Theodore P. Greene
Encyclopedia
Theodore Phinney Greene (July 4, 1809 - August 30, 1887), was a rear admiral
of the United States Navy
, who fought on the side of the Union during the American Civil War
.
, the son of Eli and Patience (Phinney) Green. According to family information his father died when Theodore was quite young, and he was raised by his uncle, Asa Greene, in Brattleboro, Vermont
.
He was appointed midshipman from Vermont
on November 6, 1826. He served on the frigate in the Mediterranean in 1832, the sloop in the Pacific Squadron
and participated in a circumnavigation of the world between 1834 and 1836. He served on the razee
in the Brazil Squadron from 1837 to 1838, where he was promoted to lieutenant on March 31, 1838.
During the Mexican-American War, he served on in the Pacific Squadron and spent nine months in command of land forces at Mazatlán
.
He married October 17, 1849, Mary Minot, daughter of William and Mary Morse Ainsworth of New Ipswich, New Hampshire
.
Greene later served on , and from 1854 to 1856 was stationed at the Boston Navy Yard
. Promoted to commander on September 14, 1855, he served as lighthouse inspector, First District, from November 1857, until 1860, when he assumed command of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
, near San Francisco, California
.
.
On January 25, 1865, he relieved Captain Thornton Jenkins as commander of , attached to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. He participated in the capture of Mobile, Alabama
in March and April, returning to the New Orleans area at the end of April. On April 24, Richmond participated in the capture of the Confederate ram William H. Webb
, commanded by Confederate raider Charles Read.
and, in 1867, was ordered to command , in the Pacific Squadron. On July 24, 1867, he was promoted to Commodore, was appointed a member of the Board of Visitors at the Naval Academy
on May 4, 1868, and on October 15, 1868, assumed command of Pensacola Navy Yard
, where he remained until March 1872, when he was retired. On July 5, 1876 he was placed on the retired list with the rank of Rear Admiral effective March 24, 1872.
Rear Admiral Greene died in Jaffrey, New Hampshire
on August 30, 1887.
His papers, 1863–1866, are at the New York Historical Society in New York City.
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 :...
of 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...
, who fought on the side of the Union during 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...
.
Early life
Greene was born in Mount Pleasant, TexasMount Pleasant, Texas
Mount Pleasant is the county seat and largest city of Titus County in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2000 census, Mount Pleasant's population was 13,935. It is the county seat of Titus County, and is situated in Northeast Texas. This town, by city ordinance, is dry to sell alcoholic beverages....
, the son of Eli and Patience (Phinney) Green. According to family information his father died when Theodore was quite young, and he was raised by his uncle, Asa Greene, in Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
.
He was appointed midshipman from Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on November 6, 1826. He served on the frigate in the Mediterranean in 1832, the sloop in 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...
and participated in a circumnavigation of the world between 1834 and 1836. He served on the razee
Razee
A razee or razée is a sailing ship that has been cut down to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French vaisseau rasé, meaning a razed ship.-Sixteenth century:...
in the Brazil Squadron from 1837 to 1838, where he was promoted to lieutenant on March 31, 1838.
During the Mexican-American War, he served on in the Pacific Squadron and spent nine months in command of land forces at Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
.
He married October 17, 1849, Mary Minot, daughter of William and Mary Morse Ainsworth of New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
.
Greene later served on , and from 1854 to 1856 was stationed at the 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...
. Promoted to commander on September 14, 1855, he served as lighthouse inspector, First District, from November 1857, until 1860, when he assumed command of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
, near San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
Civil War
He was promoted to captain on July 16, 1862, and commanded , and later , in the East Gulf Squadron. He was briefly commander pro tem of the squadron from August to October 1864, during which time he suffered an attack of yellow feverYellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
.
On January 25, 1865, he relieved Captain Thornton Jenkins as commander of , attached to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. He participated in the capture of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
in March and April, returning to the New Orleans area at the end of April. On April 24, Richmond participated in the capture of the Confederate ram William H. Webb
CSS Webb
CSS Webb, a 655-ton side-wheel steam ram, was originally built in New York City in 1856 as the civilian steamship William H. Webb. She received a Confederate privateer's commission at New Orleans in May 1861, but was instead employed as a transport until January 1862...
, commanded by Confederate raider Charles Read.
Postwar career
After the war, Greene served on ordnance duty in Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
and, in 1867, was ordered to command , in the Pacific Squadron. On July 24, 1867, he was promoted to Commodore, was appointed a member of the Board of Visitors at the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
on May 4, 1868, and on October 15, 1868, assumed command of Pensacola Navy Yard
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...
, where he remained until March 1872, when he was retired. On July 5, 1876 he was placed on the retired list with the rank of Rear Admiral effective March 24, 1872.
Rear Admiral Greene died in Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Jaffrey is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,457 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 2,757 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Jaffrey census-designated place and is located along the Contoocook River at the...
on August 30, 1887.
His papers, 1863–1866, are at the New York Historical Society in New York City.