Thornton A. Jenkins (11 December 1811 – 9 August 1893) 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 ...

, who served 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 ...

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 ...

. He later served as chief of the

Bureau of Navigation The Bureau of Navigation, later the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and finally the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation — not to be confused with the United States Navys Bureau of Navigation — was an agency of the United ...

and as president of the

United States Naval Institute The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...

. Jenkins retired as a

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 ...

Early life and career

Born at Orange Court House, Virginia, Jenkins entered the Navy 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 1 November 1828, and served first in the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...

in an expedition against pirates and slavers. Examined for a commission as lieutenant, he placed first among 82 candidates. In 1831 Jenkins helped to suppress

Nat Turner's slave rebellion Nat Turner's Rebellion, historically known as the Southampton Insurrection, was a rebellion of enslaved Virginians that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, in August 1831.Schwarz, Frederic D.1831 Nat Turner's Rebellion" ''American Heri ...

. Prior to the

, Jenkins served with the

United States Coast Survey United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

and with the Brazilian and Mediterranean Squadrons. During the war with

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 ...

, as executive officer of , he led landing parties from his ship at

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 ...

and

Tabasco Tabasco (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco), is one of the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa. It is located in ...

. Later, he commanded the store-ship and the supply station at Salmedena Island. In the interval between the wars, he served in the

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...

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, returned to the U.S. Coast Survey, and was secretary of the Lighthouse Board.

Civil War service

His Civil War record was distinguished. In 1861 Jenkins performed secret services for

President Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

, until he became ill in 1861. After this, Jenkins became a captain and served primarily 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 ...

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 ...

, he commanded . He served as chief of staff to Farragut, and was later wounded while commanding a convoy escort group. As senior officer present, in command of , he received the surrender of Port Hudson on 9 July 1863. Admiral Farragut had temporarily gone to New Orleans on business at the time. Jenkins later commanded a division of the squadron. He was present at the Battle of Mobile Bay and heard Farragut utter the famous line "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." Though, according to Thornton, what Farragut actually said was "Go ahead sir and damn the torpedoes!"

Postwar activities

Jenkins was chief of the

, from 1865 to 1869. He became a real admiral in 1870 and commanded 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 ...

from 1870 until his retirement in 1873. Rear Admiral Jenkins was president of the

Naval Institute The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...

from 1883 to 1885, and died on 9 August 1893. Jenkins 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 ...

.Burial Detail: Jenkins, Thornton A (section 1, grave 43-C-D)
– ANC Explorer

Namesakes

* Two destroyers of the

have been named in his honor. * His grandson,

Thornton Jenkins Hains Thornton Jenkins Hains (1866-1953) was an American sea novelist best known today for his role in the murder of William Annis. Hains later used the pen name Mayn Clew Garnett. Hains' father was General Peter Conover Hains, a prestigious engineeri ...

, a novelist and murder suspect. * Father-In-Law of Florence Foster Jenkins

References

Marshall, Amy K., ''Frequently Close to the Point of Peril : A History of Buoys and Tenders in U.S. Coastal Waters, 1789–1939.''
April 1997. Thesis, Master of Arts in Maritime History/Nautical Archaeology, East Carolina University. Online. December 1999. U.S. Coast Guard. Viewed 1 March 2006. *

External links

* ttp://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/tajenkins.htm Thornton A. Jenkinsat ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Thornton A. 1811 births 1893 deaths United States Navy rear admirals United States Navy personnel of the Mexican–American War Members of the Aztec Club of 1847 Union Navy officers People from Orange, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Civil War Burials at Arlington National Cemetery