James Robert Madison Mullany (26 October 1818 – 17 September 1887) was a rear admiral of the

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, who served during the

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Biography

Mullany was the son of Colonel James R. Mullany and Maria Burger. Colonel Mullany, born in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, had served in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

, and was Quartermaster General of the United States Army from 1816 until 1818. His son, James Robert Madison Mullany, was born in

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, and entered the navy as a

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on 7 January 1832. He was promoted to passed midshipman on 23 June 1838, and to

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on 29 February 1844. During the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

he took part in the capture of the city of Tabasco,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, in June 1847. From January till March 1861, he served on the sailing frigate in the protection of Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, and in April and May of that year, in command of the steam gunboat defended the fort from attacks from the Confederate Army, assisting in reinforcing the fort on 12 April 1861. Mullany was promoted to

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on 18 October 1861, and assigned to the

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in the

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and

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 ...

s in April 1862. From April till September 1863, he commanded a division of the West Gulf Squadron, and during the war captured eleven blockade-runners, and cut out two schooners laden with cotton in the harbor of

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. In August 1864 Mullany commanded the screw sloop during the Battle of Mobile Bay, the ''Bienville'' being considered unfit to engage the forts by Admiral David Farragut. The ''Oneida'', lashed to the ironclad screw steamer was in the rear of the

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, and exposed to a very destructive fire from

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. Later the ''Oneida'' was attacked and raked by the Confederate ram , and Mullany received several wounds, necessitating the

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of his left arm. From May 1865 until May 1868, Mullany was inspector in charge of ordnance in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He was promoted 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 ...

in 1866, and was one of the Board of Visitors to the

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in 1868. He commanded the steam sloop in the European Squadron from December 1868 until November 1871. He was commissioned as commodore on 15 August 1870, and was in charge of the Mediterranean Squadron from October 1870 until November 1871, and of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1872–74. After receiving his rear admiral's commission on 5 June 1874, he commanded the North Atlantic Squadron until February 1876, protecting American interests on the

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. He served as the governor of the Philadelphia Naval Asylum from 1876 until 1879, when he retired from active service. Mullany died in Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on 17 September 1887.

Namesakes

Two destroyers have been named in his honor.

Notes

References

* Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mullany, Robert 1818 births 1887 deaths United States Navy admirals American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Union Navy officers People of New York (state) in the American Civil War American people of Irish descent