French Forrest

Infobox Military Person
name= French Forrest
born= 1796
died= death date|1866|12|22
placeofbirth= Maryland
placeofdeath= Georgetown, Washington, D.C.


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allegiance= United States of America
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rank=Commodore
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French Forrest (1796-December 22, 1866) was an American naval officer who served first in the United States Navy and later the Confederate States Navy. His combat experience prior to the Civil War included service in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.

Born in Maryland, he became a midshipman on June 9, 1811 and participated in the War of 1812. He fought with Commodore Oliver Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie and was present in the action between the USS "Hornet" and the HMS "Peacock" on February 24, 1813.Fact|date=May 2008 He became a lieutenant on March 5, 1817, a commander on February 9, 1837, and a captain March 30, 1844. He was adjutant general in the Mexican-American War, and in 1847, he commanded the American naval forces in the landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico.cite book|author=John M. Coski|title=Capital Navy: The Men, Ships and Operations of the James River Squadron|location=Campbell, CA|publisher=Savas Woodbury Publishers|year=1996|ISBN=1-882810-03-1]

When Virginia seceded from the United States on April 17, 1861, Forrest was made its first and only flag officer of the Virginia State Navy and assumed command at the Norfolk Navy Yard. When Virginia joined the Confederate States and merged its military, he joined the navy of the Confederate States of America and was appointed the commander of the navy yard at Norfolk, Virginia. He served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Confederate Navy, and had two stints as Commander of the James River Squadron.

In July 1863, the Navy Department ordered him to inspect each ship's ordnance that comprised the James River Squadron on a quarterly basis.

External links

* [http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/f/Forrest_Family.html Inventory of the Forrest Family Papers] , in the Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill.

Notes and references