French Forrest
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| French Forrest | |
|---|---|
| 1796-December 22, 1866 | |
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| Place of birth | Maryland |
| Place of death | Georgetown, Washington, D.C. |
| Rank | Commodore |
French Forrest (1796-December 22, 1866) was an American naval officer who served first in the United States Navy and later the Confederate States Navy. His combat experience prior to the Civil War included service in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
Born in Maryland, he became a midshipman on June 9, 1811[1] and participated in the War of 1812. He fought with Commodore Oliver Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie and was present in the action between the USS Hornet and the HMS Peacock on February 24, 1813.[1] He became a lieutenant on March 5, 1817, a commander on February 9, 1837, and a captain March 30, 1844. He was adjutant general in the Mexican-American War, and in 1847, he commanded the American naval forces in the landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico.[2]
When Virginia seceded from the United States on April 17, 1861, Forrest was made its first and only flag officer of the Virginia State Navy and assumed command at the Norfolk Navy Yard.[2] When Virginia joined the Confederate States and merged its military, he joined the navy of the Confederate States of America and was appointed the commander of the navy yard at Norfolk, Virginia. He served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Confederate Navy, and had two stints as Commander of the James River Squadron.
In July of 1863, the Navy Department ordered him to inspect each ship's ordnance that comprised the James River Squadron on a quarterly basis.[2]
[edit] External links
- FORREST FAMILY PAPERS in the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b French Forrest. FamousAmericans.net. Retrieved on July 3, 2006.
- ^ a b c John M. Coski (1996). Capital Navy: The Men, Ships and Operations of the James River Squadron. Campbell, CA: Savas Woodbury Publishers.
| Preceded by Robert B. Pegram |
Commander of the Norfolk Navy Yard April 22, 1861-May 15, 1862 |
Succeeded by Sidney Smith Lee |
| Preceded by none |
Commander of the James River Squadron July 10, 1861-February 27, 1862 |
Succeeded by Franklin Buchanan |
| Preceded by Samuel Barron |
Commander of the James River Squadron March 24, 1863-May 6, 1864 |
Succeeded by John K. Mitchell |
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