Edward Tatnall Nichols (March 1, 1823October 12, 1886) was a

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 ...

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Career

Nichols began his naval service by being appointed to the U.S. Navy from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

on December 14, 1836. He was first attached to the sloop USS ''Levant'' and served in the West Indies Squadron, 1837-1840. He attended the

Philadelphia Naval School The Philadelphia Naval Asylum is a complex of buildings at Gray's Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built in 1827 as a hospital, it later housed the Philadelphia Naval School, served as a home for retired sailors for the United States Na ...

, 1841-1842. Nicholas passed as a midshipman July 1, 1842, and was assigned to the frigate USS ''Columbus'' in the Mediterranean Squadron serving until 1844. The following year, Nichols served aboard the steamer USS ''Colonel Harney'' in the Atlantic Fleet and transferred to the frigate USS ''Columbia'' in the

Brazil Squadron The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina. When th ...

where here served until 1847. He was transferred again in 1847 to the bomb brig USS ''Stromboli'' in the

Home Squadron The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the Atlantic slave trade, make coastal surveys, ...

, serving with her crew in 1847 and 1848. In his last assignment as a midshipman, Nichols served aboard the frigate USS ''Savannah'' in the

Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...

, 1849-1851. Nichols was commissioned lieutenant on March 13, 1850, while serving aboard the USS ''Savannah''. Nichols was posted to the

Pensacola Navy Yard Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...

in 1852 and 1853. He again transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron and served aboard the steam frigate USS ''Saranac'', 1853 to 1856. Nichols served at the

Portsmouth Navy Yard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1800, PNS is U.S. Navy's oldest continuou ...

in 1857-1858, then served aboard the USS ''Jamestown'', from 1858 until 1860. With the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, Nichols remained loyal to the United States and was given command of the steamer USS ''Winona'' in the

West Gulf Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederate States of America, Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required ...

. Nichols participated in the bombardment of forts Jackson and St. Philip, receiving the latter's surrender on April 28, 1862. He was then present with the 38-vessel flotilla commanded by Rear Admiral

David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. Fa ...

during the attack on and passing of the batteries at

Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to: * Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States * The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign * The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle Vicksburg is also the name of ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, on June 28, 1862. The USS ''Winona'' engaged the CSS ''Arkansas'' and again engaged and passed the Vicksburg batteries on July 15, 1862. Nichols was promoted to

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

on July 16, 1862. In 1863 he commanded of the steamer USS ''Alabama'' in the West India Blockading Squadron. The following year he was in command of the steamer USS ''Mendota'' of the

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

and retained that command until 1866 when he was assigned special duty in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. With the USS ''Mendota'', Nichols saw heavy action when he engaged a rebel battery at Four Mile Creek on the

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...

, June 16, 1864. The ''Mendota'' was again engaged at the

First Battle of Deep Bottom The First Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Darbytown, Strawberry Plains, New Market Road, or Gravel Hill, was fought July 27–29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil ...

, being the only Navy vessel in support. Council of War USS Colorado June 1871

Receiving promotion to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on July 25, 1866, Nichols served on the command staff of the

Asiatic Squadron The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily invo ...

. He was promoted to chief-of-staff of the squadron in 1870 and held that post until 1872. Nichols was promoted to

commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore, a ...

May 24, 1872, and served as commandant of the

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

, 1872-1876. He served as member of the Navy's Board of Examiners in 1877 and commissioned rear admiral February 25, 1878, commanding the

South Atlantic Squadron The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina. When th ...

until 1879. In his last years of service, Nichols served as Chief of the

Bureau of Yards and Docks The Bureau of Yards and Docks (abbrev.: BuDocks) was the branch of the United States Navy responsible from 1842 to 1966 for building and maintaining navy yards, drydocks, and other facilities relating to ship construction, maintenance, and repair. ...

(1881-1885).

Family

Nichols married Caroline Elizabeth Bowers (18291865) on November 12, 1851, in Rhode Island. They had two children: Helen Bowers (18501935) and Edward Tatnall Jr. (18541934).

Later life

Nichols left the U.S. Navy in 1882. He died October 12, 1886, and is buried with his wife and children at

Swan Point Cemetery Swan Point Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Established in 1846 on a 60-acre (0.24 km2) plot of land, it has approximately 40,000 interments. History The cemetery was first organi ...

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

Dates of rank

* Midshipman - December 14, 1836 * Passed Midshipman - July 1, 1842 * Lieutenant - March 13, 1850 * Commander - July 16, 1862 * Captain - July 25, 1866 * Commodore - May 24, 1872 * Rear Admiral - February 25, 1878

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Edward T. 1823 births 1886 deaths Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state) People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War Southern Unionists in the American Civil War United States Navy rear admirals (upper half) Burials at Swan Point Cemetery

Career

Family

Later life

Dates of rank

See also

References