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Thomas Holdup Stevens
Commodore, United States Navy
Awarded the Congressional Silver Medal
Midshipman age 16, died on active duty at age 47
The originator of the Stevens name in United States Military history, he died on active duty, at age 47, on January 21, 1841. He was originally buried in Congressional Cemetery in Washington, but was subsequently moved to Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery, where he rests among many other family members.
Thomas Holdup Stevens, February 22, 1793 - January 21, 1841, naval officer, was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Left an orphan in early childhood, he was adopted by Colonel Daniel Stevens of Charleston, and was also greatly befriended by Lieutenant Ralph Izard, of the Charleston family of that name, the warm affection between the youth and these older officers being evident in letters still retained by the family. In place of his original surname Holdup, in 1815 by legislative enactment he took that of Stevens.
He was warranted midshipman in the U.S.S. Hornet at Charleston in February 1809, and at the outbreak of the War of 1812 was in the John Adams at New York. Volunteering for lake service, he went to the Niagara frontier, and in a night assault on the enemy works opposite Black Rock, November 27-28, 1812, was one of the leaders of a detachment which captured two enemy guns and dislodged an enemy force by firing their barracks. A canister shot through his right hand in this action inflicted permanent injury. Remaining after the retreat of his main party, he later with seven others recrossed the Niagara at great hazard in a leaky canoe. In recognition of his gallantry, Commodore Isaac Chauncey made him acting Lieutenant (confirmed July 24, 1813) at the age of 20.
In April 1813 he joined Oliver Hazard Perry at Erie. In the battle of Lake Erie he commanded the sloop Trippe (one long 32-pounder), last in the line, which passed the Tigress and Porcupine to engage the Queen Charlotte, and after the action assisted the Scorpion in the pursuit and capture of two escaping enemy vessels. That he was not specifically mentioned in Perry's dispatches, Stevens attributed to differences with Jesse Duncan Elliott, second in command, under whom he had served previously in the Niagara. He received the silver medal awarded by Congress to officers in the action, and a sword from his native city.
In the summer of 1814 he was First Lieutenant in the Niagara on Lake Huron, and in the autumn he was selected by Perry to join him in the Java, fitting for the Mediterranean. Her departure being delayed till after peace, however, he did not sail in her, but secured a furlough and was married in November or December 1815 to Elizabeth Read Sage, daughter of Ebenezer Sage, a prominent merchant of Middletown, Connecticut. His home in later years was in Middletown.
In 1818-20 he had duty in the Alert and the Constellation at Norfolk, and from January 1823 to June 1824 he commanded successively the schooners Jackal and Shark of the West India Squadron under David Porter in energetic campaigns against the West Indies pirates. Made Master Commandant, March 3, 1825, his next and last command afloat was the Ontario, Mediterranean Squadron, 1829-31. He had charge of the Boston naval rendezvous, 1832-36; was made Captain, January 27, 1836; and at the time of his sudden death, January 1841, he had held command of the Washington navy yard for nearly a year.
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