John Carson Febiger – Rear Admiral, United States Navy

Born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1821, the grandson of Colonel Christian Febiger, Revolutionary Army. Appointed Midshipman, USN, in 1838 and advanced through the ranks fo Rear Admiral on February 4, 1882, retiring on June 1, 1882.

During the Civil War, he served on the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron and the North Atlantic Squadron. After the war, he served on the Asiatic Station and as Commandant of the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard.

He died at Londonderry, Maryland, on October 9, 1898 and was buried in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.

He is buried near Army First Lieutenant George Lea Febiger, who was killed in action during the Philippine Insurrection.

John Carson Febiger, naval officer, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 14 February 1821, entered the navy from Ohio as a midshipman, 14 September 1838, and was in the “Concord,” of the Brazil squadron, when she was wrecked on the eastern coast of Africa in 1843. He became passed midshipman, 20 May 1844, and lieutenant, 30 April 1853. He was on the “Germantown,” of the East India squadron, in 1858’60, and on the sloop “Savannah ” in 1861, and on 11 August 1862, was commissioned commander, and assigned to the steamer “Kanawha,” of the Western gulf blockading squadron.

After commanding various vessels in that and the Mississippi squadron, he was given the “Mattabeset,” of the North Atlantic squadron, in 1864, and in that steamer took part, on 5 May 1864, in the fight between the little fleet of wooden vessels, under Captain Melancton Smith, and the Confederate ram “Albemarle,” in Albemarle sound, N.C. In this engagement the ram was defeated, and her tender, the  Bombshell,” captured, and Febiger was commended for his ” gallantry and skill” by Captain Smith and Rear Admiral Samuel P. Lee. He commanded the “Ashuelot,” of the Asiatic squadron, in 1866’8, and on 6 May of the latter year was promoted to captain. He was inspector of naval reserve lands in 1869’72, was made commodore, 9 August 1874, was a member of the board of examiners in 1874’6, and commandant of  the Washington navy yard in 1876’80. He was promoted to rear admiral, 4 February 1882, and on 1 July 1882, was retired on his own application, having been in the service over forty years.

FEBIGER, JOHN C

• REAR ADM US NAVY
• DATE OF DEATH: 10/09/1898
• BURIED AT:   SITE LOT 189
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard