Silas H. Stringham

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox military person Rear Admiral Silas Horton Stringham (November 7, 1798 – February 7, 1876) was an officer of the United States Navy who saw active service during the War of 1812, the Second Barbary War, and the Mexican–American War, and who commanded the Atlantic Blockading Squadron at the beginning of the American Civil War.

Early lifeEdit

Born in Middletown, New York,<ref name="DANFS">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Stringham entered the Navy on November 15, 1809,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> aged only 11 years old, receiving promotion to the rank of midshipman on June 19, 1810<ref name="hamersly">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while serving under Captain John Rodgers in the frigate Template:USS. He was present during the Little Belt affair in May 1811, and during the engagement with Template:HMS on June 23, 1812.<ref name="JTHeadley">Template:Cite book</ref>

Early careerEdit

Having received his commission as a lieutenant on December 9, 1814,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> he was assigned to the brig Template:USS, Captain Thomas Gamble, which was part of Stephen Decatur's squadron in the Barbary Wars, and helped to take an Algerine frigate. In early 1816, while Spark was at Gibraltar, a French brig, attempting to enter the bay in a heavy gale, capsized. Stringham and six seamen in a small boat, pulled over to the brig, and rescued five of the crew. He attempted to return to Spark, but could make no headway, so turned and pulled for the Algerian shore, but was wrecked in the heavy surf, with one of his crew and two of the Frenchmen drowned.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

In 1819 Stringham was serving aboard the Template:HMS, conveying black settlers to Liberia. While Cyane was off the African coast. Captain Edward Trenchard gave Stringham command of a boat in the capturing of four slavers. Trenchard then appointed Stingham prize-master and sent him home with them. In 1821 Stringham was appointed first lieutenant of the brig Template:USS in the West Indies Squadron, and from 1825 to 1829 served at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In late 1829 he was appointed First Lieutenant of the Template:USS to take part in the search for his former ship Hornet, believed lost. During the search he was transferred to the sloop Template:USS, and sent to Cartagena, finally returning to New York in 1830.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

Stringham was promoted to commander on March 3, 1831,<ref name="hamersly"/> and for the next five years was engaged on shore duty. In 1836-37 he served in the Mediterranean Squadron<ref name="JTHeadley"/> commanding the Template:USS,<ref name="hamersly"/> then returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.<ref name="JTHeadley"/> Receiving promotion to captain in 1841,<ref name="Eicher">Template:Cite book</ref> he commanded the razee Template:USS in the Home Squadron in 1843, then returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, serving as commandant in 1845–46.<ref name="hamersly"/>

Mexican-American WarEdit

In late 1846 he was placed in command of the ship of the line Template:USS, and during the Mexican–American War took part in the bombardment of Vera Cruz as it was besieged by troops under General Winfield Scott. For a short time afterwards he commanded the Brazil Squadron, but in 1851 took charge of the Gosport Navy Yard.<ref name="JTHeadley"/> Between 1852 and 1855 he commanded the Mediterranean Squadron, his flagship being the frigate Template:USS. He then returned to Gosport, where he remained till 1859.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

American Civil WarEdit

In March and April, 1861, Stringham was Chief, Organization Office, U.S. Navy.<ref name="Eicher"/> He took command of the USS Minnesota in April 1861.<ref name="Eicher"/> He was Flag officer of the Atlantic Blockading Squadron from June 8, 1861 to September 18, 1861.<ref name="Eicher"/> In August he was sent with troops under General Benjamin F. Butler, to capture two coastal forts near Cape Hatteras. In the ensuing battle, the fortifications were captured without loss, though not without some difficulty owing to the weather, and the fleet returned to Fort Monroe to general acclaim.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

Soon after the return of the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, acclaim for Strigham's performance gave way to criticism of Stringham for not taking his ships closer in, and continuing to attack along the coast. The fact that his ships drew too much water to enter the shallow coastal waters, and that he had been directly ordered to return immediately, eventually emerged, but apparently too late to soothe his irritation, as the next month, at his own request, he was relieved of his command. <ref name="JTHeadley"/> He was placed on the retired list on December 21, 1861.<ref name="Eicher"/>

Strigham served as Chairman of the Board to Examine the Robert I. Stevens Battery I, from November 1, 1861 to December 24, 1861.<ref name="Eicher"/>

As some small compensation on August 1, 1862 he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral on the retired list<ref name="JTHeadley"/> to rank from July 16, 1862.<ref name="Eicher"/>

Strigham served as Chairman of the Navy Yard Site Selection Board from August 12, 1862 to October 24, 1862.<ref name="Eicher"/>

On February 7, 1863, Stringham received the Thanks of Congress, presented "to Rear Admiral Silas H. Stringham, now on the retired list, for distinguished services in the capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark".<ref name="Eicher"/>

Though no longer on active duty, Stringham served as commandant of the Boston Navy Yard, 1864–66, and as port admiral of New York in 1870.<ref name="hamersly"/>