Evening star., 1897-06-07

t.on ordered to command the coast survey
brig Washington to participate in the Mex
lean war, and was present at the capture
of Tobasco While in command of the
s!cop of war Vandalia, cruising in the vicin-
ity of the Cape of Good Hope, he learned
of the outbreak Of the civil war, and as
silming the risk of acting against orders
he brought his snip back to this country at
oLce and was assigned to the blockade
off Charleston, S. c., where he succeeded
in maintaining it with the Vandalia,
sailing vessel, after her steam consort had
been blown off. Subsequently he COM
n5 nded the sloop of war Oneida, under
Admiral Farragut. In the expedition
against New Orleans he commanded the
advance division below Forts jackson and
St Phillip. In the sunboat actions when
TIE Sunboats took part in the lombard
nent, to draw the fire from the bomb YES
sells, the Oneida was at one time engaged
alt ne with both forts. In the action of the
passage cf the forts. the Oneida was one
OF the three vessels first to encounter the
eLemy Meet, and she relieved the Varuna
by orfvi1g off the two rams which had
rdmInsd Eer and capturing the commander
OF the Governor Moore
Ihe Oneida also participa ted in the can
lure OF the Chalmette batteries below New
orleans, and became advance guard above.
the city. For a time Admiral Lee com
,aahded the advance division below Vicks-
burg, and he participated in both passages
of the Sicksburg batteries, the Oneida
pe,hS second in line on both occasions
In Command Of the Blockade.
In September. 1862, he was appointed
acting rear admiral, and placed in COM
mand of the North Atlantic blockading
squadron. He was engaged in biockadins
the coasts Of Virginia and North Carolina.
and zealously co-cperated with armies lin
defense of Norfolk, Newburn and Wash
ington, fighting with their ironciads and
neaFy Qualifications in Trent's Reach ami
their field batteries along Grants line of
ri,-
tEo years he fulfilled the arduous duties cf
'iils important command. perfecting and
maintaining a vast blockade
The dangerous navigation of the NortI,
Carolina coast, owing to the long shoals of
Sape Fear, between the two ports into
Wilmington, the neaTness of the British
ports OF bermuda and Nassau, from which
steamers OF great speed ran at night and
the immense profit attending the risks
made the blockade an underta king of the
greatest difficulty, and yet the confederacy
was, IN erect isolated by several girdIes
OF cruisers Ia system originated by Rear
Admiral Lee from foreign recruits. sun
ples and munitions of war OF the total
number of blockade running steamers can
'ulea or destroyed by this entire squadron
-slxty-fve in all-fifty-four were Captured
or destroyed By Admiral Lees fleet.
BESIDES blockading, this fleet was en-
eased IN nineiy-cnn actions and expedi-
.ioEs. The efficiency and Importance Of the
service OF Lees fleet. together with the
small loss from shipwreck on SO dangerous
a coast, excited the approving comment of
foreign military observers.
On the MisxIsxipuf.
In october, 1854 Admiral Lee TOOK COM
mand OF the Mississippi squadron, and con-
tinued his good work in the suppression of
the rebellion. Lees movement I'D the Cum
perland to support Gen. Thomas was in CO.
operation with the army against the an
prehended crossing of the river by Hood.
ana his marching TO the Ohio. The flagship
was stopped at Clarksville by the low
stage OF water, which was still falling on
Harpeth shoals: the river rising barely
enough in time to allow Fitch to move the
eunnoats at Nashville and participate in
tne defeat Of Hood, but not enough to
make Harpeth shoals passable until three
Gays later. Army communications were
Kept open and operations supported with
vigor and effect. and the lower Mississippi
was Viglantiy guarded against the inter-
vention of the trans-M Mississippi confederate
FORCES. The operation Of the squadron on
the tennessee river prevented Hood on his
retreat from crossing where the Tennessee
was navigable. forcing him to cross six
miles above the head of navigation, on
Muscle shoals. the rocky barrier that ef-
fectually closes navigation for thirty miles
above the close piers CT Florence bridge,
where he had previously crossed. Admiral
Lee was detached from the MississippI
squadron In August, 1855. which squadron
after much labor had been disbanded
After the War.
After the war Admiral Lee served in va
rious important capacities in Philadelphia,
New York and Washington, during Which
time he made an examination of the At
lantic navy yards and wrote a valuable re-
port as to the steps necessary for their i'm
provement- AT one time he was in charge
of the signal service In this city, and was
afterwards on special duty at the NAVY De-
partment In August, 1870. he was placed
In command OF the North Atlantic SQUAD
ron. and remained on that duty until Au-
gust. 1872. He was retired February Is,
1873. in the grade of rear admiral, since
which time he lived In peaceful quiet on his
farm near Silver Spring. -
Grandson Of Richard Henry Lee.
Admiral Lee was grandson Of Richard
Henry Lee OF Virginia. who was the orfxi-
nal mover Of the Declaration OF Independ-
ence in the Continental Congress in ira
and who with his brother was also q siener
Of the Declaration ITSELF
Al of bfu v,n3fxtcoH sr..s~a~-