View source for Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers

{{Short description|United States Navy officer (1819–1892)}}
{{distinguish|Raymond P. Rodgers}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers
| image =Portrait of Commander C. R. Perry Rodgers, officer of the Federal Navy LOC cwpb.05822- Restored2.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1819|11|4}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1892|1|8|1819|11|4}}
| placeofburial_label = Place of burial
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]], US
| death_place = [[Washington, D.C.]], US
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname =
| allegiance = [[United States of America]]
| branch = {{Flagicon image|US Naval Jack 24 stars.svg}} [[United States Navy]]
| serviceyears = 1833–1881
| rank = [[File:USN Rear Admiral rank insignia.jpg|35px]] [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear admiral]]
| unit =
| commands = {{Plainlist |
* {{USS|Phoenix|1841|6}}
* {{USS|Wabash|1855|6}}
* {{USS|New Ironsides||6}}
* {{USS|Iroquois|1859|6}}
* {{USS|Franklin|1864|6}}
* [[Pacific Squadron]]
}}
| battles =[[Second Seminole War]]<br />[[Mexican–American War]]<br />[[American Civil War]]
| awards =
| relations = {{Plainlist |
* [[John Rodgers (naval officer, War of 1812)|John Rodgers]] (uncle)
* [[Christopher Raymond Perry|Christopher R. Perry]] (grandfather)
* [[John Rodgers (American Civil War naval officer)|John Rodgers]] (cousin)
* [[Oliver Hazard Perry]] (uncle)
* [[Matthew C. Perry]] (uncle)
* [[George Washington Rodgers|George W. Rodgers]] (brother)
* [[Thomas S. Rodgers]] (son)
* [[Raymond P. Rodgers]] (son)
}}
| laterwork =
}}
Rear Admiral '''Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers''' (4 November 1819 – 8 January 1892) was an officer in the [[United States Navy]]. He served in the [[Mexican–American War]], the [[American Civil War]], as superintendent of the [[United States Naval Academy|Naval Academy]], president of the [[United States Naval Institute]], and commander-in-chief of the [[Pacific Squadron]].

==Biography==

===Background===
Rodgers was born on 4 November 1819 in [[Brooklyn, New York]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqUbAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA63|title=The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps|last=Hamersly|first=Lewis R.|date=1870|publisher=J.B. Lippincott & Company|pages=63|language=en}}</ref> into a naval family. His father, [[George Washington Rodgers (1787–1832)|George Washington Rodgers]], was a Navy captain, who had commanded the brig ''Firefly'' during the [[War of 1812]],<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/r/rodgers1208.xml#series1 |title=Rodgers Family Papers, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania |work=www2.hsp.org |access-date=29 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite DANFS|title=USS Firefly |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/f/firefly-brig.html|accessdate=29 October 2010}}</ref> and the brother of Commodore [[John Rodgers (naval officer, War of 1812)|John Rodgers]]. Through his mother, Anna Maria Perry, his maternal grandfather was Captain [[Christopher Raymond Perry]], and his uncles were the Commodores [[Oliver Hazard Perry|Oliver Hazard]] and [[Matthew C. Perry|Matthew Calbraith Perry]].  His family background all but ensured that both C.R.P. Rodgers and his younger brother [[George Washington Rodgers]] Jr., would join the Navy.<ref name="rodgerscollection">{{Cite web |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/library/special/rodgers_collection.htm  |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071201005207/http://www.history.navy.mil/library/special/rodgers_collection.htm  |url-status= dead  |archive-date= December 1, 2007  |title=Rodgers Family Collection |work=history.navy.mil |access-date=29 October 2010}}</ref>

===Early career===
Rodgers was appointed [[midshipman]] on 5 October 1833,<ref name="callahan">{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/books/callahan/reg-usn-r.htm |title=US Navy Officer: 1775–1900 (R) |work=history.navy.mil |access-date=29 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205164221/http://www.history.navy.mil/books/callahan/reg-usn-r.htm |archive-date=5 December 2010 }}</ref> serving aboard the frigate {{USS|Brandywine|1825|2}} in the [[Pacific Squadron]] in 1834–35, then in the sloop {{USS|Vincennes|1826|2}} on the same station in 1836. He was stationed at the [[New York Navy Yard]] from 1837, receiving promotion to [[passed midshipman]] on 8 July that year.<ref name="hamersly">{{Cite web |url= https://archive.org/stream/cu31924098819968/cu31924098819968_djvu.txt |title=The records of living officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps: with a history of naval operations during the rebellion of 1861-5, and a list of the ships and officers participating in the great battles |first=Lewis Randolph |last=Hamersly |work=archive.org |year=1870 |access-date=12 March 2012 }}</ref>

In 1839–40 Rodgers served aboard the schooner {{USS|Flirt|1839|2}} on the coast of Florida, taking part in operations during the [[Second Seminole War]], and also briefly commanded the 2-gun [[schooner]] ''Phoenix''.<ref name="hamersly"/>

Rodgers joined the [[Africa Squadron]], serving aboard the sloop {{USS|Saratoga|1842|2}} in 1842–43.<ref name="hamersly"/> He then served on the frigate {{USS|Cumberland|1842|2}}, flagship of the [[Mediterranean Squadron (United States)|Mediterranean Squadron]],<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> in 1844–45, and received promotion to [[lieutenant]] on 4 September 1844.<ref name="hamersly"/>

After being attached to the [[United States Coast and Geodetic Survey|United States Coast Survey]] in 1846, Rodgers was assigned to the [[Home Squadron]] in 1847 in order to serve in the [[Mexican–American War]].<ref name="hamersly"/> Rodgers participated in the [[Siege of Veracruz]] in March 1847, and in the capture of Tabasco and [[Tuxpan, Veracruz|Tuxpan]] by his uncle Commodore Matthew C. Perry.<ref name="rodgerscollection"/>

After the war Rodgers returned to the U.S. Coast Survey for three years, before serving aboard the [[screw sloop]] {{USS|Congress|1868|2}} on the [[Brazil Station]] in 1850–51. This was followed by duty as [[Flag Lieutenant]] aboard the {{USS|Constitution||2}} with the Africa Squadron in 1852–55.<ref name="hamersly"/> He then spent another two years with the U.S. Coast Survey (1856–1858) before serving on the [[screw frigate]] {{USS|Wabash|1855|2}}, flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron, in 1858–1859.<ref name="rodgerscollection"/>

===Civil War===
Rodgers was a [[Commandant of Midshipmen]] at the [[United States Naval Academy]] in 1859,<ref name="hamersly"/>  serving there until after the start of the Civil War in 1861, and overseeing its relocation to [[Newport, Rhode Island]], for the duration of the war.<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> He was succeeded in the post by his brother [[George Washington Rodgers]]. He then served in [[Samuel Francis Du Pont|Samuel F. Du Pont]]'s [[South Atlantic Blockading Squadron]], in command of the flagship ''Wabash'', and distinguishing himself at the [[Battle of Port Royal]],<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> receiving promotion to [[Commander (United States)|commander]] directly afterwards, on 15 November 1861.<ref name="callahan"/> On March 11, 1862, Rodgers was sent into St. Augustine to accept the surrender of the city after the defending Confederate troops had left it unguarded.<ref>East, Omega G., and H. B. Jenckes. “St. Augustine during the Civil War.” The Florida Historical Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 2, Florida Historical Society, 1952, pp. 75–91, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30145370.</ref> Rodgers also saw action at the [[Battle of Fort Pulaski|capture of Fort Pulaski]] in April 1862, before serving as captain of the flagship, the [[broadside ironclad]] {{USS|New Ironsides||2}} at [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] in 1863. Admiral Du Pont noted, "No language could overstate his services to his country and to myself."<ref name="rodgerscollection"/><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://archive.org/stream/shipsofunitedsta01spon/shipsofunitedsta01spon_djvu.txt |title=Ships of the United States Navy and their sponsors |work=archive.org |access-date=29 October 2010}}</ref> In March 1864 he recommissioned the [[screw sloop]] {{USS|Iroquois|1859|2}}, on an independent assignment to capture Confederate ships, which took him to the Mediterranean, and around South America and across the Pacific to [[Singapore in the Straits Settlements|Singapore]] in pursuit of the [[Commerce raiding|commerce raider]] {{Ship|CSS|Shenandoah}}.<ref>{{Cite DANFS |title=USS Iroquois | url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/i/iroquois-i.html|link=off |accessdate = 29 October 2010}}</ref>

===Post-war career===
Rodgers was promoted to [[Captain (United States)|captain]] on 25 July 1866,<ref name="callahan"/> and in 1867–68 commanded the screw frigate {{USS|Franklin|1864|2}},<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> flagship of Admiral [[David Farragut]] in the [[European Squadron]].<ref>{{Cite DANFS |title=USS Franklin |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/f/franklin-iv.html|link=off |accessdate=29 October 2010}}</ref> Promoted to [[Commodore (United States)|commodore]] on 28 August 1870,<ref name="callahan"/> he then served as Chief of the [[Bureau of Yards and Docks]]<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> from 1871 to 1874.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/library/guides/rosters/yards.htm |title=Bureau of Yards and Docks – Lists of Commanding Officers and Senior Officials of the US Navy |work=history.navy.mil |access-date=29 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624092424/http://www.history.navy.mil/library/guides/rosters/yards.htm |archive-date=24 June 2011 }}</ref> Achieving [[flag rank]] as a [[Rear admiral (United States)|rear admiral]] on 14 June 1874,<ref name="callahan"/> Rodgers served as superintendent of the [[United States Naval Academy|Naval Academy]] from September 1874 until July 1878,<ref name="USNA">{{Cite web |url=http://www.usna.com/Page.aspx?&pid=507&srcid=911 |title=Superintendents of the U.S. Naval Academy |work=usna.com |access-date=29 October 2010}}</ref> before a two-year tour as commander of the [[Pacific Squadron]],<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> returning to the Naval Academy to serve as superintendent for a second time from June to November 1881.<ref name="USNA"/> Rodgers also served as president of the [[United States Naval Institute]] from 1875 to 1877. He was put onto the retired list on 14 November 1881.<ref name="callahan"/> He again became president of the U.S. Naval Institute in 1882.

'''Naval Academy accomplishments'''

While at the Academy Rodgers fostered careful and concrete reforms to help restore the navy's professional and institutional credibility in an era when the service suffered from institutional decay, public indifference, and relied on an antiquated wooden navy sporting canvas and smoothbore guns. By upgrading and rationalizing the academy's curriculum, especially in regard to the new four-year course for engineers, introducing the first mechanical engineering course in the country, concentrating professional subjects in the first- and second-class years, and adding upper-level electives in mathematics, mechanics, physics, and chemistry, Rodgers laid the groundwork for an American naval renaissance in the 1880s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Brown|first=Stephen D.|date=1987|title=Christopher Perry Raymond Rodgers: Mentor of the New Navy|journal=United States Naval Academy History Symposium|publisher=Scholarly Resources, Inc.|issue=6th|pages=291|isbn=0-8420-2278-3|via=Papers of the Sixth Naval History Symposium}}</ref>

Rodgers was a member of the New York Commandery of the [[Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States]] and was assigned insignia number 571.

Rear Admiral Rodgers died in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="rodgerscollection"/> on 8 January 1892,<ref name="callahan"/> and is buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]].{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

==Personal life==
Rodgers married Julia Slidell, and had two sons follow him into Navy service, [[Raymond P. Rodgers|Raymond Perry Rodgers]] (1849–1925), and [[Thomas S. Rodgers|Thomas Slidell Rodgers]] (1858–1931), both of whom achieved the rank of rear admiral.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|American Civil War}}
* [[List of superintendents of the United States Naval Academy]]
* [[Battle of Fort Pulaski]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons cat inline}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-aca}}
{{Succession box | before=[[John L. Worden]]| title=[[List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy|Superintendent of United States Naval Academy]] | years=1874–1878 | after=[[Foxhall A. Parker Jr.]]}}
{{Succession box | before=[[George Balch|George B. Balch]]| title=[[List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy|Superintendent of United States Naval Academy]] | years=1881 | after=[[Francis Munroe Ramsay]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{United States Naval Academy superintendents}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Christopher Raymond Perry}}
[[Category:1819 births]]
[[Category:1892 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the Mexican–American War]]
[[Category:Union Navy officers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Rodgers family|Christopher Raymond Perry]]
[[Category:United States Coast Survey personnel]]