Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/299

 WAIN WRIGHT

WAIT

1831; the naval academy, Norfolk, Va., 1837-38; promoted passed midshipman, June 15, 1837; was attached to the brig Consort on coast survey, 183S-11; commissioned lieutenant, Sept. 8, 1841; was in command of the Water-Witch, home station, 1848-49; on coast survey, 1851-57; cruised in the frigate Merrimack, 1857-60, and on ordnance duty at the Washington navy yard, 1860- 61. He was married to Sallie Franklin, daugh- ter of Richard and Sophia (Dallas) Bache of Phil- adelphia, Pa. He was promoted commander, April 14, 1861, and assigned in 1862, to the flagship Hartford under Admiral David G. Farragut, who commanded the expedition directed toward the capture of New Orleans and the opening of the Mississippi river. The fleet sailed from Hampton Roads, Feb. 2, 1863; gained the mouth of the Mississippi, and sailed up the river until opposite Forts Jackson and St. Philip. On April 24, the Hartford, Brooklyn and Richmond, with four smaller ships were ordered to follow up the west bank and attack Fort Jackson, taking as close a position to the forts as the pilots would allow. At first the enemy's artil- lery had poor range and their fire was com- paratively in- effective, but when the Con- federate sent afloat a dozen fire-rafts, one bore down on the Hartford, and through an error of the pilot, the ship grounded in the mud. The rigging of the Hartford was soon in flames, but her captain valiantl}' resisted and drove off both the fire- raft and the ram Manassas, New Orleans was captured the following day, and on June 28, Captain Wainwright participated in the passing of the Vicksburg batteries and again on July 15-16, on the return of the fleet from above the city. For his gallantry on tliese several oc- casions he received the commendation of Ad- miral Farragut. Commander Wainwright's death occurred while he was still in command of the Hartford, near New Orleans, La., Aug. 10, 1862. WAINWRIGHT, Richard, naval officer, was born in Washington, D.C., Dec. 17, 1849; son of Capt. Richard Wainwright (q.v.). He was graduated from the U.S. naval academy, Annapo- lis, Md., 1868, and immediately assigned to the Jamestown of the Pacific fleet; was promoted ensign, April 19, 1869, serving during that year in the hydrographic office, Washington, D.C.; promoted master, July 12, 1870; attached to the flag-ship Colorado of the Asiatic fleet, 1870-73, being promoted lieutenant on Sept. 23 of the latter year, and was again on duty in the hjdro-

U.S.S HARTFORD.

graphic bureau until 1875. He married. Sept. 11, 1873, Evelyn, daughter of Alexander and Louisa AVotherspoon of New York. He commanded the coast survey vessel Arago, 1875-78: was flag-lieu- tenant to Rear-Admiral Thomas H. Patterson of the Asiatic squadron, 1878-81; on special duty in the bureau of navigation, 1881-84; graduated from Co- lumbian university, AVashington, 1884; was with the Ten- nessee of the North Atlantic squadron, 1884-85, was secre- tary to Rear-Admiral J. E. Jouett, 1886; and was attached to the Galena of the North Atlantic squad- ron, 1886-87. In the

latter year he was assigned to steel inspection; was on duty at the U.S. Naval academy, 1888-90; in command of the Alert on special service, 1890- 93; in the hydrographic office, 1893-96, being pro- moted lieutenant-commander, Sept. 16,1894; and chief intelligence officer, 1896-97. He was assigned to the battleship Maine in December. 1897, as exe- cutive officer, and was on board that vessel at the time of her destruction in Havana harbor, Feb. 15, 1898, where he heroically directed the work of the divers in recovering the bodies of the un- fortunate victims and on April 5 pulled down the flag of the wrecked battleship. In May, 1898, he was assigned to the command of the Glouces- ter (formerly the yacht Corsair), attached to Admiral Sampson's blockading squadron blockad- ing the harbor of Santiago, Cuba, and on July 3, 1898, he destroyed the Spanish torpedo boats Pluton and Furor. After the victory, the Glouces- ter went to the rescue of the drowning men, took many prisoners and received on board Admiral Cervera. For his gallantry and efficiency on this occasion, Wainwright was presented by the citi- zens of Gloucester, Mass. , with a silver loving-cup. He was also presented with a sword by the citi- zens of Washington; received an LL.D. from Columbian; was advanced ten numbers in rank, August, 1898, and on March 3, 1899, was promoted to the rank of commander. After the war he commanded the receiving-ship Santee and other vessels; on March 15, 1900, was appointed super- intendent of the U.S. Naval academy, antl on Nov. n, 1902, to the command of the Newark.

WAIT, John Turner, representative, was born in New London, Conn., Aug. 27, 1811. He re- moved with liis parents to Norwich, Conn., at an early age; attended Bacon academy, Colchester,