Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/555

Rh in Capt. Nicholson being acquitted of all blame. He afterward commanded the frigate " Trumbull," of thirty-eight guns, and on 3 June, 1780, had a severe action of three hours' duration with the " Wyatt," losing thirty men before the ships part- ed. In August, 1781, the '"Virginia" was cap- tured off the capes of Delaware by the " Iris " and the " General Monk," after a gallant resistance, being completely dismantled. Capt. Nicholson and his crew were captured, and the former was not exchanged until near the close of the war, and saw no more service. After the war he resided in New York, where in 1801-'4 he was U. S. commis- sioner of loans. He had one son and five daughters, one of whom married Albert Gallatin. — James's brother, Samuel, naval officer, b. in Maryland in 1748 ; d. in Charlestown, Mass., 29 Dec, 1813, was a lieutenant with Paul Jones in the battle between the "Bon Homme Richard " and the " Serapis," -and was appointed a captain on 17 Sept., 1779. Early in 1782 he commanded the frigate " Deane," of thirty-two guns, in which he cruised successful- ly, taking, among other prizes, three sloops of war, with an aggregate of forty-four guns. He retained his rank of captain on the reorganization of the navy, 10 June, 1794, and was the first commander of the frigate " Constitution," the building of which he superintended. At the time of his death he was at the head of the navy. — Another brother, John, was commissioned a lieutenant in the Revolutionary navy on 17 Aug., 1776, and captain, 17 Sept., 1779. — John's son, William Carmichael, naval ofhcer, b. in Maryland in 1800 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 25 July, 1872. He was commissioned a midshipman from his native state, 18 July, 1812, and was on board the " President," under Decatur, in the desperate action off Long Island in January, 1815, when that vessel surrendered to the British fleet. He was carried to England and not released till the end of the war. He was commissioned a lieutenant in March, 1821, and served on the frigate " United States " in the Pacific squadron in 1827. He was on duty at the naval station in 1834, became commander, 8 Sept., 1841, went out in the sloop " Preble " in the Mediterranean squadron in 1843, served at the naval rendezvous at Boston in 1845-6, was attached to the receiving-ship at New York in 1847-'8, and commandant at the navy-yard in Memphis, Tenn., in 1852-'3. He was commis- sioned as captain, 22 Aug., 1855, and in the same year acted as fleet-captain of the Pacific squadron. From 1858 till 1861 he had in charge the steam frigate " Mississippi " in the East India squadron. In 1861 he was in command of the steam frigate " Roanoke," and from 1861 to 1866 was on special duty. His commission as commodore was signed 16 July, 1862. His courage was manifested upon several occasions, and he was engaged in numerous duels. Wlien the civil war began he was the com- mander of the United States marine asylum in Philadelphia. — Samuel's grandson, James William Augustus, naval officer, b. in Dedham, Mass., 10 March, 1821 ; d. in New York city, 28 Oct., 1887, was the son of Nathaniel Dowse Nicholson (1792-1822), an officer in the navy, who served during the war of 1812 with Great Britain. The son entered the navy, 10 Feb., 1838, as a midshipman, was promoted lieutenant in 1852, and in 1847-'8 was acting master in the Mexican war. In 1853-'5 he was lieutenant of the sloop " Vandalia," of the Japanese expedition, under Com. Matthew C. Perry. His first command in the civil war was the "Isaac Smith," in the Port Royal expedition, and he was commended by Admiral Dupont for coolness and courage. In the winter of 1861-'2 he served in Florida, and in the spring of 1862 he was assigned the command of St. Augustine. In February, 1862, he had an engagement with a Confederate flotilla in Savannah river. He was promoted commander in July, and in 1862-'3 was ord- nance officer on the New York sta- tion. In 1863-4 he commanded the " Shamrock " in the South At- lantic blockading squadron before Charleston, and he had in charge the monitor " Manhat- tan," under Far- ragut, at the bat- tle of Mobile Bay. He greatly aided in the capture of the Confederate ram " Tennessee," the only shots which penetrated her armor being fired from the 15- inch guns of the " Manhattan." Nicholson after- ward attacked Fort Powell at intervals for twelve days, firing 100 shells into it, and bombarded Fort Morgan from 9 till 21 Aug., when it surrendered. He returned to New York in January, 1865. com- manded the steamer " Mohigan," of the Pacific squadron, in 1865-'6, and in July of the latter year was made captain. In 1871-'2 he commanded the flag-ship " Lancaster," of the Brazil sqiiadron, and in 1873 he became commodore. He had charge of the New York navy-yard in 1876-'80, and on 1 Sept., 1881, he was appointed to the command of the European station, being commissioned rear-ad- miral on 1 Oct. of that year. He was present dur- ing the bombardment of Alexandria, Egypt, by the British fleet, on 11 July, 1882, and on the 14th, after the flring had ceased, he landed 100 marines to protect the U. S. consulate and to assist in re- storing order. Throughout the bombardment and subsequently Admiral Nicholson's conduct was prompt, energetic, and efficient, and received gen- eral commendation in Europe, as well as in this country. On 10 March, 1883, he was retired, re- signing the European squadron to his successor. Admiral Baldwin. He received medals, decora- tions, and thanks from various European sover- eigns. When Admiral Nicholson went on the re- tired list he was the last representative of a family that had been eminent in the naval history of the United States. Since 1755 eighteen of the name and family have been in the service. Three have worn broad pennants, and a fourth died just as he received an appointment to one.

NICHOLSON, James Bartram, bookbinder, b. in St. Louis, Mo., 28 Jan., 1820. His ancestor, John, a gunsmith, made the first firelocks for the Peimsylvania committee of safety, and afterward made others for the Continental congress. James was educated in Philadelphia, became a bookbinder, and has attained note for his beautiful work. He has been twice an unsuccessful candidate for con- gress. Mr. Nicholson has delivered numerous lec- tures and addresses, and published an exhaustive "Manual of Bookbinding" (Philadelphia, 1856).

NICHOLSON, John B., naval officer, b. in Richmond, Va., in 1783 ; d. in Washington, D. C., 9 Nov., 1846. He became a midshipman, 4 July, 1800, lieutenant, 20 May, 1812, commander, 5