Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12

men should have to go to the front and be
shot when am sure there are enough
hard Characters and riffrar in our large
cities to take their places
Mr.. Peck replied that there were many
gentlemanly looking men, who would only
be too glad to get to the 'front.' and he
mentioned young Gherardi, who had been
promoted a lieutenant on July 49, as one
who would like to get the ear of Assistant
Secretary G. V. Fox to induce him to send
him to one of the sauadrons.
The woman replied that she thought she
could get the ear of Mr.. Fox, as she hap
pened to be his wife, and told the other to
say to the lieutenant that If he would go to
Washington she would see what could be
done for his interest. Gherardi did go to
Washington. and was ordered to the
Mohican, his first engagement being the
attack on Fort Macon.
Took Part at Mobile Bay.
Gherardis next duty was the command of
the Port Royal in the West Gulf Blockading
squadron in 1894, with which vessel he
took part in the battles in Mobile bay and
the capture of Mobile in 1864. with Farra-
gut. In his official report of the order and
plans for attacking Fort Morgan and the
rebel feet Captain Thornton A. Jenkins
who commanded the Richmond and was
flag officer Of division. commended Cher
ardi for his "cool and courageous conduct
the time that his vessel was cast off from
the port side of my vessel, by my order, to
go in chase of the enemys three gunboats"
His last command during the war was the
Pequot, in the North Atlantic squadron.
He was promoted to commander on July
25 1885. and he commanded the Jamestown
and the receiving ship Independence in
turn, on the Pacific. Under his commission
as captain, issued on November o, 1874, he
commanded the Lancaster, as flagship of
ant
at the bombardment of Alexandria. Ten
years after his promotion to captain he re-
cetyed his commission as commodore. and
after years service on the promotion ex-
aminfng board he was detailed as governor
of the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia.
Made Rear Admiral In 1887.
He was made rear admiral on August %,
1857, and after nearly two years service
as commandant of the New York navy yard
he succeeded to the command of the North
Atlantic squadron. relieving Rear Admiral
S. B. Luce upon his retirement on February
7. 1880. He was present at the abdication
of Legitime, and the capture of Port au
Prince by Hippolyte, and was instrumental
in restoring peace and order in Hayti.
Shortly after the close of that episode
came the threatened war with Chile. The
admiral was then at Barbados with his flag
ship, the Philadelphia, and the gunboat
Concord. He was instructed to assemble
the vessels Of his command at Montevideo
and to hold them in readiness at that point.
The Philadelphia and the Concord made a
quick passage to Montevideo and were join
ed by the Chicago, the Bennington and the
Atlanta. On the Pacific side, the Baltimore,
the San Francisco. the Charleston and the
Yorktown were held in readiness to co-op-
crate with the Atlantic squadron.
Placed in Command Of Naval Review.
The war cloud passed and the admiral
was recalled and directed to proceed over
land to San Francisco and to bring to this
port the ships Of the Pacific squadron.
which were ordered to be present at the
naval review. Upon his arrival at Hampton
Roads he was placed in command Of all
the United States ships, the squadrons of
Rear Admirals Walker and Benham form
ing part of the great fleet which was re-
viewed at Hampton Roads and afterward at
this port in honor of the Columbus quadri-
centennial
He took command of the navy yard in
Brooklyn again in June, 1893. His retire
ment from active duty was in November
1894. For time he continued to make his
home in Brooklyn. where he owned house
in Clinton avenue, but he later removed to
Stratford, Conn. He was the vice COM
mander for New York of the Military Or
der of Foreign Wars