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TOTTEN, Benjamin J., naval officer, born in the West Indies in 1806; died in New Bedford, Massachusetts, 9 May, 1877. He entered the navy as a midshipman, 2 March, 1823, became a passed midshipman, 20 February, 1830, was promoted to lieutenant, 29 March, 1834, and was commissioned a commander, 14 September, 1855. He was in charge of the sloop "Vincennes " in 1858-'60 on the coast of Africa to suppress the slave-trade, and the "Brandywine" of the North Atlantic squadron, 1862-'3, most of the time being stationed at Hampton Roads, Virginia He was placed on the reserved list in July, 1862, and served at the naval rendezvous at New Bedford, Massachusetts, during the rest; of the war after May, 1863. He was retired, 1 October, 1864, and promoted to commodore on the retired list, 4 April, 1867, after which he was governor of the naval asylum at Philadelphia for two years.  He was the author of "Totten's Naval Text-Book" (Boston, 1841; revised eds., New York, 1862 and 1864).

Totten, Benjamin J.
Midshipman, 2 March, 1823.
Passed Midshipman, 20 February, 1830.
Lieutenant, 29 March, 1834.
Commander, 14 September, 1855.
Retired List, 1 October, 1864.
Commodore on Retired List, 4 April, 1867.
Died 9 May, 1877.

 

U. S. Ship BRANDYWINE
1861: American Civil War operations

Laid up in ordinary for more than a decade, Brandywine finally resumed active service as a result of the American Civil War. She was recommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 27 October 1861, Commander Benjamin J. Totten in command, and set sail immediately for Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she arrived on the 29th.

Housed over and converted to a storeship, the former warship supported the operations of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for almost three years. She spent much of that time anchored near Fort Monroe, her most conspicuous absence coming in the wake of CSS Virginia's attempt to break the Union blockade early in the spring of 1862.

Towed to Baltimore, Maryland by Mount Vernon, Brandywine remained there until early June 1862, by which time the danger posed by the Confederate ironclad had waned considerably. Later moved to Norfolk, she also assumed the role of receiving ship for the squadron.

1864: Brandywine sinks at her moorings

She remained so employed until a fire broke out in her paint locker on 3 September 1864 and destroyed her. She sank at her moorings at Norfolk but was later raised and sold to Maltby & Co., of Norfolk on 26 March 1867.

Note:

Brandywine is notable as the final evolution of the 44-gun frigate design that began by USS Constitution and her sisters a quarter-century earlier; while ships such as Raritan were launched in the 1840s and differed in details, their basic design was identical to Brandywine.