Commodore Alexander Alderman Semmes, Jr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alderman_Semmes Alexander Alderman Semmes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search Alexander Alderman Semmes Born	1825 Maryland Died	September 22, 1885 (aged 59–60) Allegiance	 United States Union Service/branch	 United States Navy Union Navy Years of service	October 27, 1841 – June 1883 Rank	USN commodore rank insignia.jpg Commodore Commands held	USS Wamsutta USS Tahoma USS Lehigh USS Alaska Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of the Riceboro River Other work	Third president of the Board of Inspection and Survey, 1880–1883 Alexander Alderman Semmes (1825 – September 22, 1885) was a career United States Navy officer, who served with distinction in the American Civil War. He was a cousin of Confederate naval hero Raphael Semmes, and also of Confederate general Paul Jones Semmes.

Contents 1 Naval career 2 Civil War service 3 Postwar service 4 Personal life 5 See also 6 References Naval career Semmes became a midshipman on October 27, 1841.[1] He attended the United States Naval Academy and became a passed midshipman on August 10, 1847.[2] He was promoted to master on September 14, 1855, and to lieutenant the next day, September 15, 1855. He became a lieutenant commander on July 16, 1862, and commander on July 25, 1866. He attained the rank of captain on August 24, 1873, and was promoted to commodore on March 10, 1882.[1]

Civil War service Semmes served on the side-wheel steamship Rhode Island as a lieutenant during the first year of the war, during which time the vessel captured the Confederate schooner Aristides off Charlotte harbor. In March 1862, he was given command of the screw steamer Wamsutta, and participated in the Battle of the Riceboro River.

Semmes was promoted to lieutenant commander in July, and given command of the new screw propeller gunboat Tahoma on October 17, 1862. Serving in the East Gulf Blockade Squadron commanded by Admiral Cornelius Stribling, he was able to make seven captures off the west coast of Florida, as well as launching an expeditionary attack at Tampa Bay and engaging the shore batteries at Gadsden Point in April 1863.

In August 1864, he became commander of the Passaic-class monitor Lehigh, participating in the bombardment of Fort Pringle, and in the operations at Charleston until that city surrendered. He co-operated with Gen. U.S. Grant's army, fought the Howlett's House batteries, and was present at the fall of Richmond in 1865.[2]

Postwar service Semmes was made captain of the sloop of war USS Alaska, and in around December 1875 was ordered by President Grant to Cape Palmas, Liberia, in a show of force to stop the Grebo-Liberian War. Semmes pulled into Cape Palmas on 3 February 1876.[3][4]

In 1880, Semmes was made the third president of the Board of Inspection and Survey,[2] which had been formed in 1868. He served as the board's president until June 1883. At the time of his death, he commanded the Washington Navy Yard.[2]

Personal life Semmes married Mary Dorsey of Baltimore, Maryland in 1864. He died in 1885 at the age of 60.

See also Biography portal American Civil War portal References

"US Navy Officers: 1778-1900 "S"". Naval Historical Center. 2006. Archived from the original on 23 June 2006. Retrieved 27 March 2012.

Wikisource-logo.svg Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "Semmes, Alexander Aldebaran" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.

Gary R. Kremer. James Milton Turner and the Promise of America. pp. 82–87.

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https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=spot54&id=I07442 Index | Pedigree | Ahnentafel | Download GEDCOM ID: I07442 Name: Alexander Semmes Sex: M Birth: 18 JAN 1825 in Georgetown, Washington D. C. Death: 22 SEP 1885 in Hamilton, Loudoun, VA Note: Lt. in US Navy

single and living with his mother who remarried: 1860 - Washington Ward 6, Washington, District of Columbia Ellenor H. Brawner - 58 - $500 + $4500 - Maryland Anna Jane " - 24 DC Mary C. " - 22 " Alexander A. Semmes - 34 - Lt. US Navy - $2,000- DC John H. Semmes - 36 - grocery -$40,000 + $10,000 " Eliza W. " - 35 VA Eleanor " - 7 DC & bel. Susan E. " - 6 Lillie H. " - 4 Eliza " - 2

married: 1870 - Alexandria Ward 3, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia A. H. Simms - 46 - capt. US Navy - $8000 + $800 - DC M. M. " - 37 - fe - MD G. H. " 4 - fe - PA E. " - 2 - male - PA G. H. Dorsey - 62 - fe - Md.

Father: Alexander Semmes b: 1780 in Charles Co., Maryland Mother: Eleanor Harrison Beatty b: 22 OCT 1802 in Maryland

Marriage 1 Mary Mortimer Dorsey b: ABT 1832 in Maryland Married: 9 FEB 1864 in Baltimore , MD

https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=edswoman&id=I16428 Entries: 184774 Updated: 2017-03-30 16:01:20 UTC (Thu) Owner: lillie Index | Descendancy | Register | Pedigree | Ahnentafel | Download GEDCOM ID: I16428 Name: Alexander Aldebaran SEMMES Surname: Semmes Given Name: Alexander Aldebaran Sex: M Birth: 18 Jan 1825 in Georgetown, DC Death: 22 Sep 1885 in Hamilton, Loudoun, VA Reference Number: 566A1E3B _UID: 8F58ADEEA42E49409885A3AE1876F59B694A Change Date: 30 Aug 2011 at 01:00:00

Father: Alexander SEMMES b: 1780 in , Charles, MD Mother: Eleanor Harrison BEATTY b: 22 Oct 1802 in , , MD

Marriage 1 Mary Mortimer DORSEY b: 1831 Married: 9 Feb 1864 in Baltimore, Baltimore, MD Children Has No Children Grace Harrison SEMMES b: 1866 Has No Children Edwin Mortimer SEMMES b: 1868 Has No Children Eleanor Beatty SEMMES b: 1873

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alderman_Semmes