Ninian Pinkney (17 June 1811 – 15 December 1877), also spelled Pinckney, born in the
Hammond-Harwood House in
Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated from
St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland, in 1829, and from
Jefferson Medical College
Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. To signify its heritage, the unive ...
,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
,
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 1833. He spent his entire naval career helping to develop the field of surgery and medicine. He was especially prominent—and praised—during 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 ...
.
Military service
Appointed an assistant surgeon 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 ...
on 26 March 1834, Pinkney received orders to the
sloop of war ''Erie'' on 5 May. Ordered to report by 20 June, he joined the ship at
Boston, Massachusetts, on 24 June, shortly before she sailed for the
Brazil Station. Detached from ''Erie'' on 18 September 1837, he began two months of leave on 20 September, later changed to "waiting orders." Ordered to duty at the Naval Asylum at
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
,
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, ...
, on 9 April 1838, he was detached from that duty on 2 April 1839, receiving one month of leave. He then joined the
frigate ''Brandywine'', assigned to the
Mediterranean Squadron, on 17 August, shortly after she was recommissioned.
On 12 February 1840, Commodore
Isaac Hull, commanding the squadron, ordered Pinkney to return to the United States, and the assistant surgeon reported his arrival on 24 April. Ordered thence, on 12 October 1840, to the
storeship ''Relief'', on 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 ...
, Pinkney later served again on board ''Erie''. He was promoted to surgeon on 27 October 1841.
Commodore
Alexander J. Dallas, commanding the Pacific Squadron, granted Surgeon Pinkney permission to return to the United States in February 1844, and he arrived there in April of the same year. Ordered to the Receiving Ship and Naval Station,
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, on 24 June 1844, he received orders to "discharge duties" at the Naval Rendezvous (recruiting station) as well, on 21 April 1845.
Detached from the Baltimore Station on 19 September 1846 and placed in the status of "waiting orders," Pinkney was ordered to Albany on 14 October; he reported to that new sloop of war, assigned to 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, ...
, a little less than a fortnight later, on 27 October. Transferred to sloop of war
''Germantown'', also in the Home Squadron, three days after
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
the following year 28 December 1847, he was detached from that ship on 23 February 1848. Carried on the status of "waiting orders" on 1 January of the following year
849 Pinkney was ordered to the new sidewheel sloop of war
''Saranac'' on 4 February 1850, to report for duty on the 24th of that month. Detached from that ship on 22 July 1851, the surgeon was then ordered
0 Septemberto review candidates for admission to the
U.S. Naval Academy. Following another period of "waiting orders," he was ordered to the Naval Academy on 3 April 1852.
Detached from the Academy on 5 July 1855, Pinkney subsequently received orders to the sidewheel frigate
''Susquehanna'' on 31 March 1856, and served in that ship as she cruised in the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
and off the coast of Central America, and later operated in assistance of the steam
frigate ''Niagara'' in her unsuccessful attempt to lay the Atlantic Cable in August 1857. Detached from ''Susquehanna'' on 19 April 1858, he was ordered to the U.S. Naval Hospital at
Norfolk, Virginia, on 21 October, his actual time of reporting delayed from 1 November to 1 December 1858. Detached from that medical facility ashore on 9 June 1859, Pinkney received orders to join the screw frigate
''San Jacinto'' as she prepared for a cruise to the coast of Africa.
Illness, however, shortened Pinkney's tour of duty in ''San Jacinto'', as he was detached from the ship at
Cadiz, Spain, and ordered home "because of ill health" on 28 March 1860. Arriving back in the United States on 23 April, he went to
Easton, Maryland, where he apparently remained until he was ordered to special duty in Washington, D.C., on 8 June 1861. Detached from duty in the capitol on 12 December 1861, he received orders to report as the Fleet Surgeon,
Mississippi Squadron, on the last day 1861.
Civil War service
Pinkney served in the Mississippi Squadron for the duration of 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 ...
, performing "the most arduous duty in caring for the sick and wounded." He succeeded in getting possession of the Commercial Hotel, in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
, a building "admirably located and well adapted for hospital purposes" in March 1863. The shortage of assistant surgeons compelled ''Pinkney'' to serve on board the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship ''Red Rover'', "where he has been of great service fitting out his department." Acting Rear-Admiral
David Dixon Porter, Commanding the Mississippi Squadron, called Pinkney's presence
Porter used the occasion to dispel any misgivings about the fleet surgeon's "little peculiarities" (Pinkney was known to be of "a 'peppery' nature and stood firmly on his dignity and rights"), writing to
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
Gideon Welles
Gideon Welles (July 1, 1802 – February 11, 1878), nicknamed "Father Neptune", was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869, a cabinet post he was awarded after supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Although opposed ...
on 30 March 1863 of Pinkney that "...a more zealous, devoted officer to the profession, and to the country, does not exist anywhere..."
Soon thereafter, the fleet surgeon directed the provision of new ships fitting out at
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, and
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wi ...
, with medical stores during June, 1863, and later that summer supervised the conversion of a seized Rebel building at
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
, into a hospital.
Pinkney received the wounded from the fall of
Fort Pillow in April 1864, on board the Hospital Ship
''Red Rover'', and treated them. Subsequently, one of the nursing Sisters, employed on board ''Red Rover'', wrote to express her appreciation for the kindness Pinkney had extended to them. "Through them," Sister Angela, of the
Order of the Holy Cross, wrote on 11 August 1864,
Post-Civil War service
Commodore Pinkney retired from active duty on 15 June 1865. Over the next four years (until 8 November 1869), performed a succession of duties, serving as a member of the Board of Visitors of the
U.S. Naval Academy, presided over the board that examined candidates for admission to the Academy, and served as a delegate to represent the
Medical Department of the Navy to the Medical Department in England. Ordered to duty at Washington, D.C., on 1 October 1870, he was promoted to the rank of Medical Director on 3 March 1871.
Final years
Detached from the
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and Weapon, ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast, Washington, D.C., Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy.
The Yard currently serv ...
and retired with that rank on 7 June 1873, Pinkney, who received a
doctor of laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...
degree from his alma mater,
St. John's College, Annapolis, in 1873. He died after a brief illness at his residence, "Londonderry," near
Easton, Maryland, on 15 December 1877.
Honored in ship naming
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 ...
ship
USS ''Pinkney (APH-2)'' which saw action in the Pacific Ocean during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
was named in his honor.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinkney, Ninian
1811 births
1877 deaths
United States Navy Medical Corps officers
United States Naval Academy
Union Navy surgeons
St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe) alumni
Thomas Jefferson University alumni
People from Annapolis, Maryland
People of Maryland in the American Civil War
Physicians from Maryland