Editing Silas H. Stringham

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Silas Horton Stringham
| image =Admiral Silas H. Stringham - NARA - 528465.jpg
| caption = Admiral Silas H. Stringham
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1798|11|7}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1876|2|7|1798|11|7}}
| birth_place = [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown, New York]], US
| death_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]], US
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname =
|allegiance= United States
|branch=United States Navy
| serviceyears = 1809–1861
| rank = [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear admiral]] 
| unit =
| commands = {{USS|John Adams|1799|6}}<br/>{{USS|Independence|1814|6}}<br/>{{USS|Ohio|1820|6}}<br/>[[Brazil Squadron]]<br/>[[Mediterranean Squadron (United States)|Mediterranean Squadron]]<br/>[[Atlantic Blockading Squadron]]
| battles =[[War of 1812]]<br/>[[Second Barbary War]]<br/>[[Mexican–American War]]<br/>[[American Civil War]]
| awards =
| relations =
| laterwork =
| signature = Signature of Silas Horton Stringham (1798–1876).png
}}
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 life ==

Born in [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown, New York]],<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s19/stringham-i.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040504181005/http://history.navy.mil/danfs/s19/stringham-i.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= May 4, 2004 |title=Stringham |work=[[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]] |year=2004 |access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> Stringham entered the Navy on November 15, 1809,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/USN/1833/NavReg1833.html |title=Naval Register for 1833 |work=ibiblio.org |year=2009 |access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> aged only 11 years old, receiving promotion to the rank of [[midshipman]] on June 19, 1810<ref name="hamersly">{{Cite web |url= https://archive.org/stream/cu31924098819968/cu31924098819968_djvu.txt |title=The records of living officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps: with a history of naval operations during the rebellion of 1861–65, and a list of the ships and officers participating in the great battles |first=Lewis Randolph |last=Hamersly |work=archive.org |year=1870 |access-date=12 March 2012 }}</ref> while serving under Captain [[John Rodgers (1772–1838)|John Rodgers]] in the frigate {{USS|President|1800|2}}. He was present during the [[Little Belt affair|''Little Belt'' affair]] in May 1811, and during the engagement with {{HMS|Belvidera|1809|6}} on June 23, 1812.<ref name="JTHeadley">{{cite book |last1=Headley |first1=Joel T. |author-link1=Joel T. Headley |title=Farragut and Our Naval Commanders |url=https://archive.org/details/farragutournaval00head |year=1867 |publisher=E.B. Treat and Co |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/farragutournaval00head/page/112 112]–122 |access-date=12 March 2012 }}</ref>

== Early career ==

Having received his commission as a [[lieutenant]] on December 9, 1814,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/war1812/list3.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/19980703135102/http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/war1812/list3.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= July 3, 1998 |title=Naval Officers of the War of 1812 |work=[[Naval History & Heritage Command]] |year=2011 |access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> he was assigned to the brig {{USS|Spark|1813|2}}, Captain Thomas Gamble, which was part of [[Stephen Decatur]]'s squadron in the [[Second Barbary War|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 {{HMS|Cyane|1806|2}}, conveying [[American Colonization Society|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 {{USS|Hornet|1805 brig|2}} in the [[West Indies Squadron (United States)|West Indies Squadron]], and from 1825 to 1829 served at the [[Brooklyn Navy Yard]]. In late 1829 he was appointed First Lieutenant of the {{USS|Peacock|1813|2}} to take part in the search for his former ship ''Hornet'', believed lost. During the search he was transferred to the sloop {{USS|Falmouth|1827|2}}, and sent to [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]], finally returning to New York in 1830.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

Stringham was promoted to [[Commander (United States)|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 (United States)|Mediterranean Squadron]]<ref name="JTHeadley"/> commanding the {{USS|John Adams|1799|2}},<ref name="hamersly"/> then returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.<ref name="JTHeadley"/> Receiving promotion to [[Captain (United States)|captain]] in 1841,<ref name="Eicher">{{cite book |last1=Eicher |first1=John H |author-link1=David J. Eicher |title=Civil War High Commands |year=2001 |publisher=Stanford University Press|location=Stanford, CA|isbn=978-0-8047-3641-1|page=516}}</ref> he commanded the [[razee]] {{USS|Independence|1814|2}} in the [[Home Squadron]] in 1843, then returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, serving as [[commandant]] in 1845–46.<ref name="hamersly"/>

== Mexican-American War ==

In late 1846 he was placed in command of the [[ship of the line]] {{USS|Ohio|1820|2}}, and during the [[Mexican–American War]] took part in the bombardment of [[Veracruz, Veracruz|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 [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard|Gosport Navy Yard]].<ref name="JTHeadley"/> Between 1852 and 1855 he commanded the [[Mediterranean Squadron (United States)|Mediterranean Squadron]], his flagship being the frigate {{USS|Cumberland|1842|2}}. He then returned to Gosport, where he remained till 1859.<ref name="JTHeadley"/>

== American Civil War ==

In March and April, 1861, Stringham was Chief, Organization Office, U.S. Navy.<ref name="Eicher"/> He took command of the [[USS Minnesota (1855)|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 [[Benjamin Butler (politician)|General Benjamin F. Butler]], to capture two coastal forts near Cape Hatteras. In the [[Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries|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 (United States)|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 (United States Navy)|port admiral]] of New York in 1870.<ref name="hamersly"/>

== Later life ==

Rear Admiral Stringham died in [[Brooklyn]], New York.<ref name="DANFS"/> He was buried at [[Green Wood Cemetery]], Brooklyn, New York.<ref name="Eicher"/>

== Legacy ==

Two Navy ships have been named {{USS|Stringham}} in his honor.<ref name="DANFS"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|American Civil War}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s19/stringham-i.htm}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/bullrun/62cstringham.htm |title=Flag-officer Silas H. Stringham |work=First Battle of Bull Run: Online Exhibit: New York State Library |year=2012}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stringham, Silas Horton}}
[[Category:1798 births]]
[[Category:1876 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery]]
[[Category:United States Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Union Navy admirals]]
[[Category:People of New York (state) in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:People from Middletown, Orange County, New York]]