Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers
Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers | |
---|---|
United States of America | |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1833–1881 |
Rank | Rear admiral |
Commands held | |
Battles/wars | Second Seminole War Mexican–American War American Civil War |
Relations |
|
Rear Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers (4 November 1819 – 8 January 1892) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Mexican–American War, the American Civil War, as superintendent of the Naval Academy, president of the United States Naval Institute, and commander-in-chief of the Pacific Squadron.
Biography
Background
Rodgers was born on 4 November 1819 in
Early career
Rodgers was appointed
In 1839–40 Rodgers served aboard the schooner Flirt on the coast of Florida, taking part in operations during the Second Seminole War, and also briefly commanded the 2-gun schooner Phoenix.[6]
Rodgers joined the Africa Squadron, serving aboard the sloop Saratoga in 1842–43.[6] He then served on the frigate Cumberland, flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron,[4] in 1844–45, and received promotion to lieutenant on 4 September 1844.[6]
After being attached to the
After the war Rodgers returned to the U.S. Coast Survey for three years, before serving aboard the
Civil War
Rodgers was a
Post-war career
Rodgers was promoted to
Naval Academy accomplishments
While at the Academy Rodgers fostered careful and concrete reforms to help restore the navy's professional and institutional credibility in an era when the service suffered from institutional decay, public indifference, and relied on an antiquated wooden navy sporting canvas and smoothbore guns. By upgrading and rationalizing the academy's curriculum, especially in regard to the new four-year course for engineers, introducing the first mechanical engineering course in the country, concentrating professional subjects in the first- and second-class years, and adding upper-level electives in mathematics, mechanics, physics, and chemistry, Rodgers laid the groundwork for an American naval renaissance in the 1880s.[13]
Rodgers was a member of the New York Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and was assigned insignia number 571.
Rear Admiral Rodgers died in Washington, D.C.[4] on 8 January 1892,[5] and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[citation needed]
Personal life
Rodgers married Julia Slidell, and had two sons follow him into Navy service, Raymond Perry Rodgers (1849–1925), and Thomas Slidell Rodgers (1858–1931), both of whom achieved the rank of rear admiral.
See also
- List of superintendents of the United States Naval Academy
- Battle of Fort Pulaski
References
- ^ Hamersly, Lewis R. (1870). The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. J.B. Lippincott & Company. p. 63.
- ^ "Rodgers Family Papers, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania". www2.hsp.org. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "USS Firefly". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Rodgers Family Collection". history.navy.mil. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "US Navy Officer: 1775–1900 (R)". history.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hamersly, Lewis Randolph (1870). "The records of living officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps: with a history of naval operations during the rebellion of 1861-5, and a list of the ships and officers participating in the great battles". archive.org. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- ^ East, Omega G., and H. B. Jenckes. “St. Augustine during the Civil War.” The Florida Historical Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 2, Florida Historical Society, 1952, pp. 75–91, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30145370.
- ^ "Ships of the United States Navy and their sponsors". archive.org. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "USS Iroquois". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "USS Franklin". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "Bureau of Yards and Docks – Lists of Commanding Officers and Senior Officials of the US Navy". history.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Superintendents of the U.S. Naval Academy". usna.com. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ISBN 0-8420-2278-3– via Papers of the Sixth Naval History Symposium.
External links
- Media related to Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers at Wikimedia Commons