Rear Admiral Henry A. Walke
Born: December 24, 1809
Princess Anne County, Virginia
Died: March 8, 1896
Brooklyn, New York
Midshipman: February 1, 1827
Lieutenant: October 5, 1840
Captain: August 4, 1862
Commodore: July 31, 1866
Rear Admiral: July 20, 1870
February 1, 1827: Appointed Midshipmen
Receives initial naval training at Gosport Naval Shipyard
July 1827 - November 1828: Served on the USS Natchez in the campaign against Caribbean pirates
August 1829 - November 1831: Onboard the USS Ontario in the Mediterranean Sea
March 7, 1834: Assigned to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
January 1836 - June 1839: Assigned to the Pacific Squadron on board the USS North Carolina, a 74-gun ship
October 5, 1840 - 1843: Promoted to Lieutenant before reporting to the USS Boston, a sloop of war
May 1844 - 1846: Served on the brig USS Bainbridge
1847: Participated in the Mexican-American War aboard the USS Vesuvius
June 23, 1849 - January 1851: Served on the USS Cumberland in the Mediterranean Sea
April 22, 1851: Reported to the Naval Observatory
July 17, 1851 - July 17, 1854: Onboard a receiving ship in New York Harbor
January 1861: On board the USS Supply at the Pensacola Naval Yard when Capt. Armstrong surrendered the naval yard
January 16, 1861: Left for New York with loyal officers an ship yard employees
March 15, 1861: Leaves New York with supplies and men for Fort Pickens, Florida and set anchor on April 7
September 1861: Receives orders for special duty at St. Louis, Missouri - Receives command of the USS Tyler, Army's Western Flotilla
September and October 1861: Bombarded Confederate batteries at Hickman and Columbus, Kentucky
November 7, 1861: Supported Gen. Grant at the Battle of Belmont
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Mid-January 1862: Assumes command of the Ironclad USS Corondelet
February 1862: Participated in the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson
April 1862: Battle of Island Number 10
April - June 1862: Participated at Plum Point Ben, Fort Pillow, and Memphis
July 15, 1862: USS Carondelet heavily damaged in battle against the CSS Arkansas
August 4, 1862: Promoted to Captain and assumes command of the Ironclad USS Lafayette
February 27, 1863: USS Lafayette placed in commission
April 29, 1863: Duel with shore batteries at Grand Gulf
Early June 1863: Blockade of the mouth of Red River
July 24, 1863: Receives orders back to the East Coast to prepare the side-wheeler USS Fort Jackson
August 18, 1863: Commissioned the USS Fort Jackson
September 22, 1863: Transferred to the screw sloop USS Sacramento - Spent the last two years patrolling the South American coast searching for Confederate commerce raiders
August 15, 1865: Returned home to await orders
July 31, 1866: Promoted to Commodore
May 1, 1868 - April 30, 1870: Commander, Mound City, Illinois Naval Station
July 20, 1870: Promoted to Rear Admiral
April 26, 1871: Placed on Retired List
October 1, 1871: Appointed to the United States Lighthouse Board
April 1, 1873: Retired to a life of writing and sketching