The times., 1899-10-11
HOWIS0N RETIRED.
He Served Forty-FiSe Years in the
American Navy

q
American Navy
After having served in the NAVY forty
hve years, Rear Admiral Henry L. Howl
son celebrated the sixty anniver-
sary of his birth yesterday by retiring to
private life. He was born in Washington
October 10. 1887. in house which stood
in Ninth Street, between f and f Streets
northwest, where the Inter-Ocean Build
Ing IS now situated. He attended the Dis
trict schools and was appointed to the
Naval Academy from Scott county. In
diana He entered the Naval Academy on
September 20, 1854. as an active miaship-
man and soon after made two short prac-
tice cruises in the United States sloop OF
war Preble. He was the senior cadet Of
hcer during his first-class year at the
Academy. and was graduated No 4 in a
class of fifteen on June II, 1858. He re-
ceiyed warrant as midshipman on the
day of his graduation and took passage on
June II. 1858, on the sloop of war sara
toga bound for Key West. There he re-
oorted for duty on board the frigate Wa
bash on July u. 1858, and sailed TO the
Mediterranean
he was detached from the Wabash on
December 20 and on January Z 1860. was
ordered to the Pocahontas in which ship
he cruised in the Gulf of Mexico, psr-
forming the duties of watch officer He
was transferred to the Pawnee on Novem-
Der 20, 1860, and ordered 10 Philadelphia
On December II, 1860, he was ordered to
the Naval Academy for promotion and BE-
came passed midshipmaI on January 19.
1851 He was ordered again to the Pawnse
and resumed his duties as watch officer on
February II, 1861. He was promoted to
master on February %, 1851. and on April
8, 1861, he was ordered TO the good shio
Pocahontas as master and watch officer
He was promoted TO the rank OF lieutenant
on April 10, 1851, and served with the olter
picket post with the army at Clouds Mills
near Alexandria, Va, during June and
July. 1861. in command OF detachment OF
sailors from the Pocahontas.
September %, 1861, he was ordered to the
u. 5. 5. Augusta, attached to Admiral Du-
points fleet Rear Admiral Hewison par
t!cipated in the battles at Port ROYAL.
landed in command of a company at Ty-
bee Island, and was engaged in the con-
test with rams in Charleston harbor He
was detached from the Augusta. June s,
1858. and ordered as the executive officer
Of the ironclad Nantucket, participating in
the attacks on Fort Sumter and Fort Wag-
ner IN Charleston harbor, blockading War
saw Sound. He was transferred from the
Nantucket to the ironclad Catskill as exec
utive officer on February Il, 1854 He was
transferred from the Catskill to the u s.
S. Bienville, May 25, 1864 and remained
as executive officer of that ship until Au-
gust g. 1864, when he was ordered to the
command of that ship. participating In the
hghting in and around Mobile Bay
He performed blockade duty off Cal
weston, and was relieved of his com
mand by Captain Mullany on December L
1854, when he again became executive OH
Ger and continued as such until he was
detached on April "a, 1865. He was pro
NOTED TO lieutenant commander March 3
1855. and ordered to the Washington navy
yard as assistant inspector of ordnance
In May. 1867 he was made executive
officer of the flagship Pensacola on the Pa
ciiic station and was detached and ordered
home on November q. 1868. when he
again reported at the Washington navy
yard as assistant inspector OF ordnance
He remained in Washington from Decern
Der II, 1868, until January 81. 1870. when
he was ordered to the Naval Academy as
an instructor
His commission as a commander was is
sued on August 19. 1872 and he was de-
tached from the Naval Academy Decem-
Der 16, 1872. and ordered to Key West 20
take command of the Shawmut, in which
snip he made a cruise in the Gulf of
Mexico. He was deaehed. February %.
1875 and ordered TO the Naval Academy as
the head of the department of seamanship.
serving in that capacity until October 1.
1878
From 1881 to 1885 he served on various
naval boards in Washington. He was pro-
NOTED to captain March 2, 1885, and ordered
to the Pacific station, where he was the
senior officer for some time. From 1888 to
1893 he was president of the steel ;nspsc-
ton beard.
He was commandant of the Mare Island
navy yard from 1898 to 1896. and was or
dered 70 the command of the Oregon in
June 1896. He was commissioned COM
modore March p. 1897, and became com
mandant of the Boston navy yard in May.
1891
He attained the rank of rear admiral
November %, 1898 and was ordered TO the
command of the Norfolk navy yard. On
March 3, 1889. he was assigned to the com
nand OF the South Atlantic STATEN and re-
turned in his flagship, the Chicago. just in
time to attend the Dewey celebration at
New York
On October 8. 1865, he was married 10
Miss Hannah Johnson Middleton, of the
old Washington family of that name.
Two Of Rear Admiral Howison's sisters
reside at 1922 p Street They are Mrs.
Albion K. Paris wife of the banker, and
Miss Laura " Howison. He has three
brothers-Capt. John WcTden HOWison, Of
the Revenue Cutter Service; Andrew Jack
son Howison. chief engineer in the Reve-
nue. Cutter Service. and Edward Tyler
Howison wealthy business man, who
lives at Philadelphia
Rear Admiral Howison and Mrs Howl
son are now in New York city, and are
East before returning to Washington to
side