History of Sully Plantation, (Fairfax County) Virginia United States of America

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Samuel Phillips Lee, naval officer, was born at Sully, Fairfax county, Va., Feb. 13, 1812; son of Francis Lightfoot and Jane (Fitzgerald) Lee, and grandson of Richard Henry and Anne (Gaskins) Pinckard Lee and of Col. John and Jane (Digger) Fitzgerald. He was appointed midshipman from Virginia, Nov. 22, 1825; was promoted passed midshipman, June 4, 1831, and lieutenant, Feb. 9, 1837. He was married, April 27, 1843, to Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Preston and Eliza Violet (Gist) Blair, of Silver Springs, near Washington, D.C. He was given command of the coast schooner Vanderbilt, Aug. 4, 1844, was in command of the coast survey schooner Nautilus, and of the coast survey brig Washington, and was present at the capture of Tobasco, Mexico. He was promoted commander, Sept. 14, 1855, and was a member of the board of examiners, 1858-60. He was given command of the sloop-of-war Vandalia, with orders to sail to the East Indies, Nov. 1, 1860, but upon learning of the outbreak of the civil war he brought his ship back and was assigned to blockade duty off Charleston, S.C. He was ordered to command the sloop-of-war Oneida, Jan. 20, 1862. In the expedition against New Orleans he commanded the advance division in the attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip and by driving off two rams succeeded in relieving the Varuna and capturing Lieutenant Kennon, the commander of Confederate steamer Governor Moore. He commanded the advance division below Vicksburg and participated in both passages of the Vicksburg batteries, the Oneida being second in line on both occasions. He was promoted captain, July 16, 1862; appointed acting rear-admiral, Sept. 2, 1862, and ordered to command the North Atlantic blockading squadron. He originated a system of blockading cruisers by which the Confederacy was completely isolated and fifty-four blockade running steamers were captured. He was detached, Oct. 21, 1864, and ordered to command the Mississippi squadron, cooperating with the army of Thomas in its operations against Hood on the Cumberland and Tennsesee rivers. For his service in this campaign, Lee received a vote of thanks from congress. He was detached from the Mississippi squadron, Aug. 14, 1865, and promoted commodore, July 25, 1866. He was president of the board to examine volunteer officers for admission into the regular navy, 1868-69; president of the court martial held in New York city, .May 29, 1868; a member of the board of examiners of the Atlantic navy yards, and was put in charge of the signal service at Washington, D.C., .Oct. 13, 1869. He was promoted rear-admiral, April 22, 1870; was ordered on special duty at the navy department at Washington, D.C., June 27, 1870, and commander of the North Atlantic squadron from Aug. 9, 1870, to Aug. 15, 1862, when he was detached. He was retired, Feb. 18, 1873. He is the author of: The Cruise of the Dolphin, published in the "Reports" of the U.S. navy department (1854) and a report on the condition of the Atlantic navy yards (1869). He died at Silver Springs, near Washington, D.C., June 5, 1897.

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

History of Sully Plantation, (Fairfax County) Virginia

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