Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-06-05
DIST|NCU|SHEDCAREER
OF NAVAL OFFICER
Whose Ashes Were Buried in the
Naval Cemetery.
OFFICIAL NAVAL RECORD.
OF One Of Oldest Retired Officers---A
Well Spent Life,

a simple service took place yester-
day afternoon in the Naval Cemetery.
when the ashes of Captain Thomas
Nelson. U. 5. NJ (retired), were depos-
tied there beside those of the wife of
the deceased.
captain Nelson was, perhaps, the old
est retired naval officer, being in his
eighty-first year. Four children sur
vive him, Mrs. +. w. Hibbs, wife of
Mr.. f. w. Hbbs of the Electric Boat
Company, of New London, Conn. Lieut..
Commander c. =. Nelson, on duty at
the Philadelphia navy yard; Mrs. w.
b. Tardy, wife of Lieut.. Commander w.
b. Tardy. fleet engineer of the Reserve
Fleet at Philadelphia and Dr. Thomas
S. Nelson. of Olympia, Wash.
The military funeral took place on
Saturday at the Naval Academy Chapel
One of the handsome floral tributes
was beautiful full-rigged large ship.
Captain Nelson was born at sea, De-
cember 5, 1884. The following is a
copy of the official naval record of
Captain Thomas Nelson:
Acting Masters Mate, United States
Navy January s, 1862; acting ensign,
November z, 1862 ;acting master March
81, 1865; master, March II, 1868; lieu
tenant December Is, 1868, lieutenant
commander, Jan. 25, 1870; command
er' December 13, 1886; retired De-
cember 5, 1896; captain, U. S. ~. re-
tired, June 20, 1906.
The following is copy of the history
of service taken from the Records of
Living Officers of the United States
Navy and Marine Corps, compiled from
sources by Lewis Randolph Ham
mersley:
Appointed from Pennsylvania, jan
uary L. 1862; entered the service as
acting masters mate; attached to the
steamer "Currituck," Potomac flotilla,
1924, cooperating with the Army of
the Potomac; promoted acting ensign
November, 1862; temporarily detached
from the Currituck and ordered to duty
as signal officer of the steamer IVA
chusett," on passage from Philadel-
phia to Port Royal, S. c., having the
iron-clad "Sangamon' lin tow. January,
January, 1864; on arrival at Port Royal
returned to duty on board the "Curri-
tuck; steamer Commodore Read"
February, 1864 to June, 1864 command
ed the steamer Dragon" Potomac flo
tilla. from June l, 1864. to October s,
1864; commanded the steamer "Mercu-
ry" blockade duty at the Great Yeoco-
misto River and adjoining creeks of
Virgna from October 8, 1864, to jan
uary 27 1865, keeping in check and
eventually driving off the home guards
and Chesapeake Bay pirates.
Promoted to acting master on March
81, 1865; commanded the steamer
"Coeur de Lion" until the close of the
war; Navy Department, 1865; steam
er Don" as navigator, January 1866 to
August Z 1866; steamer Pensacola"
Pacific squadron, August T. 1866 to Oc-
tober 1867; steamer "Penobscot," West
India squadron, as navigator, Decem-
ber 8, 1867, to July 9, 1869; promoted
to master, March IL, 1868; commits
stoned as lieutenant December IS 1868; /;
steamship New Hampshire" as exec
utive officer, from September, 1869, to
June, 1870; commissioned as lieuten-
ant-commander, January 25. 1870; "Sa-
co.. fourth rate), N. A. fleet, 1903;
leave. Europe, 1874; Franklin" flag
ship European squadron, 1856; Hy-
geographic Office, 1S77-S0; Alaska, "
Pacific Station, 1873; photographic
Office. commanded the "Palos," Ash
attic Station. 1SS4-7; promoted to CON-
mander, December, 1886; Mare Island
navy yard, 1SS9-92; Adams, 1924 /;
Portsmouth. n. H., navy yard. 1894 un-
til retired in 1896.
Twice on active duty since retired
once during the Spanish-American war
in command of a division of coast de-
fense and inspector of Second Light
house District, and in 1903 inspector OF
the Sixteenth Lighthouse District His
record throughout his long service is
without the smallest blemish. He be-
longed to the days of sailing vessels
comanding one of the biggest clipper
ships afloat at the age of twenty-one
He is the author of several scientific
works. among which is the teatise on
Circular Storms" used for instruction
at the Naval Academy.
He was guided by the Golden Rule, a
devoted husband and father a true
friend. always lending helping hand
to those in need; life well spent
Many will mourn his loss. He was
elected member of the Military Order
of Loyal Legion of the United States
through the Commandery of the Dis
trict of Columbia. December, 1884
transferred to the Commandery of Cali.
fornia, December q, 1888; to the Com.
mandery of the District of Columbia
August 25, 1894. where he affiliated al