Abner Read, USN-- Part 5: The Lighthouse Battle

Again, the reason I am writing about him is that I have been writing about the ship  named after him that had its stern blown off by a Japanese mine and later was sunk by a kamikaze in World War II.

Read was promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 July 1862.

On April 18, 1963, he led a  boat expedition which landed  near the lighthouse at Sabine Pass, Texas.  They were attacked by a large group of Confederates who had been hiding in the lighthouse keeper's home.  All but one of Read's group were wounded as they raced back to their boat and rowed out to the New London.

Read suffered a serious wound  to his eye.  Yet, despite this painful wound, he remained on duty until his ship returned to New Orleans for repairs in late May.

--Old B-Runner