Charles Stewart McCauley was born on February 3, 1793, in Philadelphia. He was the son of John and Sarah (Stewart) McCauley and the nephew of Commodore Charles Stewart, under whom he first served after receiving his appointment as midshipman in January 1809.
During the War of 1812, he took part in a gunboat attack on the Narcissus in Hampton Roads and in the defense of Craney Island, and served in the Jefferson on Lake Ontario. He was made acting lieutenant in September 1813, and lieutenant in December 1814. After the war he saw much service in the Mediterranean, in the Constellation and the United States. In 1822, he obtained a furlough to make a voyage to the East Indies. After his return to the navy in 1825, he filled several minor positions at shore stations and in 1826-29, was attached to the Boston of the Brazil Squadron. In March 1831, he was made a master commandant and three years later commanded the St. Louis of the West India Squadron. His first important sea duty after reaching the grade of captain, December 1839, was performed in 1841-44 as the commander of the Delaware, 74 guns, of the Brazil Squadron. From 1846 to 1849, he was commandant of the Washington navy yard; and from 1850 to 1853, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Squadron, whose cruising grounds at that time extended from the west coast of the two Americas to the 180th meridian.
On July 25, 1860, McCauley was made commandant of the Norfolk navy yard, a position which, in the spring of the following year, entailed much responsibility. After the secession of Virginia, when the yard was threatened by the Confederates, he ordered its guns spiked and its ships scuttled and abandoned it without making a defense. This disaster ended his professional career. In 1862 he was retired with the rank of captain and in 1867, he was promoted commodore on the retired list.
In 1855, as temporary commander of the home squadron, McCauley performed his most notable, as well as his last, sea service. This was the delicate mission of guarding American interests in Cuban waters, where a Spanish frigate had caused alarm by asserting the right of visitation and search. His successful efforts were commended by President Pierce.
A select committee of the Senate that inquired into his conduct at the Norfolk yard reported that it was highly censurable. Feeling that his honor had been wounded and his professional reputation tarnished unjustly by the government, he fell into a melancholy that probably hastened his death, which occurred at his residence in Washington, D. C.
On October 25, 1831, McCauley was married in Washington to Leila E. Dickens. Edward Yorke McCauley was his nephew.
23 September 1766 - 13 February 1846
10 October 1772 - 20 August 1819
1798 - 24 October 1852
18 October 1800 - 11 December 1857
28 July 1778 – 6 November 1869 He was an officer in the United States Navy who commanded a number of US Navy ships, including USS Constitution.
10 January 1848 - 29 September 1929
1 June 1806 - 4 November 1893
1841 - 8 January 1924
4 February 1842 - 13 November 1920
30 July 1836 - 28 June 1839
25 March 1838 - 26 June 1839
8 March 1845 - 12 March 1889
13 July 1832 - 30 April 1833
