Samuel Jackson
Surgeon, Federal U. S. Navy
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Samuel
Jackson. M.D., University
of Pennsylvania, 1838; surgeon United States Navy,
commissioned in 1838 and retired in 1879. with rank of
commodore; died at his home in
Washington, D. C. July
22,
from
apoplexy,
after an
illness of two weeks,
aged
88.
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Dr. Samuel Jackson, USN
The
photographer is J.W. Black of Boston and the Naval Academy
at Newport, Rhode Island. |
Samuel Jackson was born in Pennsylvania,
graduated University of Pennsylvania Medical Department, 1838. Appointed to
the Navy from North Carolina June 20 1838 as Assistant Surgeon. Attached to
frigate Constitution 1839-41; USS frigate Mississippi 1841-2; frigate
Congress Mediterranean Squadron 1842-3; sloop Fairfield frigate
Cumberland Mediterranean Squadron 1843-5; razee Independence flag ship
Pacific Squadron during Mexican War 1846-9; Navy Yard Philadelphia
1849-50; receiving ship Franklin at Boston 1851; sloop John
Adams 1851' sloop Decatur 1851-2.
Commissioned as Surgeon September 2 1852;
Rendezvous New York City 1854-5; sloop St Louis coast of Africa
1855-8;
Navy Yard New York 1858-61; steam frigate
Wabash 1861; frigate Cumberland 1861; steam sloop Brooklyn 1862-3.
While attached to the Cumberland he was present at the bombardment and
capture of the Confederate forts at Hatteras Inlet doing service on board
the Brooklyn and was with Admiral Farragut in the passage and bombardment of
Forts Jackson, St Philip, and the Chalmette batteries below New Orleans.
In the destruction of the Confederate Fleet and subsequently in his
operations before Vicksburg and Galveston.
Naval Academv at Newport RI 1863-4;. Navy
Yard Boston 1864-5-6.
Fleet Surgeon North and South Pacific
Squadron on board flag ship Pensacola and Powhatan 1867-9; Naval
Hospital Philadelphia 1869; Naval Hospital New York 1869-72;
Commissioned as Medical Director March 3 1871; Naval Hospital Norfolk
1873-5; Naval Hospital Chelsea 1875 -9, which completed his
service on the active list.
Having attained the age of sixty two 62
years April 1 1879 he was placed on the retired list in accordance with the
law of Congress on that subject .
Some of the references to him in the Naval OR’s can be found below.
Report of Lieutenant Sharp, C. S. Navy,
giving information obtained while a prisoner on the U. S. ship Congress in
Hampton Roads.
BUREAU ORDNANCE,
Richmond, Va., December 9, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR: In a moment of leisure it occurs to me to write you of my
observations while on board of the Congress, Commander William Smith, off
Newport News, during nine days.
There is a strongly built battery of five large guns riverward, at the upper
bridge toward the river. The southeast gun is on a semicircular battery
alone; the others on a parapet. The battery seems continuous.
<nor6_748>looking inland, but the Congress's deck being about as high as the
sand bank, I could not count inland guns, or even see them, though the
parapet curvature satisfied me that the battery is circular or oval. The
same parallel line of view prevented me from the judging of the number of
troops, but it was extensive. The river-edge trees remain; inland, they have
been cut down, and houses, etc., are built and being built. In addition to
the original old bridge, a fine, large one has been constructed, similar to
the ordnance bridge, you may recollect, at Old Point. Steamers go to both
bridges. The Express, steamer, runs twice daily between Newport News and Old
Point; the other boats are hospital, house boats, etc.
While there one night, about 8 p.m., a steamer was seen and reported as the
P. H. [Patrick Henry]. General quarters and thorough preparations were made,
but relieved on falsifying the statement. The Congress has removed her gun
deck cabin and has two long 32s out of stern ports. The original crew she
had in Brazil, Lieutenants J. B. Smith and A. Pendergrast, Purser Buchanan,
and Dr. Shippen; all the rest are masters and masters' mates from the
merchant service, unless forward officers. At sunset, though always loaded,
batteries are primed, guns cast loose and ranged obliquely; regular sea
watches kept; no hammocks allowed on gun deck, or lights above water; stream
anchor at port quarter, hawsers bent, and others on deck; buoys all around
ship, and spars in angular form reach from forward of flying jibbooms,
lashed, hung by tackles from head booms and fore channels, passing the last
so as to glance off passing objects, torpedoes, etc. Crew well drilled,
furnished with Sharps and Minié rifles, and all modern appliances. Boat
howitzer in quarter-deck after ports. Stevens, Butt, and I were confined on
the Congress; Dalton and Loyall on the Cumberland, Captain Livingston;
officers, Lieutenants G. U. Morris and Selfridge, Dr. Jackson, and others
merchantmen appointments. The Cumberland rows guard nightly. Both ships two
cables' length apart, under the battery, less than haft a mile distant. The
Cumberland has outriggers like the Congress. I left the Congress on the 20th
ultimo, when the Cambridge, Commander W. A. Parker, Lieutenant Gwin; Hetzel,
Captain H. K. Davenport; Shawsheen, Lieutenant E. R. Colhoun; and another
tugboat, armed, were near us permanently. Nightly the small ones distributed
themselves above the ship anchorage, keep steam up always, and retire off
the battery each morning. The Cambridge is a fore-topsail, schooner-rigged
propeller, of 700 or 800 tons, with four or six broadside guns, and one
forward and aft; flush hurricane deck. The smaller ones have each a Parrott
gun forward and aft. Communications from the Newport News points to Old
Point are communicated by flag signals from the terminus of Newport News,
doubtless Signal Major Myer's invention. Bright lookouts are always kept up
on Pig Point, Sewell Point, Elizabeth River, and all batteries. Not a boat
ever escapes observation. As I did not go forward, I did not see what I saw
from the Connecticut while passing the Minnesota and Roanoke from seaward.
They have grapnels hung from all head booms, spritsail yards, etc., dangling
in the water. I suppose ours had, too. The Minnesota has only two
lieutenants, Grafton and Watters. Clary commands the propeller Dawn, which
has only two Parrott guns in broadside. While on board of the Congress, old
Glisson passed a night near us in the Mount Vernon, a vessel similar to the
Cambridge.
I asked Captain Hicks to tell you all this, but thought best, later, to
write, hoping that the information sent may be advantageous to you. I left
Captain Barron well; they are (south) endeavoring to give <nor6_749>exchange
for him. I hope they will succeed. I was two and a half months in Fort
Columbus, nine days in Fort Warren, one-half day on board the North
Carolina, Captain Meade, and nine days on board of the Congress.
Hoping that the contents of this letter may prove agreeable to you, and that
you will present my warmest regards to the officers,
I am, sir, with high respect, very truly, yours,
WM. SHARP.
Commander JNO. R. TUCKER,
Commanding Patrick Henry.
Report of Burgeon Jackson, U. S. Navy, of the U. S. S. Brooklyn.
U. S. S. BROOKLYN,
Mississippi River, New Orleans, April 26, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to report the following casualties, which occurred on
board this ship during the brilliant engagement with Forts Jackson and St.
Philip, on the Lower Mississippi, and the Confederate batteries, a few miles
below the city of New Orleans, on the mornings of the 24th and 25th instant,
viz:
Killed, 9.--Mr. John Anderson, midshipman, knocked overboard by a cannon
shot; William Lenahan, marine; Daniel McEmory, boy; <nor18_192>Barney Sands,
quartermaster; Thomas White, captain main top, head shot off; Henry Roff,
marine, head shot off; Andrew Rourke, seaman; Dennis Leafy, ordinary seaman,
drowned by being knocked or falling overboard; John Wade, seaman, compound
fracture of both bones of forearm, fracture of several ribs, together with
internal injuries of chest; died a few hours after the reception of his
injuries.
Wounded, 26.--Mr. James O'Kane, master, gunshot wound of left thigh, doing
well, not dangerous; Mr. James Stafford, acting master, contused wound of
head, slight; Mr. E. S. Lowe, master's mate, contusion, slight; William
McBride, ordinary seaman, leg, slight; Lorin Heath, marine, shoulder and
neck, not severe; Thomas Griffin, landsman, contusions, arm and hip; John
Willoughby, ordinary seaman, left hand shot off, amputation performed above
wrist, doing well; John Chase, seaman, leg, slight; Edward [S.] Blanchard,
ordinary seaman, shoulder, severe, doing well; J. R. Saunders, marine,
contusion of back, slight; William Wells, seaman, eye and leg, severe, doing
well; Robert Harrison, ordinary seaman, dislocation of right shoulder and
wounds of face; John Hassett, landsman, compound fracture of both bones of
left leg; George Coventry, quarter gunner, hand, not severe; Leonard Killion,
marine, head, slight; Cornelius Martin, ordinary seaman, wounds of face and
lower jaw fractured, very severe, probably mortal; James H. Powell, ordinary
seaman, wounds of face, not dangerous; H. P. Bucklin, ordinary seaman,
testicles and face, very severe; John Widdis, ordinary seaman, shoulder,
slight; John Daverin, landsman, eye and cheek, slight; James Webby, captain
mizzen top, gunshot wound of lower jaw, the central portion carried away,
and extensive laceration, lips, mouth, etc., very severe, probably mortal;
Alex. Anderson, landsman, gunshot wound of foot, doing well; James Buck,
quartermaster, contusion of thigh and leg; Joseph Dixon, seaman, flesh wound
of arm, slight; John Griffith, captain after guard, knee, slight; James
Williams, captain maintop, contusion of knee, slight.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. JACKSON,
Surgeon.
Captain THOS. T. CRAVEN,
Commanding U. S. S. Brooklyn.
