From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Rogers Taylor
(7 November 1811 – 14 April 1889) was a
rear admiral
of the
United States Navy
who served during the
Mexican?American War
and the
American Civil War
.
Biography
[
edit
]
Taylor was born in
Newport, Rhode Island
.
[1]
He was appointed as a U.S. Navy
midshipman
in 1828, served in the
sloops of war
St. Louis
and
Peacock
during the next decade, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1840. He next had
United States Coast Survey
duty, then was an officer of the sloop of war
St. Mary's
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
Albany
. 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
Housatonic
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
Juniata
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 Pacific Squadron Division of the
Pacific Squadron
.
[2]
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.
Namesake
[
edit
]
The destroyer
Taylor
(DD-468)
(1942?1969) was named for him.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Taylor, William Rogers"
.
The National Cyclopædia of American Biography
. Vol. IV. New York, New York: James T. White & Company. 1897. p. 155
. Retrieved
2023-12-09
.
- ^
"California: Naval Matters at Vallejo"
.
Daily Alta California
. Vol. XXI, no. 7039. San Francisco, California. 27 June 1869. p. 1
. Retrieved
2023-12-06
.