SANDS
SANDS
SANDS, Benjamin Franklin, naval orticer.
was born in Halliiiioiv. Mii.. Feb. 11. 1811. He
was appointed from Kentueky niiilshipnian in the
U.S. navy. April 1, 1823; was warranted p:issed
midshipman, June 14, 1834, served on the U.S.
coast survey, 1836-41; was promoted lieutenant,
Marcli 16, 1840. and served on hoard the Columbus
of the Mediterninean squadron, 184'i-44. He was
at the naval observatory in 184G. and attached to
the Home squadron in 1847. where he took part
in tlio expedition up the Tabasco river and at
TiLspan. He commanded the Porpoise off the
west coast of Africa, 1848-50; served on the coast
survey, l8ol-58, and was promoted commander,
Sept. 14. ISoo. He was on duty in the bureau of
construction, 18.")9-60; commanded the coast sur-
vey steamer Actii'e. 1861-G'3; was promoted cap-
tain. Julv 16, 186'2. and commanded the Dacotahon
the Nortii Atlantic blockading squadron in 1863,
with which vessel he took part in the engage-
ment at Fort Caswell, Feb. 23, 1863. He com-
manded the steamer Fort Jackson of the same
squadron, 1864-65, engaging in both attacks on
Fort Fisher and in the blockade of Wilmington,
N.C. He was senior officer in command of the
division, 1862-65; commanded the division on
blockade off the coast of Texas, February to June,
1865, and took formal possession of Galveston,
Te.\., the last stronghold surrendered by the Con-
federates, June 2, 1865. He was promoted com-
modore, July 25, 1866; was stationed at the Boston
navy yard, 186.5-66, and wassuperintendent of the
naval observatory at Washington, D.C., 1867-73.
He was promoted rear admiral, April 27, 1871; re-
tired, Feb. 11, 1874, and resided in Washington.
He is the author of From Reefer to Bear Admiral,
an autobiography compiled by F. B. P. Sands
(1897). He died in Washington, June 30, 1883.
SANDS, James Hoban, naval officer, was born in Washington, D.C., July 12, 1845; son of Ben- jamin Franklin and Henrietta Maria (French) Sands; grandson of Benjamin Norris and Rebecca (H<x>k) .Sands, and of William and Anna Rosetta (Halverson) French. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval academy from Maryland in 1859, and was graduated in 1863, becoming an ensign in the same year. He was on duty with the North Atlantic blockading squadron, 1863-65, and with the India squadron, 1865-68; was promoted lieutenant in 1866, and lieutenant-commander. 186S. He wiis married in October, 1869, to Mary Elizal>eth, daugliter of Ricliard Worsam Meade (q.v.) and Clara Forsyth (Meigs) Meade. He was promoted a commander in 1880, and captain, Sept. 7. 1894. During the war with Spain, he oomman.led the crasier Columbia. From Aug. 80, 1898. to Sept. 17, 1901. he was governor of the United Suites Naval home, Philadelphia, Pa. On April 11, 1902, he was promoted rear-admiral.
and in June, 19(V.'. was ordered to the cnminand
of the navy yard and station at League Island,
Pa.
SANDS, Joshua Ratoon, naval officer, was born in Brooklyn. N. Y., May 13, 1705; son of the Hon. Joshua Sands. He was appointed midshipman in the U.S. navy, June 18, 1812; served under Commodore Chauncey on Lake Ontario, in the action with the Royal George; was transferred to the Madison in April, 1813, and carried orders from Chauncey to the different vessels during the engagement resulting in the capture of Toronto, and also took part in the capture of Fort George. He was attached to the Pike, and served on shore in a battery in 1814, until ordered to the frigate Sujyerior. He was attached to the Washington in the Mediterranean, 1815-18; was promoted lieu- tenant, April 1, 1818, served on board the Hornet off the coast of Africa, and in the West Indies in 1819; on the Franklin on Pacific coast, 1821-24; on the Vandalia, Brazil, 1828-30; was on re- cruiting duty, 1830-40; was promoted commander, Feb. 23, 1841, and was at the navj- yard. New York, 1841-43. He commanded the Falmouth in the Gulf and West Indies, 1843-45; the Vixen during the Mexican war; took part in the capture of Alverado, Tabasco and Laguna, and was made governor of Laguna. He engaged the castle of San Juan d'UUoa from Point Horwas in the attack on Vera Cruz; assisted in the capture of
Tampico and Tuspan in 1847, and was intrusted
with various trophies of war. which he conveyed
home, together with despatches and a letter to
the navy department commending his action in
the engagements. He commanded the North
Carolina, 1848-.50: the frigate St. Lawrence at
the W^orld's fair in England, and at Portugal in
1851, and was promoted captain, Feb. 25, 1854.
iHe commanded the Susquehanna in Central Amer-
ica; in the Mediterranean and in England, 1856;
was engaged in laying the Atlantic cable in 1857,
and was a member of the expedition to Central
America against General Walker's filibusters.
He commanded the Brazilian squadron on the
flagship Congress, 1859-61; was retired by age
limit, Dec. 21, 1861, and was promoted com-
modore on the retired list, July 16, 1862, and rear-
admiral, July 25, 1866. He served as light-house
inspector on Lakes Erie and Ontario and the St.
Lawrence river, 1862-66, and as port-admiral at
Norfolk, Va., 1869-72. He gave the sword and
