Trivia 7-13-15 Name that Man!

[Trivia Master]

I am the only person during the Civil War to be both an Admiral in the Navy and a Brigadier General in the Army. I protested to no avail that my promotion to Brigadier General was actually a demotion.
Who am I?

credit: @Copperhead-mi

 

[ErnieMac]

Raphael Semmes.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

That'd be Confederate Rear Admiral Raphael Semmes (though as he was a Rear Admiral, I think his protest was baseless).

 

[MRB1863]

Expired Image Removed
Raphael Semmes is noted for being the only Civil War individual to hold simultaneous commissions as Rear Admiral and Brigadier General.

 

[kholland]

Raphael Semmes

 

[FarawayFriend]

Raphael Semmes (1809-1877)
"In February 1865, he was promoted to rear admiral in the Confederate Navy and placed in command of the James River Squadron. In April, as Richmond fell, he ordered the destruction of the squadron's warships. Semmes was then appointed a brigadier general in the Confederate Army and placed in command of the Naval Brigade, comprised of former Confederate Navy sailors."
http://www.maritimeprofessional.com/blogs/post/raphael-semmes-14751

See also our thread:
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/old-beeswax-admiral-raphael-semmes-confederate-states-navy.26785/

 

[redbob]

Raphael Semmes

 

[dlavin]

Raphael Semmes

 

[adisciu9]

Rapheal Semmes
"During the American Civil War, Semmes was captain of the commerce raider CSS Alabama, which took 65 prizes. Late in the war, he was promoted to rear admiral and also served briefly as a brigadier general in the Confederate army. Semmes is the only North American to have held both ranks simultaneously." Wikipedia

 

[GELongstreet]

Should be Raphael Semmes.

 

[Stony]

Samuel Perry "Powhatan" Carter
Source-http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/UGENS/USACarter.html

Edit - Although Carter is the only man ever to have been commissioned both as a general in the United States Army and an admiral in the United States Navy, he did not hold both positions during the Civil War. His commission as an admiral came in 1881.

The information that "I protested...that my promotion to general was actually a demotion" is a significant clue as to why Raphael Semmes is the correct answer to this question and Samuel Carter is not.

Semmes was already an admiral when he received his commission as a general. Even if, as Mark F. Jenkins pointed out, the ranks of rear admiral and brigadier general are essentially equivalent, Semmes would have lacked the seniority as a general that he enjoyed as an admiral.

Carter, on the other hand, received his commission as a general before he became an admiral, so he would have had no grounds for complaining that his promotion to general was actually a demotion.

Hoosier

 

[rhettbutler1865]

I am the only person during the Civil War to be both an Admiral in the Navy and a Brigadier General in the Army. I protested to no avail that my promotion to Brigadier General was actually a demotion.
Who am I?

credit: @Copperhead-mi

Raphael Semmes.

 

[ole]

"Bull" Nelson.

Edit - Although Nelson spent two decades in the Navy, he never attained the rank of admiral.

Hoosier

 

[MaryDee]

Raphael Semmes, CSA. Although his naval exploits are well known, just before the fall of Richmond, after the naval ships under his command were destroyed, he was made a brigadier general and his men turned into infantry. He was supposed to join Lee, but was already cut off, so he and his men escaped south to Joe Johnston's army.
Source:
This is a good question, because Samuel P. Carter, USA, also held commissions in the Navy and Army simultaneously, but he wasn't made admiral until 1881. He was the first to turn up on my google search, and proves that a careful reading of the sources is necessary!

 

[War Horse]

Raphael Semmes

 

[BrrrBRRRR]

Raphael Semmes

 

[nextcity]

Samuel Carter

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

Raphael Semmes

 

[Private Watkins]

I am the only person during the Civil War to be both an Admiral in the Navy and a Brigadier General in the Army. I protested to no avail that my promotion to Brigadier General was actually a demotion.
Who am I?

credit: @Copperhead-mi

Raphael Semmes...?

Edit - Correct, Private Watkins. Welcome to the trivia game.

Hope you'll come back and play again.

Hoosier

 

[Dave G]

Raphael Semmes, CSN, CSA

John Taylor Wood was only a Commander in the CS Navy and a Colonel in the cavalry.