The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-10-03
An American Admiral in Russia.

The following notice of Admiral Tate Of
the Russian Navy, whose early life was spent in
Portland, we copy from the October number o.
the Historical Magazine. 1t viii no doubt in.
terest many of our readers.
Allow me to correct some mistakes in your
article IAN American Admiral in Russia"
Admiral George Tate of the Russian Navy,
was son of George Tate, who was born in
England in 100. George, the father had four
sons, all borh in England, viz, Samuel Aug. 8,
1876, William, Nov. IA, l740, George, June IA,
1745, in London, Robert, January, %, 1851.
The father with his family came 10 Falmouth
now Portland, between 1851 and 1855, as agent
for nlasts and spars for the British Govern
ment, and died in Falmouth Aug. 20, 1904.
The Fate family in England, was seated at De
la Prey abbey in North Hamptonshire. Two
brothers were Lord Mayors of London, Sir
VIM. in 1888, and Sir John in 1895. The male
line in England is extinct.
Samuel, the eldest son of the first George,
commanded large mast ship trading between
Portland and England. Rev. Mr.. Smith in his
Journal, notes MAY l6, 1866, Capt. Tate in a
large mast ship came here in 30 days from Lon
DON" Again he says, July 3, ITO, Capt. Tate
Samuel, his first child born in Falmouth, Mar.
1897, 1.-TWO elder, having been born in England,)
married Joseph IL. Ihgraham of Portland in
1889, and was the mother of Eliza, Rev. John
y. George I. the city messenger of Portland,
&c,
GEORGE, the Admiral, third son of George,
born in London, l745, came to Folmouth with
his father, a small boy. He was probably
brought up mariner as his brother and many
of our Maine boys were. He entered the Rus
sian naval service, and ir ITO, was appointed
by Catherine Ii. Lieut.. in her navy. He
rose gradually in the service, and particularly
distinguished himself in the siege OF Ismail, q
Turkish fortress and city, near the mouth of
the Danube, by the Russian army and navy un-
der SuWarrow, aud in the final attack in De-
cember 1890, when it surrendered with an i'm
mense slaughter. This strong place was TAX
en- by storm after numerous attacks in which
the Russians lost 10000 men. The booty taken
was very large, 230 pieces of cannon, 345 stan
dards, 10000 horses and numerous munitions
OF War. Tate was severely wounded in this
engagement, but was promoted and received
an order of merit for his gallant conduct. He
also distinguished himself In the war with
Sweden, for which he received from the EN-
press a gold medal; on the face OF it was n
effigy OF the Empress, around which was the
inscription, as translated-"By the Grace OF
God, Katherine the Second Empress and Sow
ereign of all Russia.n On the reverse, 'Neigh-
concluded Aug. Sd 1890" He was also Feb,
1893, promoted to be Rear Admiral. He
continued in the Russian service, through the
reigns of Katherine, Paul and Alexander 1st.
period of not more than so years, to his
death, which took place Feb. II. 1921 in the
10th year of his age. He was a tavorite with
Alexander 1st who promoted him to be First
Admiral, and member OF the Imperial Senate.
He received from his different sovereigns, bad
ges of the order of st. Waldimar. of St. Alex
ander Newski, Of st. Ann, and the military
order of st. John, and died respected and
honored by his sovereign and the people.
The medal referred to, he sent to his grand
niece, daughter of his niece Mrs Ingraham,
accompanied by letter to her father dated
"Cronstaadt, June %, o. S., 1906" in which
he says, "many thanks to Miss Eliza for her
letter and drawings. In return l send her
Gold Medal, the gift of her late majesty
Katherine to me, at the conclusion of the
Swedish war, and whose portrait, a very good
one, it represents"
Admiral Tate visited Portland in 1919, and
was looking remarkably well. He was about
the medium height, compactly and firmly built,
full but not corpulent, and of dark complex.
ion. A good portrait of him is preserved In
the Ingraham family. w. w.
PORTLAND. Sept, 1854.