Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-15
MISCELLANY.
sketch Of Admiral Dupont.


Samuel Francis Dupont, Rear Adj
miral of the United. States Navy,
died yesterday morning, in Philadel
phia.
He was horn ut Bergen, N. J., Sep
TENDER 81, 1903, descending from
French ancestors. At twelve he was mid
shipman, and two years. later sailed his
first voyage under Commodore Stewart.
From the beginning he. was devoted to
his profession, aud spared no pains to
master it. He became at an early period
widely. known for his skin. his abili-
ties and his high personal character
But in the long years of peace which
followed the war of 1912, there was
little opportunity for naval distinction
till the Mexieans war broke ont, and
found Dupont a Commander in the fri
gate Congress in the Pacific. In Feb
ruary, 1915, he landed at San Jose with
one hundred marines and sailors, and
defeating and dispensing a Mexican
force twice as numerous, rescued a small
party under Lit. Haywood, who had been
beleagJIered In the mission house. In
1856, he attained the rank of Captain,
and In the succeeding year was placed
In command of the steamfrigate Mime
sofa, which conveyed Mr.. Reed, the
American Minister, to China. After a
cruise of two years In the China waters,
he returned to the United States, and
on Jan. 1, 1861, was appointed to the
command of the Philadelphia Navy
Yard. He was at that post when The
war for the Union began in April, and ii
is fact not perhaps we'll known, but
-, lot 20 NM
assistance and jndicious advice Genera
Butler owed much of his success In con
Quoting the march of his regiments tC
Washington. Soon after. Captain Du
pOnt was summoned to Washington Il
consult In reference TO the grand nava
enterprise which had been projected fol
the seizure of some rort ON the Soutl
Atlantic coast, and which resulted
in the world-famous Port Royal expedi
ton
1t was In consequence of Capt. Du-
points advice that Port Royal was cho-
sen for attack, and he was put in COM
mand of the naval force. 1t had been
expected the forts known to defend the
mouth of that important harbor could
be attacked by land and naval force
together, and Gen. SheFman's army of
about Il, 1000 men was collected to CO.
operate with the armed fleet. Trans
ports and ships of war sailed together
from Fortress Monroe, Oct. IS. A
storm pursued them and scattered the
fleet, but it was reunited with incred-
ible patience and pains, rendezvoused
of the entrance to Port Royal harbor,
and on the 7thsOf November, Capt. Du-
81 Il
Tended the southwestern entrance of
the channel Leading the attack him.
self, In his flagship, the Wabash, he
steamed three times past the fort in
elliptic curves. engaging at the same
time the rebel fleet under Tatnall. After
a contest of four hours, in the early
part of which Tatnall fled, the fort was
silenced and abandoned, and Dupont
had possession. with no aid whatever
from the force under. Gen. Sherman,
which, from the difficulty of landing,
had been compelled to remain at a dis
lance, idle spectators of the conflict.
The effect of this brilliant victory was
remarkable both upon the enemy and
In Europe. f'GunbOats" became thence
forth a terror to the rebels, the fOrtifi-
cations on the southern coast were aban-
doned before they were attacked, and
the fleet under Dupont was looked upon
as invincible. In Europe the tactics
and courage of this commander were
regarded for the time as having revolu-
tionized the maxinls of yalswarfare,
and he leaped at once to the highest
pinnacle of naval renown. European
fleets had so recently retired baffied and
defeated from European Notifications
at Bomarsund, Kinburn and Cronstadt,
that the success of Dupont was deemed
little short of marvellous, and was at
tribnted wholly to his geriins as naval
commander.
He went on from that time occupying
the whole of the coast of Charleston to
the Cape of Florida, never sustaining a
reverse, and rendering invaluable ser
vices to the cause of the Union. Nor
let it be forgotten that even in the early
stage of the war, when it was neither
polite nor fashionable to care for the
negro. Dupont signalized his naval adj
ministration at Port Royal by a never
failing recognition of the rights of the
blacks to protection. . When it was re.
ported to him that one or two cases had
occurred of slight injury to "a few me-
groes from boats crews of his squadron,
he issued and, enforced stringent orders
against the landing of any boat from the
fleet without the written permit of his
Fleet Captain. And from that time he
was distinguished for many acts of per-
sonal and offcild kindness, SIS well as
Justice, 10 the blacks with whom he in
any way camei in contact, Educated and
living in a slave State, he nevertheless
believed IN iustieeT and humanity. y -
In August, 1862, he was made Rear
Admiral. He continued IN command
of the South Atlantic Blockading
Squadron, enforcing with great rigor
and success the blockading of that diff
ticult coast, and driving most of the
commerce of the enemy either north OF