Benjamin P. Lamberton
Template:Infobox military person Benjamin Peffer Lamberton (February 25, 1844 – June 9, 1912) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, who served in the Spanish–American War.<ref name="arlingtoncemetery">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Biography
Benjamin Peffer Lamberton was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He attended Carlisle High School and the Dickinson Preparatory School before spending three years as a member of the Dickinson College class of 1862. He was a Member of Belles Lettres Literary Society.<ref name="dickinson">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Having decided on a naval career Lamberton transferred to the Naval Academy, and was appointed midshipman on September 21, 1861.<ref name="dickinson"/> He graduated on November 22, 1864<ref name="callahan">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in time to see active service on the America as it pursued the Confederate raiders Template:Ship and Template:Ship in 1864.<ref name="dickinson" />
In 1865, he was attached to the steam sloop Template:USS of the Brazil Squadron,<ref name="dickinson" /> then in the steam-sloop Template:USS in 1866–67,<ref name="hamersly">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> receiving promotion to ensign on November 1, 1866, and to master on December 1, 1866.<ref name="callahan" />
Lamberton served aboard the training ship Template:USS in 1867–69, being commissioned as lieutenant on March 12, 1867.<ref name="hamersly" /> He served with the rank of lieutenant commander from December 18, 1868,<ref name="hamersly" /> to June 2, 1885, when he was promoted to commander<ref name="callahan" /> and assigned to the Lighthouse Board in Charleston as an inspector.<ref name="dickinson" />
In 1898, Lamberton was ordered to command of the protected cruiser Template:USS on the Asiatic Squadron, but upon arrival in Hong Kong was appointed chief of staff on board Admiral George Dewey's flagship Template:USS.<ref name="dickinson" />
He saw action the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.<ref name="dickinson" /> An incident during the heat of the battle demonstrated the ardor of Olympia's crew. On learning of Dewey's decision to give the crew a break for breakfast, a gun captain commented to Captain Lamberton, "For God's sake, Captain, don’t let us stop now. To hell with breakfast!"<ref name="DANFS">Template:Cite DANFS</ref>
Lamberton was promoted to captain on May 17, 1898, and took command of the Olympia.<ref name="dickinson" />
Promoted to rear admiral on September 11, 1903,<ref name="DANFS" /> he commanded the South Atlantic Squadron. His final post was as chairman of the Lighthouse Board from which he retired on his sixty-second birthday in 1906.<ref name="dickinson" />
Lamberton died on June 9, 1912, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name="arlingtoncemetery" />
Personal life
Benjamin Peffer Lamberton married Elizabeth Stedman in February 1873 in Boston, Massachusetts, and had three children. He lived in Washington, D.C. during his retirement, enjoying duck hunting and fishing with his friend President Grover Cleveland.<ref name="dickinson" />
Namesake
The destroyer Template:USS, launched on 30 March 1918, was named after him.<ref name="arlingtoncemetery" />
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.{{#if:http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l3/lamberton.htm%7C{{#if:%7C+The entries can be found [{{#if:1|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l3/lamberton.htm}} here] and [{{#if:1|{{{2}}}}} here].| The entry can be found [{{#if:1|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l3/lamberton.htm}} here].}}}}