Stephen Decatur Trenchard
Encyclopedia
Stephen Decatur Trenchard (July 10, 1818 – November 15, 1883) was a rear admiral
in the United States Navy
. He was present at the Battle of Taku Forts
in 1859, and commanded the supply ship and gunboat throughout the American Civil War
, seeing action at both Battles of Fort Fisher
. He later commanded the North Atlantic Squadron
.
and Eliza Sands Trenchard, the daughter of merchant and politician Joshua Sands. He was named for the distinguished naval officer Stephen Decatur
, a close friend of his father, and was a direct descendant of George Trenchard (1655–1712), from the village of Wolverton in Dorset
, who had come to the United States with William Penn
in 1682. Stephen's great-grandfather, also George, (1706–1780), was the Attorney-General of West New Jersey in 1767-75 and commanded the Salem Light Horse during the Revolutionary War
.
, founded by Bishop Philander Chase
, with the intention of preparing for the ministry, but instead decided to follow the example of his father and uncle Joshua R. Sands
, and join the Navy. After a probationary cruise in the Mediterranean aboard the frigate , he received his warrant as midshipman
on October 23, 1834, and was ordered to the receiving ship Concord, at Portsmouth
. During the Second Seminole War
Trenchard cruised in the West Indies, and on the coast of Florida, and had a tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea aboard the sloop under the command of Hiram Paulding
.
Promoted to passed midshipman
on July 16, 1840, he attended the Philadelphia Naval School
, then returned to the Mediterranean in 1841 to serve aboard the sloops and .
During in the winter of 1845-46 he was aboard the schooner engaged in surveying the coast of Georgia
and Florida
, and received his commission as lieutenant
on February 27, 1847. He served aboard the sloop in the Home Squadron
in 1850-52, and in the receiving ship Philadelphia in 1853.
Trenchard served in the Coast Survey from 1854-57. During the summer of 1856 he was in command of the Coast Survey ship , surveying the New England coast. On August 14, while off Cape Ann
, Trenchard rescued the crew of the British bark Adieu, which had struck a reef and was breaking up. He received a sword from the British Government as a mark of gratitude, and although it was against the laws of the United States (Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution) for its officers to accept awards from a foreign state, Congress passed a special act permitting him to receive it.
as part of the East India Squadron
. The ship left Norfolk, Virginia
, on December 7, 1857, but a series of mechanical breakdowns meant that she did not get to sea until the 11th, preceding to Madeira
with the former President Franklin Pierce
, his wife Jane
, and their suite as passengers. The Powhatan made the run across the Atlantic without any further difficulties, reaching Funchal
on the 27th, where the ex-President and his family went ashore.
The frigate departed Funchal on January 6, 1858, calling at Jamestown, Saint Helena
, where Trenchard visited Longwood House
, the scene of Napoleon's
captivity and death. On leaving Jamestown harbor Powhatan collided with the Dutch bark Stad Enchede, sustaining minor damage. She towed the bark back to port and made repairs, leaving Saint Helena again the next day. Powhatan then shaped her course for China, calling at Cape Town
, Port Louis
, Acheen
, and Singapore
, arriving at Hong Kong
on May 12, where the steamer was flying the broad pennant
of Commodore Josiah Tattnall
, who transferred his flag to the Powhatan to visit various ports in China and Japan.
Trenchard was aboard the Powhatan at the during the Battle of Taku Forts
in June 1859, when Commodore Tattnall, observing the desperate position of the British and French forces attempting to force their way up the Peiho river, exclaimed "Blood is thicker than water
!" and went to their assistance despite the United States's neutrality in the conflict
. Soon after, when the United States concluded a treaty with China, Trenchard was part of Ambassador John Elliot Ward's retinue that traveled to Peking where treaties
were formally exchanged. Powhatan then returned to the United States.
, arriving there to find it in flames, as Union forces destroyed everything before the Confederates could capture it. Confederate forces had already sunk several vessels to block the channel, and the frigate was in great danger, but Keystone State succeeded in towing her to safety. Flag Officer Hiram Paulding
then transferred his flag to the Keystone State and proceeded to Washington.
.
Between July 1861 and November 1862 Rhode Island made nine voyages, operating between either New York or Philadelphia and the Gulf of Mexico, carrying supplies of food, guns, powder and ammunition to ships on blockade
, and transporting officers to their ships, and prisoners or sick or injured men to shore. She also captured the Confederate schooner Venus, laden with lead, copper, tin, and wool, in December 1861.
Trenchard was promoted to commander
on July 16, 1862.
With the capture of New Orleans, Pensacola
, Port Royal
, Fernandina
, and other southern ports by the Union in 1861-62, it became easier for the blockading squadrons to obtain fresh supplies, and only one steamer was considered necessary to maintain the service. The Rhode Island was therefore refitted in Boston as a gunboat, and rearmed with eight 8-inch broadside guns, a 3-pounder Parrott gun
, a rifled 12-pounder Dahlgren gun
, and a 8-inch Dahlgren aft. Her complement also was increased.
Rhode Island left Boston on December 5, 1862, on her maiden cruise as a gunboat. Trenchard's first important duty was to tow the ironclad from Hampton Roads
to Port Royal
. Unfortunately, during the night the weather deteriorated, and the Monitor broached and sank. Trenchard sent his ships boats and saved most of the crew. On January 12, 1863, Rhode Island left Hampton Roads with the monitor in tow for Port Royal, arriving safely.
Trenchard was then ordered to join the search for the Confederate cruisers and . Trenchard pursued several suspicious vessels between Hampton Roads and Havana, then in company with patrolled the Bahama Banks
. Trenchard captured the Cronstadt, a blockade-runner from Wilmington
bound for Nassau, Bahamas
, with a cargo of cotton, tobacco, and turpentine on August 16. From November 1863 until March 1864, the Rhode Island was engaged in escorting mail-steamers in the West Indies. Finally ordered home, during her cruise she had boarded more than fifty vessels.
In October 1864 Trenchard was ordered to tow the new monitor from Boston Navy Yard
to Norfolk, Virginia
, accompanied by the and the Little Addie. Another serious loss was averted after the tow-line parted in a gale and the ships ran for shelter in Holmes's Hole
, before making Brooklyn Navy Yard
. Rhode Island was then detached to sail to Aspinwall, Columbia
, to escort the valuable mail-steamer Costa Rica from there back to New York. Rhode Island then remained at New York anchored in the East River
opposite Wall Street
, having her guns trained so as to protect Government properties from the threat of mob violence.
On November 22, 1864, Rhode Island departed New York, and a few days later, in company with , captured the British blockade-runner Vixen. On December 24 Rhode Island took part in the failed attack on Fort Fisher
, returning the next day to embark troops from the shore. Rhode Island resumed blockade duty, and prepared for the second attack
which was a success. On the first day, January 13, 1865, Rhode Island was heavily engaged with Confederate batteries, and landed artillery for the army on the 14th and 15th, when the fort fell. In March Trenchard was ordered to take Rhode Island to Belfast, Maine
in order to recruit men for the Navy, and was there when the war ended in April 1865.
, and was promoted to the rank of captain in July, then served as executive officer of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1866-69.
Trenchard commanded the screw sloop
, flagship of the South Atlantic Squadron, in 1869-71, then, with the rank of commodore, served for three years as an Inspector of the Third Lighthouse District
.
On August 10, 1875, Trenchard attained the rank of rear admiral
and commanded the North Atlantic Squadron
, with the as his flagship. In 1876, during the controversy over the Hayes-Tilden presidential election
Trenchard was in command of a Naval Brigade that was stationed in Washington D.C., to preserve order. Fortunately the anticipated riots did not occur. After serving on a special board in Washington, he retired on July 10, 1880.
In 1879-80 Trenchard was the senior Vice-Commander of the New York Commandery of the Loyal Legion
. He died in New York City, on November 15, 1883.
ist.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
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...
. He was present at the Battle of Taku Forts
Battle of Taku Forts (1859)
The Second Battle of Taku Forts, in June 1859, was an Anglo-French attack on a series of Chinese forts protecting Taku, China during the Second Opium War...
in 1859, and commanded the supply ship and gunboat throughout the American Civil War
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...
, seeing action at both Battles of Fort Fisher
Battle of Fort Fisher
Two battles were fought over Fort Fisher during the American Civil War. The first battle was a failed attempt by the Union army and Navy to capture the fort. The second battle was a successful operation which led to the fall of the fort and the city of Wilmington, North Carolina.* First Battle of...
. He later commanded the North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
.
Early life and background
Trenchard was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of U.S. Navy Captain Edward TrenchardEdward Trenchard
Edward Trenchard was a captain of the United States Navy, who saw service in the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War, the War of 1812, and the Second Barbary War. He was the father of Rear Admiral Stephen Decatur Trenchard....
and Eliza Sands Trenchard, the daughter of merchant and politician Joshua Sands. He was named for the distinguished naval officer Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
, a close friend of his father, and was a direct descendant of George Trenchard (1655–1712), from the village of Wolverton in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, who had come to the United States with William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
in 1682. Stephen's great-grandfather, also George, (1706–1780), was the Attorney-General of West New Jersey in 1767-75 and commanded the Salem Light Horse during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Early service
Trenchard attended a school at Gambier, OhioGambier, Ohio
Gambier is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,871 at the 2000 census.Gambier is the home of Kenyon College and was named after one of Kenyon College's early benefactors, Lord Gambier....
, founded by Bishop Philander Chase
Philander Chase
Philander Chase was an Episcopal Church bishop, educator, and pioneer of the United States western frontier in Ohio and Illinois.-Life:...
, with the intention of preparing for the ministry, but instead decided to follow the example of his father and uncle Joshua R. Sands
Joshua R. Sands
Joshua Ratoon Sands was an officer in the United States Navy who rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. He served in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the Civil War.-Biography:...
, and join the Navy. After a probationary cruise in the Mediterranean aboard the frigate , he received his warrant as 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...
on October 23, 1834, and was ordered to the receiving ship Concord, at Portsmouth
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
. During the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
Trenchard cruised in the West Indies, and on the coast of Florida, and had a tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea aboard the sloop under the command of Hiram Paulding
Hiram Paulding
Hiram Paulding was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, who served from the War of 1812 until after the Civil War.-Naval career:...
.
Promoted to passed midshipman
Passed midshipman
A Passed Midshipman, sometimes called as Midshipman, Passed, is an unused and historic term which describes a Midshipman who had passed the Lieutenant exam and was eligible for promotion to Lieutenant as soon as there was a vacancy in that grade....
on July 16, 1840, he attended the Philadelphia Naval School
Philadelphia Naval Asylum
The Philadelphia Naval Asylum, later the Naval Home, was a hospital, the Philadelphia Naval School, and a home for retired sailors for the United States Navy from 1834 to 1976, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, then returned to the Mediterranean in 1841 to serve aboard the sloops and .
During in the winter of 1845-46 he was aboard the schooner engaged in surveying the coast of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and received his commission as lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on February 27, 1847. He served aboard the sloop in the Home Squadron
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 slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
in 1850-52, and in the receiving ship Philadelphia in 1853.
Trenchard served in the Coast Survey from 1854-57. During the summer of 1856 he was in command of the Coast Survey ship , surveying the New England coast. On August 14, while off Cape Ann
Cape Ann
Cape Ann is a rocky cape in northeastern Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean. The cape is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Boston and forms the northern edge of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester, and the towns of Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and...
, Trenchard rescued the crew of the British bark Adieu, which had struck a reef and was breaking up. He received a sword from the British Government as a mark of gratitude, and although it was against the laws of the United States (Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution) for its officers to accept awards from a foreign state, Congress passed a special act permitting him to receive it.
Voyage of the Powhatan
In 1857 Trenchard was appointed executive officer of the sidewheel steam frigate , under the command of Captain George F. Pearson, for an extended cruise to the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
as part of the East India Squadron
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 coasts of the Americas and in the South Pacific Ocean...
. The ship left Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, on December 7, 1857, but a series of mechanical breakdowns meant that she did not get to sea until the 11th, preceding to Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
with the former President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
, his wife Jane
Jane Pierce
Jane Means Appleton Pierce , wife of U.S. President Franklin Pierce, was First Lady of the United States from 1853 to 1857....
, and their suite as passengers. The Powhatan made the run across the Atlantic without any further difficulties, reaching Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
on the 27th, where the ex-President and his family went ashore.
The frigate departed Funchal on January 6, 1858, calling at Jamestown, Saint Helena
Jamestown, Saint Helena
Jamestown is the capital and historic chief settlement of the island of Saint Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Located on the island's north-western coast, it is the island's port, with facilities for unloading goods delivered to the island, and the centre of the island's road and...
, where Trenchard visited Longwood House
Longwood House
Longwood House was the residence of Napoleon I during his exile on the island of Saint Helena, from 10 December 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. It is situated on a windswept plain some from Jamestown. Formerly the summer residence of the Lieutenant Governor, it was converted for the use of...
, the scene of Napoleon's
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
captivity and death. On leaving Jamestown harbor Powhatan collided with the Dutch bark Stad Enchede, sustaining minor damage. She towed the bark back to port and made repairs, leaving Saint Helena again the next day. Powhatan then shaped her course for China, calling at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Port Louis
Port Louis
-Economy:The economy is dominated by its port, which handles Mauritius' international trade. The port was founded by the French who preferred Port Louis as the City is shielded by the Port Louis/Moka mountain range. It is the largest container handling facility in the Indian Ocean and can...
, Acheen
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
, and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, arriving at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on May 12, where the steamer was flying the broad pennant
Broad pennant
A broad pennant is a swallow-tailed tapering flag flown from the masthead of a ship to indicate the presence of a commodore on board. It is so called because its dimensions are roughly 2:3....
of Commodore Josiah Tattnall
Josiah Tattnall
Commodore Josiah Tattnall, Jr. was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812, the Second Barbary War, and the Mexican-American War. He later served in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War....
, who transferred his flag to the Powhatan to visit various ports in China and Japan.
Trenchard was aboard the Powhatan at the during the Battle of Taku Forts
Battle of Taku Forts (1859)
The Second Battle of Taku Forts, in June 1859, was an Anglo-French attack on a series of Chinese forts protecting Taku, China during the Second Opium War...
in June 1859, when Commodore Tattnall, observing the desperate position of the British and French forces attempting to force their way up the Peiho river, exclaimed "Blood is thicker than water
Blood is thicker than water
"Blood is thicker than water" is a German proverb , which is also common in English speaking countries. It generally means that the bonds of family and common ancestry are stronger than those bonds between unrelated people .It first appeared in the medieval German beast epic Reinhart Ficks "Blood...
!" and went to their assistance despite the United States's neutrality in the conflict
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
. Soon after, when the United States concluded a treaty with China, Trenchard was part of Ambassador John Elliot Ward's retinue that traveled to Peking where treaties
Treaty of Tientsin
Several documents known as the "Treaty of Tien-tsin" were signed in Tianjin in June 1858, ending the first part of the Second Opium War . The Second French Empire, United Kingdom, Russian Empire, and the United States were the parties involved...
were formally exchanged. Powhatan then returned to the United States.
Civil War
On April 19, 1861, shortly after the start of the Civil War, Trenchard was given command of the gunboat at Philadelphia. From there he sailed to Norfolk Navy YardNorfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
, arriving there to find it in flames, as Union forces destroyed everything before the Confederates could capture it. Confederate forces had already sunk several vessels to block the channel, and the frigate was in great danger, but Keystone State succeeded in towing her to safety. Flag Officer Hiram Paulding
Hiram Paulding
Hiram Paulding was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, who served from the War of 1812 until after the Civil War.-Naval career:...
then transferred his flag to the Keystone State and proceeded to Washington.
Supply ship commander
On June 19, 1861, Trenchard was given command of the supply ship , formerly the Eagle, a 236 foot side-wheel steamer built for the Charleston Line. Eight 8 inches (203.2 mm) guns were installed, while her bows were heavily plated with iron. An ice-house and other fittings were also added to her at the Brooklyn Navy YardBrooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
.
Between July 1861 and November 1862 Rhode Island made nine voyages, operating between either New York or Philadelphia and the Gulf of Mexico, carrying supplies of food, guns, powder and ammunition to ships on blockade
Union blockade
The Union Blockade, or the Blockade of the South, took place between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, when the Union Navy maintained a strenuous effort on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms...
, and transporting officers to their ships, and prisoners or sick or injured men to shore. She also captured the Confederate schooner Venus, laden with lead, copper, tin, and wool, in December 1861.
Trenchard was promoted to commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
on July 16, 1862.
With the capture of New Orleans, Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
, Port Royal
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
, Fernandina
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. It is a part of Greater Jacksonville and is among Florida's northernmost cities. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
, and other southern ports by the Union in 1861-62, it became easier for the blockading squadrons to obtain fresh supplies, and only one steamer was considered necessary to maintain the service. The Rhode Island was therefore refitted in Boston as a gunboat, and rearmed with eight 8-inch broadside guns, a 3-pounder Parrott gun
Parrott rifle
The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War.-Parrott Rifle:The gun was invented by Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He resigned from the service in 1836 and became the superintendent of the West Point Foundry in Cold...
, a rifled 12-pounder Dahlgren gun
Dahlgren gun
Dahlgren guns were muzzle loading naval artillery designed by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren USN, mostly used in the period of the American Civil War. Dahlgren's design philosophy evolved from an accidental explosion in 1849 of a 32-pounder being tested for accuracy, killing a gunner...
, and a 8-inch Dahlgren aft. Her complement also was increased.
Gunboat commander
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
to Port Royal
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
. Unfortunately, during the night the weather deteriorated, and the Monitor broached and sank. Trenchard sent his ships boats and saved most of the crew. On January 12, 1863, Rhode Island left Hampton Roads with the monitor in tow for Port Royal, arriving safely.
Trenchard was then ordered to join the search for the Confederate cruisers and . Trenchard pursued several suspicious vessels between Hampton Roads and Havana, then in company with patrolled the Bahama Banks
Bahama Banks
The Bahama Banks are the submerged carbonate platforms that make up much of the Bahama Archipelago. The term is usually applied in referring to either the Great Bahama Bank around Andros Island, or the Little Bahama Bank of Grand Bahama Island and Great Abaco, which are the largest of the...
. Trenchard captured the Cronstadt, a blockade-runner from Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
bound for Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, with a cargo of cotton, tobacco, and turpentine on August 16. From November 1863 until March 1864, the Rhode Island was engaged in escorting mail-steamers in the West Indies. Finally ordered home, during her cruise she had boarded more than fifty vessels.
In October 1864 Trenchard was ordered to tow the new monitor from Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, accompanied by the and the Little Addie. Another serious loss was averted after the tow-line parted in a gale and the ships ran for shelter in Holmes's Hole
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. It is listed as a census-designated place by the U.S...
, before making Brooklyn Navy Yard
Brooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
. Rhode Island was then detached to sail to Aspinwall, Columbia
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
, to escort the valuable mail-steamer Costa Rica from there back to New York. Rhode Island then remained at New York anchored in the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
opposite Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, having her guns trained so as to protect Government properties from the threat of mob violence.
On November 22, 1864, Rhode Island departed New York, and a few days later, in company with , captured the British blockade-runner Vixen. On December 24 Rhode Island took part in the failed attack on Fort Fisher
First Battle of Fort Fisher
The First Battle of Fort Fisher, was a siege fought from December 23 to December 27, 1864, was a failed attempt by Union forces to capture the fort guarding Wilmington, North Carolina, the South's last major port on the Atlantic Ocean...
, returning the next day to embark troops from the shore. Rhode Island resumed blockade duty, and prepared for the second attack
Second Battle of Fort Fisher
The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was a joint assault by Union Army and naval forces against Fort Fisher, outside Wilmington, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War...
which was a success. On the first day, January 13, 1865, Rhode Island was heavily engaged with Confederate batteries, and landed artillery for the army on the 14th and 15th, when the fort fell. In March Trenchard was ordered to take Rhode Island to Belfast, Maine
Belfast, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
in order to recruit men for the Navy, and was there when the war ended in April 1865.
Post-war career
In June 1865 Trenchard was appointed senior officer of the convoy service fleet, based at Cap-HaïtienCap-Haïtien
Cap-Haïtien is a city of about 190,000 people on the north coast of Haiti and capital of the Department of Nord...
, and was promoted to the rank of captain in July, then served as executive officer of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1866-69.
Trenchard commanded the screw sloop
Screw sloop
A screw sloop is a propeller-driven sloop-of-war. In the 19th century, during the introduction of the steam engine, ships driven by propellers were differentiated from those driven by paddle-wheels by referring to the ship's screws...
, flagship of the South Atlantic Squadron, in 1869-71, then, with the rank of commodore, served for three years as an Inspector of the Third Lighthouse District
United States Lighthouse Board
The United States Lighthouse Board was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States...
.
On August 10, 1875, Trenchard attained the rank of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
and commanded the North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
, with the as his flagship. In 1876, during the controversy over the Hayes-Tilden presidential election
United States presidential election, 1876
The United States presidential election of 1876 was one of the most disputed and controversial presidential elections in American history. Samuel J. Tilden of New York outpolled Ohio's Rutherford B. Hayes in the popular vote, and had 184 electoral votes to Hayes's 165, with 20 votes uncounted...
Trenchard was in command of a Naval Brigade that was stationed in Washington D.C., to preserve order. Fortunately the anticipated riots did not occur. After serving on a special board in Washington, he retired on July 10, 1880.
In 1879-80 Trenchard was the senior Vice-Commander of the New York Commandery of the Loyal Legion
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
. He died in New York City, on November 15, 1883.
Personal life
Trenchard married Anne O'Connor Barclay, the daughter of Captain John Mortimer Barclay, U.S. Army, in December 1848. They had one child, a son named Edward Trenchard (1850–1922), who was a noted marine artMarine art
Marine art or maritime art is any form of figurative art that portrays or draws its main inspiration from the sea. Maritime painting is a genre that depicts ships and the sea—a genre particularly strong from the 17th to 19th centuries...
ist.