George H. Perkins

Commodore George Hamilton Perkins (October 20, 1836 – October 29, 1899) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

Biography

Born in Contoocook, New Hampshire, in the northern part of Hopkinton to the Honorable Hamilton Eliot Perkins, George was appointed as acting midshipman in October 1851 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1856.

Early career

During the rest of that decade Midshipman Perkins served on at sea on the sloop of war ''Cyane'', the storeship ''Release'' and the steamer '' Sumpter''. He attained the ranks of master in 1859 and lieutenant in February 1861, on the eve of the Civil War. Perkins spent the conflict's first several months in the ''Sumpter'', operating on anti-slavery patrols. In early 1862 he was assigned as executive officer to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron (WGBS) Unadilla-class gunboat under its commanding officer Lieutenant N.B. (Napoleon Bonaparte) Harrison in which he performed distinguished service during the 1862 campaigns to capture New Orleans and the lower Mississippi River.

During Admiral Farragut's assault up-river towards New Orleans April 24–25, the ''Cayuga'', with Lt. Perkins at the wheel through the storm of shot and shell, was the first warship to pass forts Jackson and St. Phillip. The ''Cayuga'' found itself alone north of the forts and being assailed by eleven Confederate vessels, including the sloop rigged steamer C.S.S. ''Governor Moore'' which the ''Cayuga'' sank, and the ram C.S.S. ''Manassas'', whose attack narrowly missed the ''Cayuga's'' stern. Once the fleet lay at anchor in the river off New Orleans, Lieutenant Perkins accompanied Captain Theodorus Bailey, U.S.N., in the first boat sent ashore, to demand the surrender of the city (which was refused).

He was next executive officer of the steam sloop ''Pensacola'', receiving promotion to lieutenant commander at the end of 1862. His service on the Mississippi and in the Gulf of Mexico continued in 1863–1865, including command of gunboats ''New London'' and '' Sciota'', and the monitor ''Chickasaw''. While in the latter ship, his aggressive and effective conduct during the August 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay was a major factor in the capture of the Confederate ironclad ''Tennessee''.

Post-Civil War

In the years immediately following the Civil War, Lieutenant Commander Perkins was superintendent of iron-clads at New Orleans, executive officer of the steam sloop '' Lackawanna'' in the North Pacific, and had ordnance duty at the Boston Navy Yard. Reaching the rank of commander in early 1871, he spent the next decade as commanding officer of the storeship ''Relief'' and gunboat '' Ashuelot'' and had further shore duty at Boston.

Perkins was promoted to captain in 1882 and commanded the Pacific Station flagship during the mid-1880s. Captain Perkins' subsequent active service was limited to court-martial duty. He was transferred to the Retired List in October 1891, but in 1896 received a Congressionally authorized promotion to the retired rank of commodore in recognition of his gallantry and skill during the Battle of Mobile Bay three decades earlier. Commodore Perkins died at Boston on 28 October 1899.

Perkins was a First Class Companion of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Family

The commodore married a daughter of William Fletcher Weld, a multimillionaire from Boston's famous Weld Family.

Their daughter, Isabel Weld Perkins, married Larz Anderson, a wealthy businessman who served as Ambassador to Japan under William Howard Taft. Among the homes they maintained was Perkins Manor, the commodore's birthplace.

The Andersons' legacy to the public includes Anderson House, Anderson Memorial Bridge, Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Larz Anderson Bonsai Collection.

Ships named after Perkins

The U.S. Navy has named three destroyers in honor of George H. Perkins, including:
* USS ''Perkins'' Destroyer # 26, later DD-26 of 1910–1935
* USS ''Perkins'' (DD-377) of 1936–1943
* USS ''Perkins'' (DD-877, later DDR-877 and DD-877) of 1945–1973.

References

Perkins Manor, Contoocook Village QuiltProject Gutenberg EBook of The Bay State Monthly - Volume 1, Issue 4, April, 1884Cornell University Library photos of The Bay State Monthly - Volume 1, Issue 4, April, 1884
;Attribution
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External links

* This source gives his birthday as December 20.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, George
1836 births
1899 deaths
United States Naval Academy alumni
People of New Hampshire in the American Civil War
United States Navy commodores
Union Navy officers
People from Hopkinton, New Hampshire