
–
Experimental Model Basin, circa 1900
25.
William Wirt (Attorney General)
–
William Wirt was an American author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence. He was the longest serving Attorney General in U. S. history, Wirt County, West Virginia, is named in his honor. William Wirt was born in Bladensburg, Maryland, to a German mother, Henrietta, both parents died before he was eight years old and Jasper Wirt, his uncle, became his guardian. For two years he boarded with Hunt, in whose library he spent much of his time, reading with a keen, in his fifteenth year the school was disbanded, and his inheritance nearly exhausted. Wirt accepted the offer and stayed twenty months, teaching, pursuing his own classical and historical studies, writing, Wirt was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1792, and he began practice at Culpeper Courthouse. Wirt had the advantages of a constitution and a good carriage, but the drawbacks of meager legal equipment, constitutional shyness. In 1795, he married Mildred, daughter of Dr. George Gilmer, and moved to Pen Park, there he made the acquaintance of many persons of eminence, including Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. In 1799 his wife died, and he moved to Richmond, in 1802, he married Elizabeth Washington Gamble, the daughter of Colonel Robert Gamble of Richmond. In the winter of 1803/04, Wirt moved to Norfolk, but in 1806, wishing for a field of practice. In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson asked him to be the prosecutor in Aaron Burrs trial for treason and his principal speech, four hours in length, was characterized by eloquent appeal, polished wit, and logical reasoning. Wirt was nicknamed the Whip Syllabub Genius by his enemies for the frothy, in 1808, Wirt was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. In 1816 he was appointed U. S. William Wirt has the record for the longest tenure in history of any U. S. attorney general, in 1824, Attorney General Wirt argued for the United States against Daniel Webster in Gibbons v. Although the Gibbons Court declined to decide the question,140 years later the Supreme Court confirmed Wirts view in Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Stiffel Co. In June 1830, a delegation of Cherokee led by Chief John Ross selected Wirt on the urging of Senators Webster and Frelinghuysen to defend Cherokee rights before the U. S. Supreme Court. Wirt argued, in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, that the Cherokee Nation was a nation in the sense of our constitution. Although the Court determined that it did not have jurisdiction in this case. Wirt therefore waited for a test case to resolve the constitutionality of the laws of Georgia. On March 1,1831, Georgia passed a law aimed at evicting missionaries, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, an interdenominational missionary organization, hired Wirt to challenge the new law
William Wirt (Attorney General)
–
Signature
William Wirt (Attorney General)
–
William Wirt
William Wirt (Attorney General)
–
Wirt's Attorney General nomination
William Wirt (Attorney General)
–
William Wirt Monument, Congressional Cemetery, Washington D.C.
26.
Monticello, Florida
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Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census, as of 2004, the population recorded by the U. S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, the city is named after Monticello, the estate of the countys namesake, Thomas Jefferson. Monticello is home to Indian mounds and many buildings, including the Perkins Opera House. Monticello is located at 30°32′41″N 83°52′02″W, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.4 square miles, all land. This is also where the highest confirmed recorded temperature in Florida occurred, as of the census of 2000, there were 2,533 people,973 households, and 664 families residing in the city. The population density was 749.4 people per square mile, there were 1,088 housing units at an average density of 321.9 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 47. 06% White,50. 85% African American,0. 12% Native American,0. 59% Asian,0. 08% Pacific Islander,0. 43% from other races, and 0. 87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1. 30% of the population,27. 6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11. 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the family size was 3.03. In the city, the population was out with 25. 1% under the age of 18,9. 0% from 18 to 24,24. 6% from 25 to 44,22. 7% from 45 to 64. The median age was 39 years, for every 100 females there were 79.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.3 males, the median income for a household in the city was $28,720, and the median income for a family was $32,356. Males had an income of $25,932 versus $21,760 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,522, about 18. 5% of families and 22. 2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27. 2% of those under age 18 and 14. 4% of those age 65 or over. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers, according to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Monticello has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps. Monticello has a historic 19th century opera house that features regular musical performances, as well as theater productions. The first floor also holds receptions on a regular basis
Monticello, Florida
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Monticello City Hall
27.
Seminole War
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Taken together, the Seminole Wars were the longest and most expensive Indian Wars in United States history. The First Seminole War began with General Andrew Jacksons excursions into West Florida, the governments of Britain and Spain both expressed outrage over the invasion. However, Spain was unable to defend its territory, and the Spanish Crown agreed to cede Florida to the United States in the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819. According to the Treaty of Moultrie Creek of 1823, the Seminoles were required to leave northern Florida and were confined to a reservation in the center of the Florida peninsula. The U. S. government enforced the treaty by building a series of forts and trading posts in the territory, mainly along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. The war resulted in most of the Seminole population in Florida being killed in battle, ravaged by starvation and disease, a few hundred Seminoles were allowed to remain in an unofficial reservation in southwest Florida. An estimated 100 Seminoles still refused to leave and retreated deep into the Everglades to live on land that was unwanted by white settlers, raids from the newly- established English Province of Carolina beginning in the mid-1600s began another steep decline in the indigenous population. In the first decade of the 18th century,10,000 –12,000 Indians were taken as slaves according to the governor of La Florida and by 1710, observers noted that north Florida was virtually depopulated. The few remaining natives fled west to Pensacola and beyond or east to the vicinity of St. Augustine. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, during the mid-1700s, small bands from various Native American tribes from the southeastern United States began moving into the unoccupied lands of Florida. In 1715, the Yamasee moved into Florida as allies of the Spanish, Creek people, at first primarily the Lower Creek but later including Upper Creek, also started moving into Florida from the area of Georgia. The Mikasuki, Hitchiti-speakers, settled around what is now Lake Miccosukee near Tallahassee, another group of Hitchiti speakers, led by Cowkeeper, settled in what is now Alachua County, an area where the Spanish had maintained cattle ranches in the 17th century. One of the best-known ranches was Rancho de la Chua, the region became known as the Alachua Prairie. The Spanish in Saint Augustine began calling the Alachua Creek Cimarrones and this was the probable origin of the term Seminole. This name was applied to the other groups in Florida. Escaped African and African-American slaves who could reach the fort were essentially free, many were from Pensacola, some were free citizens though others had escaped from United States territory. The Spanish offered the freedom and land in Florida, they recruited former slaves as militia to help defend Pensacola. Other escaped slaves joined various Seminole bands as free members of the tribe, while most of the former slaves at Fort Mose went to Cuba with the Spanish when they left Florida in 1763, others lived with or near various bands of Indians
Seminole War
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A U.S. Marine boat expedition searching the
Everglades during the Second Seminole War.
Seminole War
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Andrew Jackson led an invasion of Florida during the
First Seminole War.
Seminole War
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Portrait of
Edmund Pendleton Gaines
Seminole War
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The trial of
Robert Ambrister and Arbuthnot during the First Seminole War.
28.
Brig
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A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and they were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Brigs fell out of use with the arrival of the ship because they required a relatively large crew for their small size and were difficult to sail into the wind. They are not to be confused with a brigantine, which has different rigging, in sailing, a full-rigged brig is a vessel with two square rigged masts. The main mast of a brig is the aft one, to improve maneuverability, the mainmast carries a small fore-and-aft sail. Behind the main sail there is a small fore-and-aft sail called the spanker or boom mainsail, on the foremast is a similar sail, called the trysail. Attached to the yards of square-rigged ships are smaller spars. These are called studding sails, and are used with fair, the wings are named after the sails to which they are fastened, i. e. the main studding sails, main top studding sails, and the main top gallant studding sails, etc. The brig’s foremast is smaller than the main mast, the fore mast holds a fore sail, fore top sail, fore top gallant sail, and fore royal. Between the fore mast and the bowsprit are the fore staysail, jib, all the yards are manipulated by a complicated arrangement of cordage named the running rigging. This is opposed to the rigging which is fixed, and keeps mast. A brig is generally built on a scale than a schooner. Brigs vary in length between 75 and 165 ft with tonnages up to 480, a notable exception being the famous designer Colin Mudies Little Brigs, which are only 10m long and weigh only 8 tonnes. Historically, most brigs were made of wood, although some later brigs were built with hulls, a brig made of pine in the 19th century was designed to last for about twenty years. The word brig has been used in the past as an abbreviation of brigantine, the brig actually developed as a variant of the brigantine. Re-rigging a brigantine with two square-rigged masts instead of one gave it greater sailing power, the square-rigged brigs advantage over the fore-and-aft rigged brigantine was that the sails, being smaller and more numerous, are more easily managed, and require fewer men or hands to work them. The variant was so popular that the term came to exclusively signify a ship with this type of rigging. By the 17th century the British Royal Navy defined brig as having two square rigged masts, Brigs were used as small warships carrying about 10 to 18 guns
Brig
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The
United States Brig Niagara
Brig
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Painting of the brig USS Niagara in the
Battle of Lake Erie.
Brig
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The brig
Lady Washington
29.
Mediterranean
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The sea is sometimes considered a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a separate body of water. The name Mediterranean is derived from the Latin mediterraneus, meaning inland or in the middle of land and it covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km2, but its connection to the Atlantic is only 14 km wide. The Strait of Gibraltar is a strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar. In oceanography, it is called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere. The Mediterranean Sea has a depth of 1,500 m. The sea is bordered on the north by Europe, the east by Asia and it is located between latitudes 30° and 46° N and longitudes 6° W and 36° E. Its west-east length, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Gulf of Iskenderun, the seas average north-south length, from Croatia’s southern shore to Libya, is approximately 800 km. The Mediterranean Sea, including the Sea of Marmara, has an area of approximately 2,510,000 square km. The sea was an important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times that allowed for trade, the history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. In addition, the Gaza Strip and the British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Akrotiri, the term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus, meaning amid the earth or between land, as it is between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The Ancient Greek name Mesogeios, is similarly from μέσο, between + γη, land, earth) and it can be compared with the Ancient Greek name Mesopotamia, meaning between rivers. The Mediterranean Sea has historically had several names, for example, the Carthaginians called it the Syrian Sea and latter Romans commonly called it Mare Nostrum, and occasionally Mare Internum. Another name was the Sea of the Philistines, from the people inhabiting a large portion of its shores near the Israelites, the sea is also called the Great Sea in the General Prologue by Geoffrey Chaucer. In Ottoman Turkish, it has also been called Bahr-i Sefid, in Modern Hebrew, it has been called HaYam HaTikhon, the Middle Sea, reflecting the Seas name in ancient Greek, Latin, and modern languages in both Europe and the Middle East. Similarly, in Modern Arabic, it is known as al-Baḥr al-Mutawassiṭ, in Turkish, it is known as Akdeniz, the White Sea since among Turks the white colour represents the west. Several ancient civilisations were located around the Mediterranean shores, and were influenced by their proximity to the sea. It provided routes for trade, colonisation, and war, as well as food for numerous communities throughout the ages, due to the shared climate, geology, and access to the sea, cultures centered on the Mediterranean tended to have some extent of intertwined culture and history. Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilisations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states, later, when Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Romans referred to the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum
Mediterranean
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Circa the 6th century BCE: In ancient times the Mediterranean provided sources of food and local commerce and direct routes for trade and communications, colonisation, and war. Numerous cities and colonies were situated at its shores or within the basin: Greek (red) and Phoenician (yellow)
colonies in antiquity; and other cities (grey), including the provincial
"Rom".
Mediterranean
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Map of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean
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With its highly indented coastline and large number of islands, Greece has the longest Mediterranean coastline.
Mediterranean
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The
Battle of Lepanto, 1571, ended in victory for the European
Holy League against the Ottoman Turks.
30.
Pirate
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Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship- or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable items or properties. Those who engage in acts of piracy are called pirates, the earliest documented instances of piracy were in the 14th century BC, when the Sea Peoples, a group of ocean raiders, attacked the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean civilizations. Narrow channels which funnel shipping into predictable routes have long created opportunities for piracy, as well as for privateering and commerce raiding. Historic examples include the waters of Gibraltar, the Strait of Malacca, Madagascar, the Gulf of Aden, a land-based parallel is the ambushing of travelers by bandits and brigands in highways and mountain passes. While the term can include acts committed in the air, on land, or in major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against people traveling on the vessel as the perpetrator. Piracy or pirating is the name of a crime under customary international law. They also use larger vessels, known as ships, to supply the smaller motorboats. The international community is facing challenges in bringing modern pirates to justice. In the 2000s, a number of nations have used their naval forces to protect ships from pirate attacks. The English pirate is derived from the Latin term pirata and that from Greek πειρατής, brigand, in turn from πειράομαι, I attempt, from πεῖρα, attempt, the meaning of the Greek word peiratēs literally is one who attacks. The word is cognate to peril. The term is first attested to c, spelling was not standardised until the eighteenth century, and spellings such as pirrot, pyrate and pyrat were used until this period. It may be reasonable to assume that piracy has existed for as long as the oceans were plied for commerce, the earliest documented instances of piracy are the exploits of the Sea Peoples who threatened the ships sailing in the Aegean and Mediterranean waters in the 14th century BC. In classical antiquity, the Phoenicians, Illyrians and Tyrrhenians were known as pirates, the ancient Greeks condoned piracy as a viable profession, it apparently was widespread and regarded as an entirely honourable way of making a living. References are made to its perfectly normal occurrence many texts including in Homers Iliad and Odyssey, by the era of Classical Greece, piracy was looked upon as a disgrace to have as a profession. In the 3rd century BC, pirate attacks on Olympos brought impoverishment, among some of the most famous ancient pirateering peoples were the Illyrians, a people populating the western Balkan peninsula. Constantly raiding the Adriatic Sea, the Illyrians caused many conflicts with the Roman Republic and it was not until 229 BC when the Romans finally decisively beat the Illyrian fleets that their threat was ended
Pirate
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French pirate
Jacques de Sores looting and burning Havana in 1555
Pirate
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Mosaic of a
Roman trireme in Tunisia
Pirate
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A fleet of
Vikings, painted mid-12th century
Pirate
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The Vitalienbrüder. Piracy became endemic in the
Baltic sea in the
Middle Ages.
United States of America
United States Navy
Rear Admiral
