Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/439

Rh he had the usual tasks which boys who lived on a farm in those days were required to perform. In acquiring an education no unusual difficulties were encountered. The foundations were laid in the district schools and in a country academy at which a brief course of study was taken. In 1850 he was appointed from Iowa and entered the United States naval academy, from which he was graduated with the highest honors in 1856. After serving on various ships, and being promoted, in due course, master and lieutenant, he was instructor in the naval academy, 1859-60. During the civil war he served for more than two years on gunboats on the Mississippi river and took a leading part in many battles. He commanded the ironclad Baron de Kalb in various engagements, including the attacks upon Vicksburg, and was reported for gallantry by Admiral Porter, the officer in command of the fleet. While in command of the same boat, he rendered valuable service in the expedition to Yazoo Pass. Subsequently he was in command of other boats and took part in operations on the North Atlantic coast. In 1866 he was promoted to the rank of commander and became assistant superintendent of the naval academy. After serving in this capacity for three years he took a class of midshipmen to Europe. In 1873 he became secretary of the lighthouse board which office he retained for five years. He was the head of the bureau of navigation 1881-89, and in this capacity he rendered important services to the secretary of the navy. He was in command of the white squadron in its visit to Europe and at the Atlantic stations 1889-93, and in 1894 he was promoted rear-admiral. In this year he was placed in command of the Pacific squadron and proceeded to the Hawaiian Islands to guard American interests which at that time were seriously imperiled. In this mission he was very successful. He held the highly responsible positions of chairman of the Lighthouse Board and chairman of the board for the Location of a Deep Water Harbor in Southern California 1896-97, and in the year last named, having reached the legal age-limit, he was retired from active naval service. In the same year he was appointed president of the Nicaragua canal commission in which capacity he served for two years. He was then appointed president of a commission to investigate the various proposed routes for an isthmian canal and report upon the same. After the selection of the Panama route, he was appointed in 1904, by President Roosevelt, president of the board which was charged with the construction of the canal and he entered