Background
He was born on February 25, 1816 in Portland, Maine, United States, the son of Enoch and Sally (Cross) Preble. His father was a sea captain, and Commodore Edward Preble was his uncle.
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He was born on February 25, 1816 in Portland, Maine, United States, the son of Enoch and Sally (Cross) Preble. His father was a sea captain, and Commodore Edward Preble was his uncle.
He attended public schools until he was thirteen years of age, studied at the Philadelphia naval school (passed midshipman in June 1841).
He became a clerk first in a Portland bookshop, then in a grocery business started by his father, and subsequently in a Boston publishing house, where he worked until he was appointed midshipman in October 1835.
He served in Florida during the Indian wars. At Canton in 1844, he commanded the first American armed landing force in China. He had a year's active blockade service as executive of the schooner Petrel, 1846-47. This was followed by another Gulf cruise in the Saratoga and then by coast survey duty, 1849-52. In the Macedonian, 1853-56, he accompanied Perry's mission to Japan, commanded a steamer operating against Chinese pirates, and, in 1855, prepared surveys and sailing directions for the Wu-sung River leading to Shanghai. After a year as lighthouse inspector stationed at Portland, and two years at the Boston navy yard, he was executive of the Narragansett in the Pacific until December 1861.
With the Civil War came his first regular command, the steam gunboat Katahdin, which joined Farragut in the Gulf, was the fourth ship to pass the forts below New Orleans, and was actively engaged in operations up to Vicksburg. Preble was made commander on July 16, 1862, and in August he took over the steam sloop Oneida, which joined the Mobile blockade.
On September 4, while temporarily senior officer of the blockading force, he suffered the most serious misfortune of his career when he allowed the Confederate cruiser Oreto (Florida) to break through into the bay. The Oreto boldly approached the Oneida and Winona, the only vessels barring her passage, at full speed by daylight. Unwarned of the raider's being at large, and taking her for a British cruiser, Preble allowed her to get almost opposite, but then, after three quick warning shots, opened fire with all guns. Secretary Welles dismissed him from the service.
Even as wartime punishment this action was hasty and unjust. He protested energetically and in February 1863 was restored to his former rank, but was again chagrined on being assigned to the old sail-sloop St. Louis off Lisbon. Soon after, at Funchal, Madeira, he once more encountered the Florida, but, through perhaps an over-scrupulous regard for the neutrality of the port, let her steam away.
In the meantime he had served at the Boston navy yard, 1865-68, and in the Pacific as chief-of-staff for Admiral Thomas Tingey Craven. He was made rear admiral in 1876 and commanded the South Pacific Squadron until his retirement in 1878, after which he made his home in Boston.
In later years he was an indefatigable student, writer, and collector of material on historical subjects, chiefly naval. He wrote a genealogy of the Preble family, published in 1868, The First Cruise of the United States Frigate Essex (1870), a Chronological History of Steam Navigation (1883), and many memoirs and historical sketches for the New England Historical and Genealogical Register and other magazines. For many years he contributed each week to the Army and Navy Journal.
Preble died while living near Boston, Massachusetts.
George Henry Preble was in the Florida war and was on the sloop St. Louis for its circumnavigation of the world, taking ashore the first American force to land in China. In the Mexican–American War, he participated in the capture of Alvarado, Veracruz, and Tuxpan and in the result of his great service he was promoted to the rank of Rear admiral. He also commanded the State of Georgia, protecting commercial interests at Panama, and rescued more than 600 passengers of the steamship Golden Rule wrecked on Roncador reef. Besides, he was the author of the excellent book, Our Flag: Origin and Progress of the Flag of the United States of America.
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
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In 1873 Preble was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society.
His courage and abilities were generally recognized.
He was married on November 18, 1845, to Susan Zabiah, daughter of John Cox of Portland. They had four children, two daughters, one of whom died in infancy, and two sons.
