Edmund Ross Colhoun (6 May 1821 – 17 February 1897) was a
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
who served during the
Mexican War and the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, in which he was commended for his participation in the bombardment and capture of
Fort Fisher.
Naval career
Service from 1839 to 1853
Colhoun was born at
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County, in the South Central Pennsylvania, South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Gre ...
, on 6 May 1821 and was appointed a
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...
on 1 April 1839. He was attached to the
sloop-of-war
During the 18th and 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship of the Royal Navy with a single gun deck that carried up to 18 guns. The rating system of the Royal Navy covered all vessels with 20 or more guns; thus, the term encompassed all u ...
in the
Brazil Squadron from 1839 to 1841, then to the
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
in the
Mediterranean Squadron and Brazil Squadron from 1842 to 1844. He then attended the
Philadelphia Naval School in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Pennsylvania, in 1845 and, after completing his studies, was promoted to
passed midshipman on 2 July 1845.
Colhoun next served aboard the frigate from 1846 to 1847, seeing action in the Mexican War, first under
Commodore David Conner in the first attack on
Alvarado,
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, and then under Commodore
Matthew C. Perry
Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a United States Navy officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. He led the Perry Expedition that Bakumatsu, ended Japan' ...
at
Tabasco
Tabasco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tabasco, 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa.
It i ...
, Mexico.
From 1850 to 1851, Colhoun served aboard a
receiving ship at Philadelphia, then aboard the frigate in the
Pacific Squadron from 1851 to 1853, being promoted to
master
Master, master's or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
In education:
*Master (college), head of a college
*Master's degree, a postgraduate or sometimes undergraduate degree in the specified discipline
*Schoolmaster or master, presiding office ...
on 6 January 1853. He resigned from the Navy on 27 June 1853.
Service from 1861 to 1883
With the onset of the American Civil War in April 1861, Colhoun returned to U.S. Navy service, becoming an acting
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
on 24 September 1861. From 1861 to 1862 he was
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or commander, or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually give ...
first of the
steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
tugboat
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
, then of the
steamer , both operating as part of the
Union blockade
The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederate States of America, Confederacy from trading.
The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required ...
of the
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...
in the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In command of ''Hunchback'', he saw combat at the
Battle of Roanoke Island on 7–8 February 1862, the
Battle of New Bern on 14 March 1862, and in an engagement on the
Blackwater River
A blackwater river is a type of River#Classification, river with a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon Basin and the Southern United States. The term is used in fluvial ...
south of
Franklin,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, on 3 October 1862 during the
joint expedition against Franklin
The Joint Expedition Against Franklin was a joint engagement between the Union army, United States Army and Union Navy, Navy against the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The engagement was intended to move Union forces in ...
.
Promoted to
commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
on 17 November 1862, Colhoun took command of the steamer in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863. Later that year, he became commanding officer of the
monitor
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, Wes ...
in the
South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and led ''Weehawken'' in various actions against Confederate forts – among them
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...
,
Fort Wagner, and Fort Beauregard – between 10 July and 15 September 1863. He next commanded the monitor from 1864 to 1865, engaging
Howlett's Battery on the
James River
The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...
in Virginia on 21 June and 5 December 1864 and taking her into action in
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
in both the
First Battle of Fort Fisher in December 1864 and the
Second Battle of Fort Fisher in January 1865. He was commended for his participation in the bombardment and capture of
Fort Fisher.
After the war, Colhoun had special duty at
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
in 1866 before serving as Fleet Captain of the
South Pacific Squadron from 1866 to 1867. He was promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
on 2 March 1869 and was commanding officer of the monitor from 1869 to 1870. He commanded the sloop-of-war ,
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
of the
Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron (naval), squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron w ...
, from 1873 to 1874 and was in command of the entire Asiatic Squadron from 12 January 1874 to 29 May 1874. He then took command of the sloop-of-war , flagship of the South Pacific Squadron, in August 1874.
Leaving ''Richmond'' in July 1875, Colhoun was promoted to
commodore on 26 April 1876 and took command of
Mare Island Navy Yard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY or MINS) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean and was in service 142 years from 1854 to 1996. It is located on Mare Island, northeast of San Francisco, in Vallejo, Califor ...
in
Vallejo,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, on 17 April 1877. On 15 January 1881, he relinquished command of the navy yard and was on special duty until 1882 as inspector of vessels in California. He was promoted to rear admiral on 3 December 1882 and retired from the Navy on 6 May 1883 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 62.
Personal life
Colhoun married the former Mary Ann Hays (15 July 1825 – 11 February 1916) in 1845. They had four children.
Colhoun died suddenly of
heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to Cardiac cycle, fill with and pump blood.
Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, late on the evening of 17 February 1897. He is buried with his wife at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
in
Arlington, Virginia.
Anonymous. "Death List of a Day." ''The New York Times''. February 19, 1897.
/ref>
Namesakes
Two U.S. Navy destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
s have been named in Colhoun's honor.
See also
Notes
References
*
Naval History and Heritage Command: Officers of the Continental and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-1900.
Butler, John P., and Joseph K. Brooks. ''Edmund Ross Colhoun Papers: A Finding Aid to the Papers in the Naval Historical Foundation Collection in the Library of Congress''. Manuscript Division, Library of Congress: Washington, D.C., 2011.
Anonymous. "Death of Rear Admiral Colhoun." ''The New York Times''. February 18, 1897.
Anonymous. "Death List of a Day." ''The New York Times''. February 19, 1897.
(This source incorrectly gives Colhoun's middle initial as "C.")
Hamersly, Lewis Randolph. ''The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, Fourth Edition'', Philadelphia: L. R. Hamersly & Company, 1890.
External links
History of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colhoun, Edmund Ross
1821 births
1897 deaths
Union Navy officers
United States Navy rear admirals (upper half)
People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War
People from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery