Alexander Murray (1816–1884)

{{#invoke:Other people|otherPeople}} Template:Infobox military person Rear Admiral Alexander Murray (2 January 1816 – 10 November 1884) was a flag officer in the United States Navy, who served during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War.

Biography

Early career

Murray was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was entered the Navy as a midshipman on August 22, 1835. He served aboard the schooner Template:USS in the West Indies Squadron in 1836–38, and on the steamer Template:USS off the Atlantic coast in 1839–41, receiving promotion to passed midshipman on June 22, 1841.<ref name="hamersly">Template:Cite book</ref>

He then served on the sloop Template:USS in the Home Squadron in 1841–43, and the schooner Template:USS in the Pacific Squadron in 1844–45.<ref name="hamersly"/> He returned to the Home Squadron in 1846,<ref name="hamersly"/> to participate in the capture of Alvarado, Tabasco, Tuxpan, Veracruz, and Tampico during the Mexican War.<ref name="DANFS-Murray">Template:Cite DANFS</ref>

Murray then served in the United States Coast Survey from 1846 to 1849, and was promoted to master on March 23, 1847,<ref name="callahan">Template:Cite book</ref> and received his commission as lieutenant on August 12, 1847.<ref name="hamersly"/>

Murray served aboard the razee Template:USS in the Mediterranean Squadron in 1849–51, and was stationed on the receiving ship at Norfolk in 1852–53.<ref name="hamersly"/> He was placed on the Reserved List on September 13, 1855, not returning to Active status until August 12, 1857.<ref name="callahan"/> Murray then served on the Coast Survey in 1858–60.<ref name="hamersly"/>

Civil war

At the start of the Civil War Murray was given command of the screw steamer Template:USS and assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.<ref name="hamersly"/> Louisiana operated along the coast of Virginia, blocking the passage of Confederate blockade runners, and attacking their bases. On 13 September 1861, Louisiana and the frigate Template:USS engaged the Confederate steamer Template:Ship off Newport News, but shots from both sides fell short.<ref>Template:Cite DANFS</ref>

In early 1862 Louisiana was part of the naval forces supporting Ambrose Burnside's North Carolina Expedition, and Murray saw action at a series of battles; at Roanoke Island on February 8, Elizabeth City on February 10, and New Bern on February 14.<ref name="hamersly"/>

In May 1862 Murray commanded a combined Army-Navy operation on Virginia's York and Pamunkey Rivers, destroying twenty-seven enemy vessels, including two large steamers, and approaching within Template:Convert of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.<ref name="DANFS-Murray"/> He was promoted to commander on July 16, 1862, and was assigned to duty in the Sounds of North Carolina in 1863. He was then stationed at Portsmouth Navy Yard, New Hampshire, until the end of the war.<ref name="hamersly"/>

Post-war career

Murray was appointed to command of the steamer Template:USS on April 2, 1866,<ref name="DANFS-Augusta">Template:Cite DANFS</ref> and was promoted to captain on July 25.<ref name="hamersly"/> In May 1866, Augusta embarked Gustavus Fox, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and sailed on a cruise, accompanied by the monitor Template:USS and the gunboat Template:USS. The purpose of the cruise was threefold; firstly to convey Fox to Russia as President Andrew Johnson's representative to Tsar Alexander II, secondly to demonstrate the monitor's ability to operate in the open sea, and thirdly to cultivate friendly international relations. After the three ships arrived at Queenstown, Ireland, Ashuelot sailed independently to the Far East, and Augusta and Miantonomoh then visited England, before finally arriving at Kronstadt in August. After a month's stay in Russia, during which the Tsar and members of the royal family visited the ships, they called at Stockholm, Sweden, Kiel, Germany, and ports in France, Portugal, and Spain. After transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, the ships spent Christmas at Málaga, Spain, before spending the next four and a half months visiting ports in the Mediterranean Sea. They returned home via the Canary Islands, Cape Verdes, Barbados, and the Bahamas, finally arriving at Philadelphia on 22 July 1867.<ref name="DANFS-Augusta"/>

Murray then served as commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard<ref name="DANFS-Murray"/> in 1869.<ref name="hamersly"/> He was promoted to commodore on June 19, 1871, and to rear admiral, on April 26, 1876,<ref name="callahan"/> and served on the Lighthouse Board, and commanded the Pacific Station.<ref name="DANFS-Murray"/> Murray was placed on the Retired List on April 30, 1878.<ref name="callahan"/>

Murray was a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Murray died on November 10, 1884, in Washington, D.C.<ref name="DANFS-Murray"/>

Namesakes

• Three ships, Template:USS, Template:USS and (Template:USS) were named for him and his grandfather, Commodore Alexander Murray.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.{{#if:|{{#if:| The entries can be found [{{#if:1|{{{1}}}}} here] and [{{#if:1|{{{2}}}}} here].| The entry can be found [{{#if:1|{{{1}}}}} here].}}}}