John Jay Almy (April 21, 1815 – May 16, 1895) was a U.S. Navy Rear-Admiral, who held the record for the longest period of seagoing service (27 years, 10 months). In the Mexican War, he took part in the capture of Vera Cruz, and in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, he captured four blockade-runners and destroyed four others. As a Rear-Admiral during a violent revolt in Panama in 1873, he was able to protect American and European property, earning official thanks from many nations.

Early life

Almy was born in Newport, Rhode Island the son of Samuel Almy, who had been brought up as a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

, but was "read out" of the Society for marrying out of the fold. Almy was named

John Jay John Jay (, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, diplomat, signatory of the Treaty of Paris (1783), Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1795 as the first chief justice of the United ...

, after the first chief justice of the United States.

Career

He was appointed midshipman on February 2, 1829, at the age of 13, and served aboard the and the in the Mediterranean and on the coast of Brazil, before being examined and promoted to

passed midshipman A passed midshipman, sometimes called as "midshipman, passed", is a term used historically in the 19th century to describe a midshipman who had passed the lieutenant's exam and was eligible for promotion to lieutenant as soon as there was a vac ...

on July 3, 1835. After a year aboard the receiving-ship at New York, he returned to the Mediterranean aboard serving as acting-master and navigator. Almy received his commission as lieutenant on March 8, 1841. He then served aboard the brig in the West Indies, and on the frigate on the coast of Africa. In 1847, while serving on the ship in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Pacific coast during the Mexican War, he took part in the siege and capture of Vera Cruz and in the capture of Tuxpan, and in 1848, while the navy was in occupation of

Mazatlán Mazatlán () is a city in the Mexican list of states of Mexico, state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding , known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast across from th ...

, he commanded one of the forts. Almy then served in the

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from 1851 to 1856, assisting in the making of detailed charts of Chesapeake Bay and the sea-coast of Virginia and North Carolina. In 1857, he was given command of the on the coast of Central America, and was present at the surrender of

William Walker William Walker may refer to: Arts * William Walker (engraver) (1791–1867), mezzotint engraver of portrait of Robert Burns * William Sidney Walker (1795–1846), English Shakespearean critic * William Walker (composer) (1809–1875), American Bap ...

and his filibustering party to Rear-Admiral Hiram Paulding at Nicaragua. In his reports to the Navy Department Rear-Admiral Paulding noted that, "Lieutenant-Commander Almy performed his part of the work exceedingly well, and is an officer who can be relied upon at all times." Almy also commanded the ''Fulton'' in the Paraguay expedition of 1858–59. Almy then served at the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...

before being commissioned as commander on April 24, 1861. During the Civil War, he commanded firstly the in the

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Atlantic Blockading Squadron was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to enforce the Union blockade of the ports of the Confederate States. It was formed in 1861 and split up the same year for th ...

under Admiral Du Pont from 1862 to 1863, then the in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Admiral Lee in 1864, and finally the in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Admiral Dahlgren in 1865. While in command of the ''Connecticut'', Almy captured four noted blockade-runners with valuable cargoes, and destroyed four others. Almy was promoted to captain on March 3, 1865, and commanded the ''Juniata'' in a cruise to the South Atlantic, operating off the coasts of Brazil and Africa in 1865–67. While on the Brazilian coast, he rescued the crew of the shipwrecked Brazilian brig ''Americo'', receiving the thanks of the

Emperor of Brazil The monarchs of Brazil (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''monarcas do Brasil'') were the imperial head of state, heads of state and hereditary rulers of Brazil from the House of Braganza that reigned from the creation of the Brazilian monarchy ...

. After serving as an ordnance officer at the New York Navy Yard, he was commissioned as a commodore on December 30, 1869, and served as chief signal-officer of the Navy at Washington from 1870 to 1872. He was promoted to rear-admiral on August 24, 1873, and the following month took command of the

Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron of the United States Navy, established c. 1821 and disbanded in 1907, was a naval squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Developing from a small force protecting United States commerc ...

. While at Panama in October 1873, a violent revolt broke out, which lasted for three weeks. Almy landed a force of 200 seamen and marines to protect American and European property and interests, and received the thanks of the Panama Railroad Company, the

Pacific Mail Steamship Company The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded April 18, 1848, as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants. Incorporators included William H. Aspinwall, Edwin Bartlett (American consul ...

, and all of the consuls and the foreign merchants at Panama in return. In 1875, Almy was presented with the Order of King Kamehameha I by King

Kalākaua Kalākaua (David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Māhinulani Nālaʻiaʻehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua; November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891), was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, reigning from February 12, 1874, u ...

of Hawaii, after organising the King's trip to the United States on U.S. Naval vessels. In July 1876, after serving for two years and ten months in the Pacific, Almy returned to the United States, and having reached the mandatory age, was retired in April 1877, having served for a total of twenty-seven years and ten months at sea, the longest of any officer of the navy up to that time, as well as fourteen years and eight months on shore. Almy was the first naval officer to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or, simply, the Loyal Legion, is a United States military order organized on April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Union Army. The original membership was consisted ...

, succeeding former President

Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881. Hayes served as Cincinnati's city solicitor from 1858 to 1861. He was a staunch Abolitionism in the Un ...

upon Hayes' death on January 17, 1893, and serving until October 11th of the same year.

Personal life

Almy was twice married. By his first marriage, he had five children. His second wife was the sister of his first wife, Alida Armstrong Gardner.

Death and legacy

Admiral Almy died his home on Vermont Avenue in Washington, D.C. in May 1895. After a service at the Church of the Ephiphany, he was interred at the

Congressional Cemetery The Congressional Cemetery, officially Washington Parish Burial Ground, is a historic and active cemetery located at 1801 E Street in Washington, D.C., in the Hill East neighborhood on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the only American ...

, rather than

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, at his own request.

References

External links