Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers

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Rear Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers (4 November, 1819 – 8 January, 1892) served in the United States Navy. He was the father of Rear Admiral Raymond Perry Rodgers and Rear Admiral Thomas Slidell Rodgers

Life & Career

Rodgers was part of a famous naval "dynasty" that saw members serving as commissioned officers in the Navy from its founding through the early Twentieth Century. He was the son of Captain George Washington Rodgers, who died in 1832. Rodgers was born in New York and was appointed Midshipman from Connecticut on 5 October, 1833. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 4 September, 1844, and saw action in the Seminole and Mexican-American Wars.[1]

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Rodgers was serving as Commandant of Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. He later assumed command of steam frigate Wabash and received special promotion to the rank of Commander on 15 November, 1861 for his contributions at the Battle of Port Royal.[2]

Subsequently, Rodgers served as Flag Captain for the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron before becoming the first commanding officer of sloop Iroquois in 1864. He held this command through October, 1865. Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Captain on 25 July, 1866. [3][4][5]

From December 1868 through October, 1870 he served as commanding officer of screw frigate Franklin. Near the end of this assignment, Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Commodore on 28 August, 1870.[6][7] From October 1871 until mid 1874, Rodgers served as Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, being promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 14 June, 1874.[8][9]

Rodgers then became Superintendent of the Naval Academy until July, 1878. His one opportunity to fly his flag at sea came when he spent two years as the Commander of the Pacific Station, striking his flag in October 1880.[10]

Before being placed on the Retired List due to age on 14 November, 1881, Rodgers served briefly as Superintendent of the Naval Academy once more. He resided in Washington, DC and died there in January, 1892.[11]


See Also

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
?
Commandant of Midshipmen, Naval Academy
before 1 Jan, 1861 – after Apr, 1861
Succeeded by
Frederick V. McNair
as Commandant of Cadets, Naval Academy
Preceded by
?
Captain of U.S.S. Wabash
1861 – Sep, 1862
Succeeded by
Francis M. Bunce
Preceded by
Henry Roland
Captain of U.S.S. Iroquois
31 Mar, 1864[12] – Oct, 1865
Succeeded by
Earl English
Preceded by
?
Captain of U.S.S. Franklin
1 Dec, 1868[13] – Oct, 1870[14]
Succeeded by
Bushrod B. Taylor
Preceded by
Daniel Ammen
Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks
1 Oct, 1871[15] – 1874
Succeeded by
Edmund O. Matthews
Preceded by
John L. Worden
Superintendent of the Naval Academy
22 Sep, 1874 – 1 Jul, 1878
Succeeded by
Foxhall A. Parker, Jr.
Preceded by
?
Commanding Pacific Station
after 1 Jul, 1878[16] – Oct, 1880[17]
Succeeded by
Lewis A. Kimberly
as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
Preceded by
George B. Balch
Superintendent of the Naval Academy
13 Jun, 1881 – 14 Nov, 1881
Succeeded by
Francis M. Ramsay

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1860. p. 32.
  2. Register of Officers, 1863. pp. 20-21.
  3. Register of Officers, 1863. p. 20.
  4. Register of Officers, 1864. p. 20.
  5. Register of Officers, 1867. pp. 16-17.
  6. Register of Officers, July 1869. p. 9.
  7. Register of Officers, 1871. pp. 12-13.
  8. Register of Officers, 1872. pp. 8, 12-13.
  9. Register of Officers, 1875. pp. 10-11.
  10. Register of Officers, 1881. pp. 10-11.
  11. Register of Officers, 1893. p. 134.
  12. Wikipedia.
  13. Register of Officers, July 1869. p. 9.
  14. Register of Officers, 1871. pp. 12-13.
  15. Register of Officers, 1872. pp. 8, 12-13.
  16. Register of Officers, 1879. pp. 10-11.
  17. Register of Officers, 1881. pp. 10-11.