History of Provincetown, (Barnstable County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Nehemiah Mayo Dyer, naval officer, was born in Provincetown, Mass., Feb. 19, 1839; son of Henry and Sallie (Mayo) Dyer; grandson of David and Martha (Knowles) Dyer, and of Nehemiah Doane and Malatiah (Rich) Mayo, and a descendant of the Rev. John Mayo, from England, who was settled over the old North church, Boston. He entered the volunteer navy, April 4, 1862, as acting master's male and served in that grade in the western gulf squadron until he was promoted acting ensign for "gallant and meritorious conduct" May 18, 1863. He was then appointed to the command of the Eugenie, engaged in blockading off Mobile, and in despatch duty. On Jan. 12, 1864, he was promoted acting master and on July 19, 1864, was assigned to the Metacomet, in which vessel, as a consort of the Hartford, which led the attack in the passage of the forts and the capture of the Confederate fleet in Mobile bay, Aug. 5, 1864, he received in person the surrender of the gunboat Selina, after one shell from the Metacomet had killed nine and wounded eleven of the Selina's men. He was ordered to the Hartford, Farragut's flag-ship, Oct. 28, 1864, and shortly afterward was given command of the Randolph, with which he cooperated with the forces of General Granger during the winter of 1864-65, in the operations against Mobile and Pascagoula, rendering important service in this connection in Mississippi sound and Pascagoula river. On April 1, 1865, his vessel was sunk by a torpedo in Blakely river, during the advance upon the defences of Mobile. He was promoted acting volunteer lieutenant, and upon the surrender of the Confederate fleet under Commander Farrand in the Tombigbee river, he was given command successively of two of the surrendered vessels, the Black Diamond and the Morgan. In June, 1865, he was appointed to command the Elk, and in July was transferred to the Stockdale and proceeded to Mississippi sound to protect the people along that shore. In September he took command of the Mahaska at Appalachicola, Fla., and in October was transferred to the Glasgow at Pensacola. In April, 1866, he was ordered to report to the bureau of navigation at Washington and remained there on special duty until May, 1868. On March 12, 1868, he was commissioned a lieutenant, and on August 27, joined the Dacotah at Valparaiso. He was commissioned lieutenant-commander, Dec. 28, 1868, and from September, 1869, to March, 1870, commanded the Cyane at Sitka, Alaska. He then joined the Pensacola at San Francisco, and was soon transferred to the Ossipee with which he cruised to lower California and Mexico. In September, 1870, he was ordered to the South Pacific station; was sent home, Aug. 22, 1871, and in October, 1871, was assigned to the Charlestown navy yard. He took command of the torpedo boat Mayflower at Norfolk, Va., Nov. 24, 1873, and on April 10, 1874, was transferred to the Pinta. In February, 1876, he was ordered as executive officer of the New Hampshire, fitting out at Norfolk, for permanent flag-ship at Port Royal. A few months later he was assigned to equipment duty at the Charlestown navy yard, and in 1879 was transferred to the receiving ship Wabash. In 1881 he joined the Tennessee, in 1883 became lighthouse inspector, and in the same year was promoted commander. He commanded the Marion on the Asiatic station, 1887-90; was again at Charlestown navy yard, and lighthouse inspector at Portland, Maine, 1890-97, and on March 21, 1897, was promoted to the rank of captain, having been assigned to the command of the Philadelphia in the Pacific squadron. He was at Mare Island, Cal., Aug. 31, 1897, when he was ordered to the command of the cruiser Baltimore, with which ship he went to Honolulu and thence to the part of Hong Kong, China. On May 1, 1898, as commander of the Baltimore he participated in the naval engagement resulting in the destruction of the Spanish fleet in Manila bay by Commodore Dewey, and the city council of Baltimore, Md., on receiving the news of the exploit voted to purchase and present to the gallant captain a sword appropriately inscribed. He was the recipient of one of the medals presented by congress to every officer and man in Dewey's fleet. He received a medal from the Massachusetts humane society for jumping overboard from the Ossipee during a gale in the Pacific, and saving the life of a sailor.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Provincetown, (Barnstable County) Massachusetts

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