Samuel Barron
Encyclopedia
Samuel Barron was a United States, and later Confederate naval officer, acting as a representative in Europe for the Confederacy during the American Civil War
.
, Barron was entered into the US Navy at age two on January 1, 1812 (presumably because his father, Commodore Samuel Barron (1765-1810)
, had commanded the nearby naval base). In 1820, Barron began serving as a midshipmen. He rose through the ranks and was commissioned a lieutenant on March 3, 1827. He was promoted to commander on July 15, 1847 during the Mexican-American War.
Commanding the USS John Adams
from 1849 to 1853, Barron was made a captain in September 1855. He then was captain of the steam frigate USS Wabash
, whose crew included George Dewey
, from 1858 until 1859. he was appointed chief of the Bureau of Detail in 1860, and thus held considerable influence within the US Navy, Following Lincoln's inauguration the following year, he was suspected of attempting to gain control over the Department of the Navy.
on April 22 as dismissed), he accepted a commission as Captain in the Virginia Navy and, as chief of the Office of Naval Detail and Equipment, later assisting in organizing a coastal defense of the Virginia and North Carolina coastlines.
After Virginia's fleet was integrated with the Confederate Navy, Barron was issued a commission as commander and appointed chief of the Office of Orders and Details on June 10. Barron would remain in that post until July 20, when Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory agreed to Barron's request to be assigned as commander of coastal defences of Virginia and North Carolina, an important port for Pamlico Sound
based Confederate privateers. Arriving at his headquarters on Fort Hatteras
on August 28, Barron commanded the defense of both the forts Hatteras
and Clark
against Union Flag Officer Silas H. Stringham during the Battle of Hatteras Inlet
on August 28–29, Barron was captured following the surrender of the two fortresses. Held in Ft. Warren, Boston harbor, Barron was eventually released in a prisoner exchange the next year.
In January 1861 while imprisoned at Ft. Warren, Boston, Lt. William T. Glassell stated: Generals Buckner and Tilghman were then rooming with me, and together with Commodore Barron...
In November 1862, Barron was briefly reassigned command of naval forces in Virginia before he was sent to Great Britain to take command of the two ironclad rams, CSS North Carolina
and CSS Mississippi
(also known as the 'Laird Rams'), that were being built under the direction of Commander James D. Bulloch
for the Confederacy. After the ships were seized by British authorities the following year, Barron traveled to France, remaining in Paris as "Flag Officer" commanding Confederate States Naval Forces in Europe acting as a contact for Confederate naval officers as well as blockade runners and privateers until February 25, 1865 when he resigned his commission returning to the United States shortly before the Confederacy's surrender a month later. Retiring to his home in Essex County, Virginia
, Barron took up farm life until his death on February 26, 1888.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early life and career
Born to a prominent military family in Hampton, VirginiaHampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
, Barron was entered into the US Navy at age two on January 1, 1812 (presumably because his father, Commodore Samuel Barron (1765-1810)
Samuel Barron (1765-1810)
Samuel Barron was a United States Navy officer. He was an older brother of Commodore James Barron, also a US Navy officer.-Early Life:...
, had commanded the nearby naval base). In 1820, Barron began serving as a midshipmen. He rose through the ranks and was commissioned a lieutenant on March 3, 1827. He was promoted to commander on July 15, 1847 during the Mexican-American War.
Commanding the USS John Adams
USS John Adams (1799)
The first John Adams was originally built as a frigate in 1799, converted to a corvette in 1809 and later converted back to a frigate in 1830 for use in the United States Navy...
from 1849 to 1853, Barron was made a captain in September 1855. He then was captain of the steam frigate USS Wabash
USS Wabash (1855)
USS Wabash was a steam screw frigate of the United States Navy that served during the American Civil War. She was based on the same plans as . Post-war she continued to serve her country in European operations and eventually served as a barracks ship in Boston, Massachusetts, and was sold in...
, whose crew included George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
, from 1858 until 1859. he was appointed chief of the Bureau of Detail in 1860, and thus held considerable influence within the US Navy, Following Lincoln's inauguration the following year, he was suspected of attempting to gain control over the Department of the Navy.
Civil War
In April 1861, after Virginia announced its succession from the Union, Barron resigned from the navy and, although his resignation was denied by the United States (later being listed by Navy Secretary Gideon WellesGideon Welles
Gideon Welles was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869. His buildup of the Navy to successfully execute blockades of Southern ports was a key component of Northern victory of the Civil War...
on April 22 as dismissed), he accepted a commission as Captain in the Virginia Navy and, as chief of the Office of Naval Detail and Equipment, later assisting in organizing a coastal defense of the Virginia and North Carolina coastlines.
After Virginia's fleet was integrated with the Confederate Navy, Barron was issued a commission as commander and appointed chief of the Office of Orders and Details on June 10. Barron would remain in that post until July 20, when Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory agreed to Barron's request to be assigned as commander of coastal defences of Virginia and North Carolina, an important port for Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, is the largest lagoon along the U.S. East Coast, being long and 24 to 48 km wide. It is a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy barrier islands, including Cape Hatteras. The Neuse and Pamlico rivers flow in...
based Confederate privateers. Arriving at his headquarters on Fort Hatteras
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the early days of the American Civil War. Two Confederate forts on the North Carolina Outer Banks were subjected to an amphibious assault by Union forces that...
on August 28, Barron commanded the defense of both the forts Hatteras
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the early days of the American Civil War. Two Confederate forts on the North Carolina Outer Banks were subjected to an amphibious assault by Union forces that...
and Clark
Fort Clark
Fort Clark can refer to:*Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site - one of the largest Mandan Villages where George Catlin and Karl Bodmer visited*Fort Clark, Illinois near Peoria, Illinois...
against Union Flag Officer Silas H. Stringham during the Battle of Hatteras Inlet
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the early days of the American Civil War. Two Confederate forts on the North Carolina Outer Banks were subjected to an amphibious assault by Union forces that...
on August 28–29, Barron was captured following the surrender of the two fortresses. Held in Ft. Warren, Boston harbor, Barron was eventually released in a prisoner exchange the next year.
In January 1861 while imprisoned at Ft. Warren, Boston, Lt. William T. Glassell stated: Generals Buckner and Tilghman were then rooming with me, and together with Commodore Barron...
In November 1862, Barron was briefly reassigned command of naval forces in Virginia before he was sent to Great Britain to take command of the two ironclad rams, CSS North Carolina
HMS Scorpion (1863)
HMS Scorpion, an ironclad turret ship built at Birkenhead, England, was one of two sister ships that the Confederate States of America secretly ordered from the Laird shipyard in 1862. To conceal her true ownership, all concerned endorsed the fiction that she was being constructed as the Egyptian...
and CSS Mississippi
HMS Wivern (1863)
HMS Wivern was an ironclad turret ship built at Birkenhead, England, one of two sister ships secretly ordered from the Laird & Son shipyard by the Confederate States of America in 1862. Her true ownership was concealed by the fiction that she was being constructed as the Egyptian warship El Monassir...
(also known as the 'Laird Rams'), that were being built under the direction of Commander James D. Bulloch
James Dunwoody Bulloch
James Dunwody Bulloch was the Confederate States of America's chief foreign agent in Great Britain during the American Civil War. He was the half-brother of a distinguished Confederate naval officer, Irvine Bulloch and of Martha "Mittie" Bulloch Roosevelt. Mittie was the mother of future U.S...
for the Confederacy. After the ships were seized by British authorities the following year, Barron traveled to France, remaining in Paris as "Flag Officer" commanding Confederate States Naval Forces in Europe acting as a contact for Confederate naval officers as well as blockade runners and privateers until February 25, 1865 when he resigned his commission returning to the United States shortly before the Confederacy's surrender a month later. Retiring to his home in Essex County, Virginia
Essex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,989 people, 3,995 households, and 2,740 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 4,926 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
, Barron took up farm life until his death on February 26, 1888.