Edgar C. Merriman (20 July 1840 – 11 December 1894) was an officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

who served as the naval commander of the

Department of Alaska Department of Alaska was the designation for the government of Alaska from its purchase by the United States of America in 1867 until its organization as the District of Alaska in 1884. During the department era, Alaska was variously under ...

from October 4, 1882 to September 13, 1883, while commanding ''. Merriman was born in

Bradford, New York Bradford is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 811 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Major Robert Bradford. The Town of Bradford is in the northeastern section of the county, north of Corning. Hi ...

on July 20, 1840, the son of Horam and Adeliza (Munson) Merriman). he was educated in the local schools and attended

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...

from 1854 to 1856. In September 1857, Merriman began attendance at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

. He resigned in November 1860 because he believed he was dying of tuberculosis. His illness was not fatal, so he joined the

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

for the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

in December 1861 and was appointed acting master. He was promoted to lieutenant in July 1862 and served until the end of the war. He remained in the

after the war and was promoted lieutenant commander in July 1866, commander in March 1875, and captain in July 1890. Merriman retired in September 1891, and was a resident of

Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enu ...

. In 1869, Merriman married Emily Craven, the daughter of Admiral Thomas T. Craven. On 26 October 1882, Merriman was in command of the forces that destroyed

Angoon, Alaska Angoon (sometimes formerly spelled Angun, tli, Aangóon) is a city on Admiralty Island in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 572; by the 2010 census the population had declined to 459. The ...

, in the Angoon Bombardment. Merriman died in Yonkers on December 11, 1894. He was buried at Glenwood Cemetery in

Geneva, New York Geneva is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, Ontario and Seneca County, New York, Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is at the northern end of Seneca Lake (New York), Seneca Lake; all land port ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merriman, Edgar C. Commanders of the Department of Alaska 1840 births 1894 deaths Union Navy officers United States Navy officers