Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1801, July 5 | Born, Campbell’s Station, Tenn. |
| 1810 | Appointed midshipman, United States Navy |
| 1811-1814 | Duty on the Essex (frigate) |
| 1815-1820 | Duty on the Independence (ship-of-the-line), Washington (ship-of-the-line), and Franklin (ship-of-the-line), Mediterranean Station |
| 1823 | Executive officer, Sea Gull (side wheel gunboat), West India Squadron |
| 1824 | Married Susan C. Marchant (died 1840) |
| 1825-1826 | Duty on the Brandywine (frigate) |
| 1828-1830 | Duty on the Vandalia (sloop-of-war), Brazil Station |
| 1833 | Executive officer, Natchez (sloop-of-war) |
| 1834 | Returned to the United States with the Boxer (schooner) |
| 1838 | Commanded the Erie (patrol gunboat), Home Squadron |
| 1841 | Promoted to commander |
| 1842 | Commanded the Decatur (sloop-of-war), South American Station |
| 1843 | Married Virginia Loyall |
| 1847 | Commanded the Saratoga (sloop-of-war), Home Squadron |
| 1850-1852 | Ordnance duties, United States Navy Yards, Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, Va. |
| 1854 | Ordered to California to establish United States Navy Yard at Mare Island, Vallejo, Calif. |
| 1858-1860 | Commanded the Brooklyn (screw sloop), Home Squadron |
| 1862 | Commanded the West Gulf Blockading Squadron |
| 1862 | Attacked and passed Forts Jackson and St. Philip and captured New Orleans, La. Promoted to rear admiral |
| 1863 | Passed the batteries at Port Hudson |
| 1864 | Attacked the defenses of Mobile Bay, entered the bay, and dispersed the Confederate fleet Received the surrender of Fort Morgan Promoted to vice admiral |
| 1866 | Promoted to admiral |
| 1867-1868 | Commanded the European Squadron |
| 1870, Aug. 14 | Died, Portsmouth, N.H. |