Edward Middleton

• Comment: One source doesn't count. KGirlTrucker81 ^{huh? what I've been doing} 22:36, 11 June 2017 (UTC)

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Rear Admiral Edward Middleton was born December 11, 1801 in Charleston, SC. And died in Washington DC on April 27, 1883.

His mother, Mary Helen Hering belonged to an old English family. His father Governor (And ambassador to Russia) Henry Middleton, also was descended from a well know English family, the first of whom coming to this country was Edward Middleton in 1697. All of Edward’s ancestors were prominent in the history of the United States. His great grandfather, Henry Middleton, was President of the Continental Congress. His great grandfather, Arthur Middleton, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was the son of Henry Middleton, Governor of South Carolina, who was also our well-known Ambassador to Russia from 1820 to 1830.

The Admiral was born in Charleston, S.C., and educated in England and France. He afterwards joined his father in Russia, where he became a favorite. He then passed six months with the Admiral of the Russian Fleet, on board his ship, where he was taken by him in his own cabin, and treated like a son. Most flattering offers were made to him to enter the Russian Navy as a Lieutenant, but he preferred entering the service of his own country as a midshipman, on the frigate Java, of the Mediterranean Squadron, July 1, 1828.

From that time, he served with gradual promotions, in all corners of the globe. During the war of 1851-1855 he operated against hostile Indians of the various tribes of Washington and Oregon Territories, and fought in the attack upon Seattle, January 26, 18855. He resisted most pressing solicitations and inducements to join relative and brother officers in The Civil War.

After the war, he was appointed on special duty in New York, where he married the daughter of Edward Davison of New York who had been many years well known in Buenos Ayres. She and their two children – a girl of fourteen and a boy of Ten- survive him. In October, 1866, he went to Mare Island, Cal., as Executive Officer of the yard, and was afterward in command of the flagship Pensacola, and then of the steam sloop Lackawanna. His last command was that of Pensacola Navy Yard. While there, having been for some time at the head of the list of Commodores, he was retired from active service, having reached the age of sixty-two.

There was then no vacancy in the list of Rear-Admirals, or he would have been promoted, and would have been so if he could have remained two months longer on the active list. Congress, in 1876, recognizing the marked fidelity and conscientious sense of duty of this officer, passed a special act intended as a recognition of his services, and, in compliance with this act, he was promoted to the grade of Rear-Admiral on the retired list.

Edward possessed a great depth of cultivation; upon no subject was he uninformed and his erudition was remarkable, and as a linguist he was one of the finest in the country.