The Biographical Dictionary of America/Adams, Henry A.

ADAMS, Henry A., naval officer, was born in Pittsburg, Pa., June 6, 1833, son of Henry A. Adams. He received a high school education, and when sixteen years old was admitted to the U.S. naval academy, Annapolis, where he was graduated midshipman in 1851, and assigned to the U.S. steam frigate, Susquehanna, of the East India squadron. Upon his return in 1852, he served on board the U.S. sloop Jamestown of the Brazilian squadron, and in 1854 was promoted passed midshipman. The following year he was made master, and, with the U.S. sloop Levant, sailed for the East Indies, where, in 1856, he was engaged in the attack on the Barrier forts at the mouth of the Canton river, China. In 1856 he received his promotion as lieutenant. In 1859 he was on board the U.S. sloop Brooklyn of the home squadron, and in 1861 went with Farragut's fleet to make up the western gulf blockading squadron. He followed the fortunes of the squadron during the first years of the war at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, Chalmette batteries, the capture of New Orleans, Vicksburg and on blockade service. He was commissioned lieutenant commander in 1862, and transferred to the North Atlantic blockading squadron, where he served, 1864-'65. He was in both attacks on Fort Fisher. In his official dispatch of Jan. 28, 1865, Admiral Porter said of him: "I recommend the promotion of Lieutenant-commander Henry A. Adams without whose aid we should have been brought to a standstill more than once. He volunteered for anything and everything." He was with the army when it occupied Richmond, Va., and was one of President Lincoln's escorts when he entered the Confederate capital. He was promoted commander in 1866 and captain in 1870. He was ordered to the ship Guard of the European squadron, 1868-'69; was afterward assigned to duty at the navy yard in Philadelphia, Pa., and then the South Atlantic squadron. He died in Montevideo, Uruguay, Feb. 1, 1878.