Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers Rear Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers ( 4 November 1819 – 8 January 1892 ) was an officer in the United States Navy . He served in the Mexican - American War , the American Civil War , as Superintendent of the Naval Academy , and Commander - in - Chief of the Pacific Squadron . Biography . Background . Rodgers was born in Brooklyn , New York , into a naval family . His father , George Washington Rodgers , was a Navy captain , who had commanded the brig " Firefly " during the War of 1812 , and was the brother of Rear Admiral John Rodgers . They were the sons of Commodore John Rodgers . Through his mother , Anna Maria Perry , his maternal grandfather was Captain Christopher Raymond Perry , and his uncles were the Commodores Oliver Hazard and Matthew Calbraith Perry . With this kind of background it was inevitable that both C . R . P . Rodgers and his younger brother George Washington Rodgers , Jr . , would join the Navy . Early career . Rodgers was appointed midshipman on 5 October 1833 , serving aboard the frigate in the Pacific Squadron in 1834 - 35 , then in the sloop on the same station in 1836 . He was stationed at the New York Navy Yard from 1837 , receiving promotion to passed midshipman on 8 July that year . In 1839 - 40 Rodgers served aboard the schooner on the coast of Florida , taking part in operations during the Second Seminole War , and also briefly commanded the 2 - gun schooner " Phoenix " . Rodgers joined the Africa Squadron , serving aboard the sloop in 1842 - 43 . He then served on the frigate , flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron , in 1844 - 45 , and received promotion to lieutenant on 4 September 1844 . After being attached to the Coast Survey in 1846 , Rodgers was assigned to the Home Squadron in 1847 in order to serve in the Mexican – American War . Rodgers participated in the Siege of Veracruz in March 1847 , and in the capture of Tabasco and Tuxpan by his uncle Commodore Matthew C . Perry . After the war Rodgers returned to the Coast Survey for three years , before serving aboard the screw sloop on the Brazil Station in 1850 - 51 . This was followed by duty as Flag Lieutenant aboard the with the Africa Squadron in 1852 - 55 . He then spent another two years with the Coast Survey ( 1856 – 58 ) , before serving on the screw frigate , flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet , in 1858 - 59 . Civil war . Rodgers was appointed Commandant of Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy in 1859 , serving there until after the start of the Civil War in 1861 , and overseeing its relocation to Newport , Rhode Island , for the duration of the war . He was succeeded in the post by his brother George Washington Rodgers . He then served in Samuel F . Du Pont ' s South Atlantic Blockading Squadron , in command of the flagship " Wabash " , and distinguishing himself at the Battle of Port Royal , receiving promotion to commander directly afterwards , on 15 November 1861 . Rodgers also saw action at the capture of Fort Pulaski in April 1862 , before serving as captain of the flagship , the broadside ironclad at Charleston in 1863 . Admiral Du Pont noted , " No language could overstate his services to his country and to myself . " In March 1864 he recommissioned the screw sloop , on an independent assignment to capture Confederate ships , which took him to the Mediterranean , and around South America and across the Pacific to Singapore in pursuit of the commerce raider . Post - war career . Rodgers was promoted to captain on 25 July 1866 , and in 1867 - 68 commanded the screw frigate , flagship of Admiral David Farragut in the European Squadron . Promoted to commodore on 28 August 1870 , he then served as Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks from 1871 - 74 . Achieving flag rank as a rear admiral on 14 June 1874 , Rodgers served as Superintendent of the Naval Academy from September 1874 until July 1878 , before a two - year tour as Commander of the Pacific Squadron , returning to the Naval Academy to serve as Superintendent for a second time from June to November 1881 . Rodgers was put onto the Retired List on 14 November 1881 . Rear Admiral Rodgers died in Washington , D . C . on 8 January 1892 , and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Personal life . Rodgers married Julia Slidell , and had two sons follow him into Navy service , Raymond Perry Rodgers ( 1849 - 1925 ) , and Thomas Slidell Rodgers ( 1858 – 1931 ) , both of whom achieved the rank of Rear Admiral .