Background
Silas was born on November 7, 1797 in Middletown, New York, United States. He was the son of Captain Daniel Stringham and Abigail (Horton) Stringham.
Silas was born on November 7, 1797 in Middletown, New York, United States. He was the son of Captain Daniel Stringham and Abigail (Horton) Stringham.
He entered the navy as a midshipman, November 15, 1809, serving first in the frigate President under Commodore John Rodgers, 1773-1838. In this ship he participated in the Little Belt affair, and during the War of 1812 took part in the engagement with the Belvidera. During the second war with Algiers he served in the brig Spark in Commodore Isaac Chauncey's squadron, returning to the United States in 1818.
While on this station he distinguished himself during a storm near Gibraltar by going to the rescue of a capsized French brig. Though he and his men rescued the crew, he was unable to return to port and was blown off Algeciras, where his boat capsized, and one of his own men and two Frenchmen were drowned.
He was an officer in the Cyane when in 1820 she convoyed the Elizabeth, the vessel that carried the first settlers to Liberia. For the next two years he served on the African coast, assisting in the suppression of the slave trade. Two slavers were captured, one American from Baltimore and one Spaniard. With these two ships under his command he captured two more slavers, all of which he brought to New York, where they were condemned as prizes. He spent the next two years as executive officer of the Hornet in the West Indies in operations against the pirates.
There the pirate schooner Moscow and other vessels were captured. From 1823 until the opening of the Mexican War his naval career was quite uneventful, but in 1847 he was given command of the ship-of-the-line Ohio, and in her took part in the bombardment of Vera Cruz, being present at the capitulation of the city.
For a short time he commanded the Brazilian squadron and from 1853 to 1855 was in command of the Mediterranean squadron with the ill-fated Cumberland as his flagship.
In March 1861 he was summoned to Washington to confer with Gideon Welles, secretary of the navy, regarding the relief of Fort Sumter.
Stringham made definite plans for the relief of the beleaguered garrison but was forced to give them over. He took command of the Atlantic blockading fleet, May 13, 1861, and planned a combined naval and military expedition against the forts at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, guarding Pamlico Sound.
Stringham himself took command of the attacking fleet, supported by General Benjamin F. Butler in command of the land forces. The bombardment began on August 28, 1861, and the two forts capitulated the following day. It was the first great naval victory of the war. In compliance with orders, Stringham returned with his fleet to Hampton Roads.
Though the Northern press criticized him severely for not advancing with his fleet into Pamlico Sound, it was proved that his vessels drew too much water to advance further, and that, moreover, his orders were to return to Hampton Roads.
Wounded by this criticism, however, and irritated by a rebuke from the Navy Department for allowing vessels to slip through the blockade, he asked on September 16, 1861, to be relieved of his command.
He was made rear-admiral on the retired list the following year, and for the last two years of the war served as commandant of the Boston navy yard. His expedition against the Hatteras forts was ably planned and admirably conducted, not a single Union man being lost. In relieving him of his command Welles expressed high appreciation of his patriotism and zeal.
After his retirement from the service he spent his declining years in Brooklyn, New York.
Silas Horton Stringham sucessfully commanded the Atlantic Blockading Squadron at the beginning of the American Civil War. For a short time afterwards he commanded the Brazil Squadron, but in 1851 took charge of the Gosport Navy Yard. Between 1852 and 1855 he commanded the Mediterranean Squadron, his flagship being the frigate Cumberland. In the result of his distinguished service he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
Quotes from others about the person
Welles wrote, "Whilst there were doubts and uncertainty on every hand as to who could be trusted, I knew Commodore Stringham to be faithful, and selected him to assist me in matters of detail. With him I communicated freely and fully in regard to the condition of Sumter. "
In 1819 he married Henrietta Hicks, by whom he had four daughters.
