James William Augustus Nicholson was born on March 10, 1821 in Dedham, Massachussets, United States. He was the son of Nathaniel Dowse and Hannah (Gray) Nicholson. His father served as an officer of the navy in the War of 1812, and his grandfather, Captain Samuel Nicholson, in the Revolution.
Nicholson was educated at Philadelphia naval school.
Appointed midshipman on February 10, 1838, James saw his first active service on board the Levant of the West India Squadron. Later, after a cruise in the Mediterranean, he was for a time attached to the New York navy yard.
In 1844, when he was promoted to the grade of passed midshipman, he was ordered to the steamer Princeton on special service. After a tour of duty in the Pacific, he served as acting master in the home squadron.
In 1852 he was advanced to a lieutenancy and in the following year was ordered to the Vandalia, one of the ships of Commodore M. C. Perry destined for service in Japanese waters. For several months he was stationed with a guard on shore at Shanghai, China, to protect the foreign settlement from contending Chinese.
From 1857 to 1860 he was on board the Vincennes of the African Squadron, assisting in the suppression of the slave trade. In April 1861 Nicholson volunteered to assist in the relief of Fort Sumter and took part in the expedition thereto as an officer of the Pocahontas. He was serving as her executive officer a few months later when she engaged the Confederate batteries at Aquia Creek below Washington. In October he received his first command, the Isaac Smith, one of the ships of Flag Officer S. F. Du Pont, and participated in the battle of Port Royal. In the following year he assisted in the capture of Jacksonville, Fernandina, and St. Augustine, Florida, and for a time commanded the last-named city, as well as the waters of St. John's River where he defeated a party of Confederate riflemen.
After a period of service on ordnance duty at the New York navy yard, during which he was promoted commander from July 16, 1862, he joined the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and participated with his ship, the Manhattan, in the battle of Mobile Bay, engaging the forts and the Confederate ram Tennessee. In 1865-66 Nicholson commanded the Mohongo of the Pacific station and was present at Valparaiso when that city was bornbarded by a large Spanish fleet. He was promoted captain from July 15, 1866. After commanding the Wampanoag on her trial voyage and the Lancaster of the South Atlantic station, he attained the grade of commodore, taking rank from November 8, 1873. From 1876 to 1880 he was commandant of the New York navy yard.
In June 1882, under orders from the Navy Department, he visited Alexandria, Egypt, and when that city was bornbarded by a British fleet he rescued the archives of the American consulate and received the American and other refugees on board his ships. After the bombardment he reestablished the consulate, and, landing a detachment of marines, rendered timely aid in extinguishing fires, burying the dead, and restoring order.
On March 10, 1883, he was retired as rear admiral.
Nicholson's wife was Mary (Heap) Nicholson. They had a son.
