The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-25
BOTH ADMlRALS.
T. o, selfridge, Jr., Soon Attains High
Naval Grade.

Soon the list of rear admirals i'll the
United States Navy will contain TWO
names precisely the same and belong TO
father and son. Perhaps no other arm
of the offensive and defensive service OF a
nation has ever presented the same con-
dition-a father and son holding the
highest rank possible to be attained,
without special legislation. In BRIEF
three months, however, such will be the
case with our own, for our navy list Will
contain the names of Rear Admiral
Thomas O. Selfridge, ST., and Rear Al
miral Thomas o. Selfridge, Jr.
The Selfridges come from fine old New
England stock. The father saw the light
in Massachusetts at time when the air
was charged with the new and strange
ether of freedom that distended the hearts
and minds of those who breathed there
He was a lad when appointed mldshlp-
man in the navy, and tho century was in
it's teens, too for the date of his intro
duction to the service was Jan. 1. 1918.
He was commissioned lieutenant in 1897
and performed service in various parts OF
the world with credit to himself and his
country. On the exploring expedition
which bears his name he did valuable
work in behalf of science and geography,
but he never had the opportunity to clear
his ship for action because peace relgned
during the forty best years that he deyot-
ed to his profession. The war In 1851
found him in the Pacific, and from 1862
to 1864 he was commandment OF the Mare
Island Navy Yard, having been commits
stoned a commodore in July, 1862. He
was placed on the retired list i'll 1866
and was made rear amiral in recogni-
tion of his long and distinguished service
in July, 1870.
There have been few officers in the navy
with records as brilliant as that of his
son, Commodore Selfridge. Immediately
upon his entrance to the navy as cadet
midshipman in October, 1851. he began
| to distinguish himself, and when he was
graduated in June, 1858, it was at the head
| of the first class sent out from the Naval
! Academy under the present organization,
and he was consequently the first naval
officer to receive diploma from that in
! stitution. Quickly passing. through all
grades of midshipman and master, ana
serving in the Pacific and on the COAST OF
| Africa in the Independence and the vln-
cennes, he was made lieutenant in Feb
ruary, 1860, and ordered home from
Africa in the April following. He was
almost Immediately ordered to the flags
| ship Cumberland of the home squadron,
and on this fated vessel began career
that dazzled his countrymen. He took
part in the bombardment and capture OF
| the Norfolk Navy Yard in April, and in
the assault and capture of the Hatteras
| forts in September, 1861, and in Febru-
| ary, 1862 he volunteered to command
| hazardous cutting out expedition from
| the Cumberland at Newport News. He
was in command of the gun deck battery
| on the Cumberland when she was sunk
with her flag flying by the Merrimae,
and jumped from port hole and swan
| to boat.
| When Captain Worden was wounded.
Selfridge was ordered to the command OF
the Monitor, and was then made flag
| lieutenant of the North Atlantic fleet, and
| took part in the recapture of Norfolk and
the destruction of defences in Virginia
waters. A torpedo boat Of the submarine
ch racter had been built and needed a
commander. Selfridge promptly volun-
teered for the dangerous service, but the
| poat proved to be deficient in speed. He
was made a eutenant-commander in
July, 1862, and ordered to the command
of the gunboat Cairo, which was blown
up by a torpedo in the Yazoo River, back
of the defences of Vicksburg. Selfridge
then commanded the gunboat Conestoga,
and was sunk in that vessel by collision
with the Confederate ram General Price
| in March, 1863 Afterward he commanded
the Manitou, with which he was at the
siege of Vicksburg. and commanded a
battery manned with her guns and men.