CSN Ingraham, Duncan Nathaniel - Captain

Duncan Nathaniel Ingraham​

Born: December 6, 1802

Birth Place: Charleston, South Carolina

Father: Nathaniel Ingraham 1759 – 1818

(Buried: Saint Michael's Church Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

Mother: Louisa Hall 1773 – 1849

(Buried: Saint Michael's Church Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

Wife: Harriott Horry Laurens 1813 – 1888

(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

Children:

Elizabeth Rutledge Ingraham Buist 1832 – 1904​

(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

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Louisa Ingraham Whiting 1834 – 1885​

(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

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Henry Laurens Ingraham 1837 – 1878​

(Buried: Strawberry Chapel Cemetery, Berkeley County, South Carolina)​

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Frederick Laurens Ingraham 1848 – 1934​

(Buried: Crest lawn Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia)​

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Caroline Burney Ingraham King 1851 – 1931​

(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

Occupation before War:

1812: Received his midshipman warrant in the United States Navy at the age of just ten years old​

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1812 – 1861: Served in the United States Navy​

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1825: Promoted to Lieutenant​

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1838: Promoted to Commander​

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Commanded the brig USS Somers blockading the port of Vera Cruz during the Mexican-American war​

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1853: In July, Ingraham interfered with the detention of Martin Koszta, a Hungarian who had declared in New York his intention of becoming an American citizen, and, who had been seized and confined in the Austrian ship Hussar in the Turkish port of Smyrna. Questioning Kosta, Ingraham asked Koszta, "Do you want American protection? Very well, you shall have it". After further negotiations, the Austrians finally relented and Kosta was released. President Franklin Pierce called the action justified, and for his conduct in this matter he was voted thanks and awarded a Congressional gold medal. This came to be known as the "Kosta Affair".​

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1855: Commissioned Captain on September 14

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1856 – 1860: Chief of Bureau of Ordnance, Hydrography of U.S. Navy​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1865: Captain in the Confederate States Navy​

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1862 – 1865: Commandant of Charleston, South Carolina, Naval Station​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1891: Lived in Charleston, South Carolina​

Died: October 16, 1891

Place of Death: Charleston, South Carolina

Age at Death: 88 years old

Burial Place: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina

 

[Pollaco]

When South Carolina seceded Ingraham was commanding the U.S.S.Richmond in the Mediterranean. He promptly returned home and resigned his commission. He was appointed a captain of the CSN on March 26, 1861. He did a brief stint on a board then was assigned to Pensacola. Then on November 16, 1861 he was ordered to Charleston and given command of tbe South Carolina naval defenses. One of his first accomplishments was the supervision of the construction of the "Palmetto State". This ironclad along with the CSS Chicora briefly lifted the blockade of Charleston. In March of 1863 he was relieved of sea duty but retained command of the shore station.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Additions:

 

[Sheltowee]

In reading some of these naval bios, it strikes me that making rank in the US Navy was difficult. Took him 43 years to make captain.
Is this due to the size of the navy, at that time?