From 1841 to 1844, Thomas Catesby ap Jones was commander of the U.S. Pacific Squadron and he again commanded it 1848-1850.
Expecting a war to start with Mexico, in 1842 he seized the California port of Monterrey for one day before returning it to Mexico. In 1843, upon hearing that British captain Lord George Paulet had seized the Kingdom of Hawaii, he sailed there and restored the Kingdom.
In 1843, he returned the deserter Henry Melville to the United States from the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). Melville later based his "Commodore J" in "Moby Dick" after Jones.
He arrived late in the Mexican War.
During the California Gold Rush, he provided the U.S. Navy presence in San Francisco. Jones was relieved of command in 1850 for "oppression of junior officers." President Fillmore reinstated him in 1858.
Never a Dull Moment With This Man. --Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
No comments:
Post a Comment