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Henry Eagle
Henry Eagle
Born (1801-04-07)April 7, 1801
Died November 26, 1882(1882-11-26) (aged 81)
Place of birth New York City, New York, United States
Place of death New York City, New York, United States
Buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx, New York City
Allegiance US flag 36 stars United States
Service/branch US Naval Jack 36 stars United States Navy
Years of service 1818 – 1866
Rank US-Navy-Commodore (1864-1866) Commodore
Commands held USS Santee
USS Monticello
Battles/wars

American Civil War

Spouse(s) Minerva Smith (m. 1833–82)

Henry Eagle was a American commodore that served the American Civil War with his most notable action during the conflict being his service at the Battle of Sewell's Point. He was also a midshipsman as well as commanding several ships during his military career.

Biography[]

Early career[]

Henry was born on April 7, 1801, in New York City to his Irish father who served in the Irish Brigade during the War of 1812 and an immigrant from Dublin. Eagle entered service on January 1, 1818, as a midshipsman and was commissioned to the West Indies in 1827.[1] He later served in Brazil and the Pacific Coast and due to his services, he was promoted to Commander in 1844.[1] In 1833, he married Minerva Smith and had several children with her.[2] He then superintended the Stevens iron battery at Hoboken, New Jersey as well as acting inspector in New York in 1846.[1]

Mexican–American War[]

Eagle commanded the bomb vessel 2Etna and a division of the Pacific Squadron during the Mexican–American War and was then made a civil, military and trade governor of Tabasco.[1] Later in September 1855, he would become a commissioned captain.[1]

American Civil War[]

When the American Civil War broke out, Eagle was the bearer of communications between Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as volunteering to command the USS Monticello and took it into Norfolk, Virginia to blockade the Chesapeake Bay at the Battle of Sewell's Point. While the battle itself remained inconclusive, Eagle managed to silence the guns at the battle. He later commander the USS Santee[3] as well as capture and destroy the privateer Royal Yacht at the Battle of Galveston Harbor.[1] This resulted in Eagle being promoted to Commodore in 1862 and on January 1, 1863, he was placed on the retired list as well as being a prize commissioner in 1864 and 1865.

Later Years[]

Later in 1865, he was a lighthouse inspector which he held that post until 1866.[1][4] He later became a member of several veterans associations before dying on November 26, 1882.[2] Before Eagle's death, Hugh McCulloch personally requested to Richard W. Thompson that Eagle be posthumously promoted to admiral so that Eagle could "die peacefully and contentedly" but this request was denied.[5]

Legacy[]

Eagle Avenue at 158th Street, Manhattan could possibly be named after Henry although the origins of the name are still in dispute.[6]

References[]

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