History of Westchester County New York United States of America

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John Lorimer Worden, naval officer, was born in Westchester county, N.Y., March 12, 1818. He was appointed midshipman in the navy, Jan. 12, 1835; attended the naval academy in 1840; was advanced to passed midshipman, July 16, 1840; commissioned lieutenant, Nov. 30, 1846, and on April 6, 1861, reported at Washington for active sea service. He was sent overland with dispatches for Captain Adams in command of the fleet off Pensacola, and on his return was captured near Montgomery, Ala. He was paroled, Nov. 14, 1861; was later exchanged at Norfolk, Va., and as soon as his health would permit, reported for duty, and on Jan. 13, 1862, was assigned to Ericsson's Monitor just then completed. He was allowed to pick his crew, from the North Carolina and the Sabine; and without taking time to drill the crew at the guns or to become familiar with the working of the turret, he put to sea, March 6, 1862, and sailed to Hampton Roads, in tow of a large tug. He arrived at Hampton Roads as the Congress was burning, reported to Captain Marsten and, in spite of orders to sail to Washington, went to the aid of the Minnesota, which was aground. At 7:30 the morning the Merrimac and her consorts started from Sewell's Point for the Minnesota the Monitor got under way, steered direct for the enemy in order to hold him away from the Minnesota, and making no attempt at the wooden vessels, came alongside of the Merrimac. The pilot-house from which Worden commanded his boat was a square iron structure, so small as to accommodate only three men, the commander, pilot and quarter-master. It was on the deck, directly in front of the turret, thus preventing firing ahead; and was connected with the turret by a speaking tube, which was destroyed early in the action, thus making communication between the commander and the executive officer difficult. Worden fought at close quarters, maneuvered his boat skillfully, availed himself of all the advantages possessed by his boat, withdrew at one time to allow the turret to replenish its supply of shot, and then renewing the conflict, fought until a large shell, striking the pilot-house and exploding, blinded him. He was cared for by the physician on the Monitor, and was sent to Washington, D.C. Although the Merrimac was not destroyed, she was roughly used, and the ability of the Monitor to cope with her prevented her prosecuting the campaign that had been planned. Worden was received as the popular hero; was given a vote of thanks by congress on July 11, 1862, and the following day promoted commander. On Feb. 3, 1863, he received another vote of thanks from congress, and was promoted captain. He gradually recovered his sight, and in January, 1863, was assigned to the command of the Montauk, a boat of the monitor type, but of improved pattern, with which he joined the South Atlantic squadron under Du Pont, who was planning an attack on Charleston. In order to ascertain the ability of monitors to withstand the fire of land batteries, Du Pont ordered Worden to attack Fort McAllister on the Great Ogeechee river. On Jan. 27, 1863, Worden steamed up the river, and anchoring, fired on the fort four hours, until his ammunition was gone. The trial was successful as far as showing the invulnerability of the boat, but the slight amount of damage done to the fort was disappointing. The Confederate steamer Nashville, designed as a commerce destroyer, was at this time hiding in the Ogeechee river, awaiting an opportunity to run the blockade. When the Montauk sailed up the river, she withdrew out of range, but on February 27, Worden discovered her to be aground, and the following morning, steaming up under the guns of the fort, fired across a neck of land and although continually under fire from the fort, he caused the explosion of the magazine of the Nashville by his shells, and withdrew uninjured, until, running into a torpedo, he blew a hole in the bottom of the Montauk. The boat was later repaired, and took part in Du Pont's attack on Charleston, April 7, 1863. Worden was on duty at New York, 1863-66; served in the Pacific squadron, 1866-67; was promoted commodore, May 27, 1868; was superintendent of the Naval academy, 1870-74; was promoted rear-admiral, Nov. 20, 1872; commanded the European squadron, 1875-77; and was retired, with the highest sea-pay of his grade, at his own request, Dec. 23, 1886. He died in Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 1897.

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

George Jackson Fisher, physician, was born in North Castle, Westchester county, N.Y., Nov. 27, 1825. He was graduated in medicine from the University of the city of New York in 1849, and practised his profession in Mecklenburg, N.Y., until 1851, when he removed to Sing Sing, where he acted as physician and surgeon to the state prison, 1853-54, and was U.S. examining surgeon for the pension bureau, 1854-74. In 1874 he was elected president of the New York state medical society and in 1876 was a delegate front the society to the International medical congress at Philadelphia. During the civil war he served several times as a volunteer surgeon for the U.S. sanitary commission, and was for more than twenty years brigade surgeon of the National guard of New York. Among his published writings are: Biographical Sketches of Deceased Physicians of Westchester County (1861); On Animal Substances Employed as Medicines by the Ancients (1862); Teratology (1875); Brief History of the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood (1877); and Sketches of some of the Old Masters of Anatomy, Surgery and Medicine (1880-83). He died in Sing Sing, N.Y., Feb. 3, 1893.

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

James Fenwick Brevoort, painter, was born in Westchester county, N.Y., July 20, 1832. After receiving preliminary instruction in drawing under good masters in America he studied in various European schools, and afterwards enjoyed the advantage of sketching tours through the most picturesque parts of England and the continent. He was admitted as an associate of the National academy of design in 1861, an academician in 1863, and a professor in perspective drawing at that institution in 1872. He won especial praise in the treatment of landscape in low color tones, his most notable examples being a "Scene in Holland," "Lake Como," "Storm on an English Moor," "May Morning, Lake Como," "New England Scene," "Morning in Early Winter," "The Wild November Comes at Last," "Windy Evening on the Moors," and "Windy Day on a Moor."

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

Ranald Slidell Mackenzie, soldier, was born in Westchester county, N.Y., July 27, 1840; son of Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, U.S.N. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, June 17, 1862, and promoted second lieutenant in the engineer corps. He served as assistant engineer, 9th army corps, in the northern Virginia compaign. He was brevetted 1st lieutenant, Aug. 29, 1862, for "gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Manassas, Va.," where he was wounded. He was attached to the engineer battalion in the Maryland campaign, being engaged in repairing bridges, and subsequently participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, as engineer of General Sumner's grand division. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, corps of engineers, March 3, 1863, was brevetted captain, May 3, 1863, "for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va."; served in the Pennsylvania campaign as commander of an engineer company, engaged in laying bridges over the Occoquan river, June 14, 1863, and across the Potomac at Edwards Ferry, June 21, 1863. He was brevetted major for Gettysburg, Pa., and was engaged during the Rapidan campaign in repairing and guarding bridges. He was promoted captain of the corps of engineers, Nov. 6, 1863, and participated in the Richmond campaign in command of the engineer company. He commanded the 2d Connecticut artillery in Upton's brigade, Russell's division, Wright's corps, in the Richmond campaign, and was wounded at the siege of Petersburg. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, June 18, 1864, "for gallant and meritorious services before Petersburg, Va."; and commanded the 2d Connecticut heavy artillery, 6th army corps, in the Shenandoah campaign, Aug. 15 to Oct. 19, 1864, participating in the battles of Opequan and Fisher's Hill. At Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, he commanded the 2d brigade, 1st division, 6th army corps, after Col. J. E. Hamblin , was wounded, and was himself wounded. He was brevetted colonel, Oct, 19, 1864, for Cedar Creek, and on Oct. 19, 1864, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He commanded the 2d brigade, Wheaton's division, 6th corps at Petersburg and Richmond, Dec. 31, 1864; Mackenzie's cavalry division in the Appomattox campaign; was brevetted brigadier-general U.S.A. and major-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the rebellion," and engaged in the battle of Five Forks, the pursuit of Gen. Lee's army, and was present at the surrender at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. He continued in command of Mackenzie's cavalry division from April to August, 1865, and was mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866. He engaged in the construction of the defences of Portsmouth harbor, N.H., from February, 1866, to May, 1867. He was promoted colonel, March 6, 1867, brigadier-general, Oct. 26, 1882, and was placed on the retired list, March 24, 1884. He died on Staten Island, N.Y., Jan. 19, 1889.

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

History of Westchester County New York

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