قراءة كتاب Life of Rear Admiral John Randolph Tucker
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John Randolph Tucker was born on the 31st day of January, 1812, at Alexandria, near Washington, on the Virginia side of the Potomac river, in which city his father had made his home and had there married Miss Susan Douglas, the daughter of Dr. Charles Douglas, an English physician, who emigrated to America soon after the Revolution.
Young Tucker received his early education in the good private schools of his native city, which he continued to attend until he entered the United States Navy as a midshipman on the 1st of June, 1826, being then in the fifteenth year of his age.
The profession upon which he entered was one for which he was by nature peculiarly adapted, and to the end of his days he loved the sea and all that was connected with the life of a sailor. It has been said of a great admiral that he could perform with his own hands the duties of every station on board a ship-of-war, from seaman-gunner to admiral, and the same may be, without exaggeration, said of Tucker.
He was fortunate in beginning his naval career on the Mediterranean Station, where he made his first cruise in the frigate Brandywine. Before the establishment of the Naval Academy at Annapolis the best school for training a cadet in the etiquette, spirit and, perhaps, even in the seamanship of the service, was a smart frigate of the Mediterranean Squadron. If we may trust the traditions which have been handed down to us in song and story about "the roaring lads of the Brandywine," the training on board the ship in which Tucker first served was well calculated to develop all that was dashing and daring in the young gentlemen of her steerage mess.
After six years' service as a midshipman, Tucker passed the requisite examination for promotion, but he had to wait for his turn to fill a vacancy, and, consequently, was not promoted to the rank of lieutenant until the 20th of December, 1837. As a lieutenant, he made a good deck officer and a very excellent executive or first-lieutenant. In the latter capacity he served on board the bomb-brig Stromboli, in the Gulf of Mexico, during the war between Mexico and the United States. The Stromboli was actively employed, and Tucker participated in the capture of Tobasco and other naval operations against the enemy. During the latter part of the war Tucker succeeded to the command of the Stromboli as Lieutenant-Commanding, retaining the command until the cessation of hostilities.
His last cruise whilst belonging to the United States Navy was made as executive officer of the frigate Cumberland, the flag-ship of Flag-Officer Stringham, on the Mediterranean Station, thus ending his active service in the United States Navy where it began, after an interval of thirty years.
Soon after his promotion to a lieutenancy Tucker was married, at Norfolk, Virginia, on the 7th of June, 1838, to Virginia, daughter of Captain Thomas Tarleton Webb, of the United States Navy. This union was, uninterruptedly, most happy and harmonious until it was dissolved by the death of Mrs. Tucker in 1858. She left several children, three of whom—Randolph Tucker, of Richmond, Virginia; Tarleton Webb Tucker, of Memphis, Tennessee; and Virginius Tucker, of Norfolk, Virginia—are now living and prospering.
On September 14th, 1855, Tucker received his commission as a Commander, and at the same time was ordered to command the Pennsylvania, an old three-decker ship-of-the-line which was in commission as receiving-ship at Norfolk. His next duty was as Ordnance Officer of the Norfolk Navy Yard, and it was whilst he was employed on this duty that the secession of Virginia caused him to forward his resignation to the Secretary of the Navy.
There is no intention of discussing in this biographical sketch the questions which were in controversy between the Northern and Southern States until they were finally settled by the arbitrament of arms; it is sufficient to say that nothing but the sincerest conviction that the highest duty required the sacrifice could have induced an officer in Tucker's position to leave an established and an illustrious navy to enter the service of a people who had neither ships nor sailors.
PART II.ToC
Appointed a Commander in the Virginia Navy — In Charge of the Defenses of James River — Transferred to the Confederate States Navy — Placed in Command of the Patrick Henry — Fitting Out Under Difficulties — First Partially Armored American Vessel. Lieutenant Powell's Plan for Armored Gunboats — Officers of the Patrick Henry — Guarding James River — Scaling the Guns — "Naval Skirmish" — A Flag Which Was Not Presented — Battle of Hampton Roads. Sinking of the Cumberland; an American Vengeur — Burning of the Congress — Combat Between the Virginia and the Monitor — Flag-officer Tatnall Takes Command of the Confederate Squadron — Sally Into Hampton Roads — Plan for Carrying the Monitor by Boarding — Evacuation of Norfolk — Towing Unfinished Gunboats to Richmond — Federal Squadron Enters James River — Crews of the Patrick Henry, Jamestown and Virginia man the Naval Batteries at Drewry's Bluff — Action at Drewry's Bluff — The Galena; a Well-Fought Vessel. Repulse of the Federal Squadron — Tucker ordered To Command the Iron-clad Steamer Chicora at Charleston — Successful Attack on the Blockading Squadron — Tucker Posted and Appointed Flag-Officer of the Charleston Squadron — Commanding Officers of the Charleston Squadron — Dupont's Attack on Charleston — Confederate Torpedo-Boats at Charleston; Damage Done By Them — Charleston Naval Battalion Serving With the Army — Evacuation of Charleston — One Battalion of the Charleston Squadron Serves With the Army at Wilmington — Tucker, With the Charleston Squadron Brigade, Marches through North Carolina and Arrives at Richmond — Tucker Ordered to Command at Drewry's Bluff — Confederacy at its last gasp — Evacuation of Richmond — Tucker not informed of the intention to Evacuate Richmond — Succeeds in joining his brigade of sailors to Major-Gen. Custis Lee's Division — Action at Saylor's Creek; didn't know they were whipped, thought the fight had just begun — Surrender — Prisoner of war — Released on parole — Employed by the Southern Express Company
Tucker was appointed a Commander in the Virginia Navy, with rank from the date of the commission in the United States Navy which he had resigned. He was at first assigned by the Governor to the defense of James river, but in a short time was ordered to assume command of the steamer Patrick Henry.
When Virginia became one of the Confederate States, all the officers of the Virginia Navy were transferred to the Confederate States Navy, with the same rank they had held in the United States Navy. The Patrick Henry was also transferred by the State of Virginia to the Confederate States. This vessel was a paddle-wheel steamer of about 1,400 tons burthen; she was called the Yorktown before the war,