History of Topsham, (Sagadahoc County) Maine United States of America

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Joseph Foster Green, naval officer, was born in Topsham, Maine, Nov. 24, 1811; son of Peter Hazeltine and Margaret (Foster) Green. He was warranted a midshipman in the U.S. navy, Nov. 1, 1827, and was promoted, passed midshipman June 10, 1833; lieutenant Feb. 28, 1838; commander Sept. 14, 1855; captain July 16, 1862; commodore July 24, 1867, and rear-admiral July 13, 1870. He was retired from active service, Nov. 25, 1872. He served on board the sloop-of-war Vandalia in the Brazilian squadron, 1830-33; studied at the naval school, Norfolk, Va., 1833-34; served on the frigate Potomac of the Mediterranean squadron, 1835-37; on the sloop Erie of the West Indian squadron, 1840; on the frigate Columbus of the Brazilian squadron, 1843-45; and on the ship-of-the-line Ohio of the Pacific squadron, 1846-50, during which time he took part on the western coast of Mexico in the operations against the Mexican ports, 1846-47. He was stationed at the Boston navy yard, 1850-52, on ordnance duty; was on ordnance duty, Washington, D.C., 1852-54; and on duty at the Naval academy, Annapolis, 1855-58. He was in command of the steam sloop Canandaigua of the South Atlantic squadron, 1862-64, and he took part in the bombardment of Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863, taking the Canadaigua over the bar in Charleston barber himself, Admiral Dahlgren having failed to carry out the previous arrangement for sending him a pilot. He was on ordinance duty at Charleston navy yard, 1866-68; in commaned of the Southern squadron of the Atlantic fleet, 1870-71, and in command of the North Atlantic station, 1872-73, being retained in his command by a special act of congress, as he had been regularly retired from active service, Nov. 25, 1872. He relinquished his last command afloat, the U.S.S. Powhatan, May 28, 1873, and lived in Brookline, Mass. Dartmouth college conferred upon him the honorary degree of A.M. in 1861. He died in Brookline, Mass., Dec. 9, 1897.

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

History of Topsham, (Sagadahoc County) Maine

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