Mrs. Mullany Applies for a Pension Increase-- Part 1: Asking for Increase from $30 to $50 a Month

eBay has a copy of a government document as per the request and asking $22 for it.

50th Congress, First Session Report # 573

March 14, 1888

Mr. Blair from the Committee on Pensions, submitted the following:

Report to accompany Bill S. 2346

The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Jennie Hart Mullany, praying for an increase in pension, have examined the same, and report:

The applicant Jennie Hart Mullany is the widow of Rear Admiral J.R.M. Mullany, who died October 6, 1887, she is now drawing a pension of $30 under general law, and askes that it now be increased to $50 a month.

Her husband entered the Navy as a midshipman, January 7, 1832, and continued in active service in the various grades to which he was duly promoted until October 29, 1879, when he was retired as rear-admiral, having reached the age of sixty-two years.

More to Come.  --Old B-Runner

Officers of CS Ship Robert Walker-- Part 5: Samuel Phillips Lee

SAMUEL PHILLIPS LEE

The USCSS Robert J. walker's next commander was Samuel Phillips Lee (1812-1897).

He also rose to, positions of prominence in naval rank as a Civil War rear admiral.  H commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for a long time, during which he became very rich with his cut of the prize money from captured blockade runners.

Also, he commanded the Mississippi Squadron and the postwar North Atlantic  Squadron of the U.S. Navy.

He was born in Virginia and was the grandson of Richard Henry Lee and third cousin to Robert E. Lee.  Even so, he continued to serve in the U.S. Navy.

--Old B-Runner

George Campbell Read, USN War of 1812 to the Civil War

I have written about this man's life in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.  He was in the service for a real long time from actions in the War of 1812 and was still in the Navy when the Civil War began, during which he was raised in tank to rear admiral.

I will give a short account of his life here, but for more, go to the Not So Forgotten blog, which you can reach by going to the My Blogs list to the right of this and scrolling down to the Not So Forgotten blog.  The entries about Read are from March 12 to 15, 2021.

During the War of 1812, George Read was on the USS Constitution when she defeated the HMS Guerriere and received that ship's surrender.  He was also aboard the USS United States when it captured the HMS Macedonian later in 1812.  (The United States was captured when Norfolk was captured by Confederates in 1861 and later became the CSS United States.)

He married the daughter of American Revolution hero Richard Dale who was second in command of the Bon Homme Richard in John Paul Jones' epic fight.

Afterwards, he saw service in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Africa and the Philadelphia Navy Yard.  He did not see any active duty service during the Civil because of his age.

--Old B-Runner

Edward Simpson, USN-- Part 1

The USS Isonomia's first officer was Lt.Cmdr. Edward Simpson.

From Wikipedia.

EDWARD SIMPSON

(March 3, 1824 to December 1, 1888)

Officer in U.S. Navy during Mexican War and Civil War.  Attained rank of rear admiral.  Was commanding officer of several warships and had various shore assignments.

He was born in New York City.

Appointed midshipman in the U.S. Navy shortly before his sixteenth birthday in 1840 and served afloat until 1845 when he became a member of the first class of midshipmen at the new United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

--Old B-Runner

U.S. Navy Rear Admirals: Navy Grade and Pay Regulations 1862-- Part 2

Level of Navy officers and number allowed

1st  Rear Admiral  (9)
2nd  Commodore  (18)
3rd  Captain   (36)

4th  Commanders   (72)
5th  Lieutenant-Commanders  (144)
6th  Lieutenants  (144)

7th  Masters  (144)
8th  Ensigns  (144)
9th Midshipmen (144)

Vessels in the Navy to be divided into four classes with the best ships as First Rates.  This determined ranks to command these ships.

FIRST RATE--  Commodores
2ND RATE--  Captains
3RD RATE--  Commanders
4TH RATE--  Lt. Comanders

--Old B-R'er

U.S. Navy Rear Admirals: Navy Grade and Pay Regulation Act of 1862-- Part 1

On September 12, I wrote about Du Pont thanking Iowa Senator James Grimes for his work in support of the Navy and the creation of of the new Navy rank of rear admiral (I'm sure in part because he would be in line to be one).

JULY 16, 1862   Congress established the rank of rear admiral with David D. Farragut named to be America's first rear admiral.

The act was called:

NAVY GRADE AND PAY REGULATION ACT OF 1862

An Act to establish and equalize the Grade of Line Officers of the United States Navy.

Approved by President Abraham Lincoln July 16, 1862.  This act established the U.S. navy ranks of rear admiral, commodore, lieutenant-commander and ensign.

--Old B-R'er

Naval Happenings 150 years Ago: July 15th to 17th, 1862: Lots of Big Stuff Happening

JULY 15TH

USS Carondolet, Tyler and Queen of the West engage ironclad CSS Arkansas on the Yazoo River and are forced to withdraw with two ships partially disabled.  The Arkansas then runs through the Union fleet and anchors under the guns of Vicksburg.


JULY 16TH

David Farragut, in recognition of his victory at New Orleans, is promoted to Rear Admiral, the first officer in the history of the US Navy to hold that rank.

The measure passed by Congress to create the rank also revamped the command structure to include Commodore and Lieutenant Commander and established the number of rear admirals at 9, Commodores at 18, Captains at 36, Commanders at 72, and the remainder through Ensign at 144 each.

Rear Admirals were to rank with Army Major Generals.

Congress approved bill transferring the western gunboat fleet from the War department )Army) to the Navy Department


JULY 17TH

Congress passed an act establishing that every officer, seaman, or Marine disabled in the line of duty should receive for life or duration of the disability, a pension according to the nature and degree of their disability, not to exceed his monthly pay at the time of the injury.

Old B-R'er