William Nicholson Jeffers

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William Nicholson Jeffers
United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
United States Union Army
Years of service1840–1883
Rank Commodore
Commands heldUSS Philadelphia (1861)
USS Roanoke (1855)
USS Underwriter (1852)
USS Monitor (temporary)
USS Swatara (1872)
Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
Battles/warsMexican–American War
American Civil War

Commodore William Nicholson Jeffers (October 6, 1824 – July 23, 1883) was a U.S. Navy officer of the 19th century. He took part in combat operations during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War, and during the 1870s and early 1880s served as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance.

Early life and career

Jeffers was born in Swedesboro, New Jersey, and was appointed midshipman September 23, 1840. He was married to Lucy LeGrand Smith in 1850 and they had a son who died at age 7, had one daughter Anne Burton Jeffers.[1]

His early service was in frigates Congress and United States, and during the Mexican–American War he took part in the attack on Alvarado, the capture of Tobasco, and the bombardment of Vera Cruz.[2]

In the 1850s he was engaged in numerous expeditions to Central America, and was responsible for a preliminary survey of the isthmus of Honduras.[2]

Civil War

Lt Jeffers second commander of the USS Monitor 4 months after the fight at Hampton Roads in 1862

During the early months of the Civil War, Jeffers commanded

James River.[2]

After Jeffers served aboard the Monitor, he was assigned as inspector of ordnance in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., for the remainder of the war.[2][4]

Later life

Jeffers commanded

Swatara in the Mediterranean and in African waters and in 1873 was made chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. Commodore Jeffers served in thar capacity for eight years and contributed much to the science and literature of naval ordnance. He died at Washington July 23, 1883, and was buried in the cemetery of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.[2]

Namesake

The destroyer

USS Jeffers (DD-621)
was named in his honor.

References

  1. ^ Still, W.N.; Hill, D.B. (1988). Ironclad Captains: The Commanding Officers of the USS Monitor. Historical report series. Marine and Estuarine Management Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e DANFS, Article: Jeffers
  3. ^ Quarstein, 1997, p. 87
  4. ^ Quarstein, 2010, p. 187

Sources

Further reading

  • Bibliography of American Civil War naval history

External links

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.