William Rogers Taylor
Encyclopedia
William Rogers Taylor was a rear admiral
of the United States Navy
who served during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War
.
. He was appointed as a U.S. Navy midshipman
in 1828, served in the sloop
s of war and during the next decade, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1840. He next had Coast Survey duty, then was an officer of the sloop of war during the Mexican War, when he also served in the Naval Battery during the siege of Vera Cruz. In 1848-49 he was assigned to the Naval Asylum
in Philadelphia, then to the sloop of war . For eight years, beginning in 1853, he primarily served in the field of naval ordnance. In 1855, he received promotion to commander.
Promoted to the rank of captain in July 1862, he commanded the steam sloop during the next several months. In 1863, he was Fleet Captain of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In that role, he participated in attacks on Confederate
fortifications protecting Charleston, South Carolina
. Captain Taylor commanded the steam sloop during 1864-65 and took part in the operations that led to the capture of Fort Fisher
, North Carolina
.
In 1866, a year after the end of the Civil War, Taylor was advanced to the rank of commodore
. For the next five years, he had further ordnance duty and commanded the Northern Squadron of the Pacific Squadron
. He reached the rank of rear admiral
in early 1871 and spent his final active duty period as President of the Board of Examiners. Rear Admiral William Rogers Taylor was placed on the Retired List in November 1873.
Taylor died at Washington, D.C.
, on 14 April 1889.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
who served during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Taylor was born in Rhode IslandRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. He was appointed as a U.S. Navy midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1828, served in the sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s of war and during the next decade, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1840. He next had Coast Survey duty, then was an officer of the sloop of war during the Mexican War, when he also served in the Naval Battery during the siege of Vera Cruz. In 1848-49 he was assigned to the Naval Asylum
Philadelphia Naval Asylum
The Philadelphia Naval Asylum, later the Naval Home, was a hospital, the Philadelphia Naval School, and a home for retired sailors for the United States Navy from 1834 to 1976, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
in Philadelphia, then to the sloop of war . For eight years, beginning in 1853, he primarily served in the field of naval ordnance. In 1855, he received promotion to commander.
Promoted to the rank of captain in July 1862, he commanded the steam sloop during the next several months. In 1863, he was Fleet Captain of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In that role, he participated in attacks on Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
fortifications protecting Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Captain Taylor commanded the steam sloop during 1864-65 and took part in the operations that led to the capture of Fort Fisher
Fort Fisher
Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 1866, a year after the end of the Civil War, Taylor was advanced to the rank of commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
. For the next five years, he had further ordnance duty and commanded the Northern Squadron of the Pacific Squadron
Pacific Squadron
The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
. He reached the rank of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in early 1871 and spent his final active duty period as President of the Board of Examiners. Rear Admiral William Rogers Taylor was placed on the Retired List in November 1873.
Taylor died at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on 14 April 1889.