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 ...

John Mellen Brady Clitz (1 December 1821 – 9 October 1897) 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 ...

. During his long naval career, he fought in both the Mexican War and 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 ...

and rose to command of the Asiatic Squadron.

Naval career

Clitz was born in Sackets Harbor, New York, on 1 December 1821. He was appointed as a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

on 12 April 1837,Naval History and Heritage Command: Officers of the Continental and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775–1900.
Hamersly, p. 45. and soon was attached to the

sloop-of-war In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' enc ...

in the West Indies Squadron, serving aboard her from 1838 to 1842. He then studied at 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 ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, in 1843 and, having completed his training as a midshipman, was promoted to passed midshipman on 29 June 1843. Clitz's next assignment was to the new sloop-of-war in the Mediterranean Squadron from 1844 to 1845, after which he served aboard the sloop-of-war in the Home Squadron from 1845 to 1846. After the outbreak of the Mexican War, Clitz transferred to the bomb

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

in 1847, a ship purchased in 1846 and commissioned in 1847 for service in that conflict as part of the Home Squadron. Aboard ''Hecla'', Clitz arrived in

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

waters at

Isla de Sacrificios Isla de Sacrificios ("Island of Sacrifices") is an island in the Gulf of Mexico, situated off the Gulf coastline near the port of Veracruz, in Mexico. The waters surrounding the island are part of the Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano National Mari ...

off

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

on the morning of 29 March 1847 and participated in the final day of the siege of the city before it ended with the surrender of the Castle of

San Juan de Ulúa San Juan de Ulúa, also known as Castle of San Juan de Ulúa, is a large complex of fortresses, prisons and one former palace on an island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico overlooking the seaport of Veracruz, Mexico. Juan de Grijalva's ...

to American forces that evening. ''Hecla'' then began patrols in the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

, during which she took part in the American amphibious

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...

Tuxpan Tuxpan (or Túxpam, fully Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano) is both a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The population of the city was 78,523 and of the municipality was 134,394 inhabitants, according to the INEGI census o ...

in April 1847. Later in 1847, Clitz transferred to the screw steamer – also in the Home Squadron but immobilized in Mexican waters due to mechanical problems – until 1848. After the Mexican War, Clitz served aboard the

sailing frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

in the Mediterranean Squadron from 1849 to 1851, being promoted to master while aboard her on 16 August 1850. Promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on 6 April 1851, he had duty with the United States Coast Survey from 1851 to 1852, then was aboard the steam paddle frigate in the

East India Squadron The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a squadron of American ships which existed in the nineteenth century, it focused on protecting American interests in the Far East while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on the western coast ...

from 1852 to 1855. After special duty in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, in 1856, he was aboard the sloop-of-war 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 ...

from 1858 to 1859 and then aboard the steam sloop-of-war in 1861. The

broke out in April 1861, and Clitz served extensively in operations related to the

Union blockade 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 ...

of the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. 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 16 July 1862, he was the

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

of the steam gunboat in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863 and later that year of the steam sloop-of-war in the

East 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 ...

. He commanded the new sidewheel gunboat in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from 1864 to 1865 and led her in both the First Battle of Fort Fisher in December 1864 and the Second Battle of Fort Fisher in January 1865, both of them attacks against Fort Fisher, one of the fortifications guarding Wilmington,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. In a dispatch of 28 January 1865, Rear Admiral

David Dixon Porter David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy admiral and a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the U.S. Navy. Promoted as the second U.S. Navy officer ever to attain the rank o ...

commended him for his actions at Fort Fisher and recommended him for promotion. After the Civil War, Clitz reported for duty in 1866 at the Boston Navy Yard in Charlestown,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and 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 ...

on 25 July 1866. He commanded the steam sloop-of-war in the South Atlantic Squadron from 1868 to 1869 before performing

ordnance Ordnance may refer to: Military and defense *Materiel in military logistics, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment. **The military branch responsible for supplying and developing these items, e.g., the Unite ...

duty at the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, in 1870. He then commanded the steam

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

in the Pacific Squadron from 1870 to 1872.Hamersly, p. 46. Promoted to commodore on 28 December 1872, Clitz commanded Naval Station Port Royal in

Port Royal Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and co ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, from 1876 to 1877 and was a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

inspector from 1878 to 1880. Promoted to

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 ...

on 13 March 1880, Clitz was commander-in-chief of the Asiatic Squadron from 11 September 1880 to 21 April 1883. Scheduled to retire from the Navy upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 62 on 1 December 1883, Clitz applied to retire earlier, and did so on 16 October 1883.

Personal life

Clitz married the former Mary L. Bohrer (1823–1894) on 21 November 1843. They had three children.

Retirement and death

In retirement, Clitz resided in Brooklyn, New York. He died at St. Elizabeths Asylum in Washington, D.C., on 9 October 1897. Clitz was buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county is ...

.Burial Detail: Clitz, J M (Section 1, Grave 72-B)
– ANC Explorer

Notes

References

* ttp://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h4/hecla-i.htm ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'': ''Hecla'' I
"Death List of a Day: John M. B. Clitz." ''The New York Times'', 10 October 1897.

Hamersly, Lewis Randolph. ''The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, Fifth Edition''. Philadelphia: L. R. Hamersly & Co., 1894.

Tolley, Kemp. ''Yangtze Patrol: The U.S. Navy in China''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1971.
.

External links

"Admiral Clitz Robbed," ''The New York Times'', 28 April 1884 – newspaper report of the 27 April 1884 pickpocketing of John M. B. Clitz.

at ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website {{DEFAULTSORT:Clitz, John M. B. 1821 births 1897 deaths People from Sackets Harbor, New York United States Navy rear admirals (upper half) United States Navy personnel of the Mexican–American War Union Navy officers People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Burials at Arlington National Cemetery