William Nicholson Jeffers
Encyclopedia
Commodore William Nicholson Jeffers (6 October 1824 – 23 July 1883) was a U.S. Navy officer of the 19th century. He took part in combat operations during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War
, and during the 1870s and early 1880s served as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
.
, and was appointed midshipman 23 September 1840. His early service was in frigates Congress
and United States
, and during the Mexican-American War he took part in the attack on Alvarado, the capture of Tobasco, and the bombardment of Vera Cruz.
In the 1850s he was engaged in numerous expeditions to Central America
, and was responsible for a preliminary survey of the isthmus of Honduras
.
in the Potomac River
and served in frigate Roanoke
off Charleston and Hatteras Inlet. In December 1861 he took command of Underwriter
and soon afterward took part in the capture of Roanoke Island
and the destruction of the Confederate
squadron at Elizabeth City. After the wounding of Captain John Lorimer Worden
of USS Monitor
during her historic engagement with Virginia, Jeffers commanded her, taking part mainly in shore bombardment in the James River
.
For the remainder of the war he was on ordnance duty in Philadelphia and Washington.
. Commodore
Jeffers served in this capacity for eight years and contributed much to the science and literature of naval ordnance
. He died at Washington 23 July 1883, and was buried in the cemetery of the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, Maryland
.
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...
, and during the 1870s and early 1880s served as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
.
Early life and career
Jeffers was born in Swedesboro, New JerseySwedesboro, New Jersey
Swedesboro is a borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,055....
, and was appointed midshipman 23 September 1840. His early service was in frigates Congress
USS Congress (1841)
USS Congress — the fourth United States Navy ship to carry that name — was a sailing frigate, like her predecessor, .Congress served with distinction in the Mediterranean, South Atlantic Ocean, and in the Pacific Ocean...
and United States
USS United States (1797)
USS United States was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the first of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794...
, and during the Mexican-American War he took part in the attack on Alvarado, the capture of Tobasco, and the bombardment of Vera Cruz.
In the 1850s he was engaged in numerous expeditions to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and was responsible for a preliminary survey of the isthmus of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
.
Civil War
During the early months of the Civil War, Jeffers commanded PhiladelphiaUSS Philadelphia (1861)
The third USS Philadelphia was the flagship of Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee when he commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the American Civil War....
in the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
and served in frigate Roanoke
USS Roanoke (1855)
|- External links :**...
off Charleston and Hatteras Inlet. In December 1861 he took command of Underwriter
USS Underwriter (1852)
USS Underwriter was a 341-ton steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.Underwriter was outfitted as a gunboat, whose primary task was to prevent ships from penetrating the Union blockade of Southern ports....
and soon afterward took part in the capture of Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
and the destruction of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
squadron at Elizabeth City. After the wounding of Captain John Lorimer Worden
John Lorimer Worden
John Lorimer Worden was a U.S. rear admiral who served in the American Civil War. He commanded Monitor against the Confederate vessel Virginia in first battle of ironclad ships in 1862.-Background and early career:Worden was born in Sparta, Mount PleasantTownship, Westchester County, New York...
of USS Monitor
USS Monitor
USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads...
during her historic engagement with Virginia, Jeffers commanded her, taking part mainly in shore bombardment in the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
.
For the remainder of the war he was on ordnance duty in Philadelphia and Washington.
Post-war career
Jeffers commanded Swatara in the Mediterranean and in African waters, and in 1873 was made Chief of the Bureau of OrdnanceBureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
. Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Jeffers served in this capacity for eight years and contributed much to the science and literature of naval ordnance
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
. He died at Washington 23 July 1883, and was buried in the cemetery of the United States 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...
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.