Richard Worsam Meade II
Encyclopedia
Richard Worsam Meade II (also called Richard Worsam Meade, Sr., in relation to his son, Rear Admiral Richard Worsam Meade
III) was an officer in the United States Navy
.
Meade was born in Spain
in 1807 to Richard Worsam Meade I (1778-1828) and his wife Margaret Coats Butler Meade (and was the brother of General George Meade
, the victor of Gettysburg
). He entered the Navy as a Midshipman
in April 1826, appointed from the state of Pennsylvania
. During the next decade he served in a number of ships, among them the frigate
Brandywine
(during the later 1820s and early 1830s) and sloop-of-war
Saint Louis (in the mid-1830s). He was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1837 and was subsequently assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey, the New York Navy Yard, the steamer Fulton
and storeship Erie
. Beginning in the mid-1840s his Navy service became intermittent, with a long period of "awaiting orders" broken in 1847 by assignment to the steamer Scourge
. Lieutenant Meade resigned his commission in December 1851, but was again in service in 1854-1855 as Commanding Officer of the steamship Massachusetts
, part of the Pacific Squadron
. He once more left the Navy in September 1855.
Meade returned to active duty during the Civil War and was given the rank of Commander, apparently backdated to September 1855. He commanded the Receiving Ship at New York (the old ship-of-the-line North Carolina
) into 1864. Promoted to Captain (in 1864, with the date of rank again apparently backdated, this time to July 1862), he was Commanding Officer of the steam frigate San Jacinto
until she was wrecked in the Bahamas at the beginning of 1865.
Captain Meade appears to have had no further active employment. He was retired in December 1867 and died at Brooklyn, New York, on 16 April 1870.
Richard Worsam Meade
Richard Worsam Meade III was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
III) was an officer in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1807 to Richard Worsam Meade I (1778-1828) and his wife Margaret Coats Butler Meade (and was the brother of General George Meade
George Meade
George Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
, the victor of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
). He entered the Navy as a Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in April 1826, appointed from the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. During the next decade he served in a number of ships, among them the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
Brandywine
USS Brandywine (1825)
USS Brandywine was a wooden-hulled, three-masted Frigate of the United States Navy bearing 44 guns which had the initial task of conveying the Marquis de Lafayette back to France...
(during the later 1820s and early 1830s) and sloop-of-war
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
Saint Louis (in the mid-1830s). He was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1837 and was subsequently assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey, the New York Navy Yard, the steamer Fulton
USS Fulton (1837)
USS Fulton was a steamer that served the U.S. Navy prior to the American Civil War, and then was recommissioned in time to see service in that war...
and storeship Erie
USS Erie (1813)
The first USS Erie was a three-masted, wooden-hulled sloop-of-war of the United States Navy in the early 19th century.Erie was launched 3 November 1813 by Thomas Kemp, Baltimore, Maryland; and first put to sea 20 March 1814, Commander Charles G...
. Beginning in the mid-1840s his Navy service became intermittent, with a long period of "awaiting orders" broken in 1847 by assignment to the steamer Scourge
USS Scourge (1846)
USS Scourge was a steamer warship in service during the Mexican-American War between Mexico and the United States. She was the third United States Navy ship of that name.-Acquisition:...
. Lieutenant Meade resigned his commission in December 1851, but was again in service in 1854-1855 as Commanding Officer of the steamship Massachusetts
USS Massachusetts (1845)
USS Massachusetts was a steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy prior to the American Civil War. She was used by the U.S. War Department as a transport during the Mexican-American War and traveled widely, including transiting Cape Horn several times as part of her official duties on both sides of the...
, part of the Pacific Squadron
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 supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
. He once more left the Navy in September 1855.
Meade returned to active duty during the Civil War and was given the rank of Commander, apparently backdated to September 1855. He commanded the Receiving Ship at New York (the old ship-of-the-line North Carolina
USS North Carolina (1820)
The first USS North Carolina was a 74-gun ship of the line in the United States Navy.One of the "nine ships to rate not less than 74 guns each" authorized by Congress on 29 April 1816, she was laid down in 1818 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard, launched on 7 September 1820, and fitted out in the...
) into 1864. Promoted to Captain (in 1864, with the date of rank again apparently backdated, this time to July 1862), he was Commanding Officer of the steam frigate San Jacinto
USS San Jacinto (1850)
The first USS San Jacinto was an early screw frigate in the United States Navy during the mid-19th century. She was named for the San Jacinto River, site of the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. She is perhaps best known for her role in the Trent Affair of 1861.San Jacinto was laid...
until she was wrecked in the Bahamas at the beginning of 1865.
Captain Meade appears to have had no further active employment. He was retired in December 1867 and died at Brooklyn, New York, on 16 April 1870.