author
Hiram Paulding
1797–1878
A lifelong U.S. Navy officer, he served from the War of 1812 through the Civil War and became one of the service’s senior leaders. His career ranged from fighting on Lake Champlain to helping shape the Union Navy in one of the country’s most turbulent eras.
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About the author
Born on December 11, 1797, in New York, he entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1811 while still very young. During the War of 1812, he served on Lakes Ontario and Champlain and took part in the Battle of Lake Champlain, where his service later earned recognition from Congress.
Over the decades that followed, he built a long naval career at sea and ashore. He served in the Mediterranean, commanded vessels including the schooner Shark, and later held major posts such as command of the Washington Navy Yard and the New York Navy Yard. In 1844 he was promoted to captain, and his experience made him a trusted senior officer as the Navy grew and changed.
During the Civil War, he served on the Navy’s retirement board and remained an important figure in Union naval administration. He retired as a rear admiral and died on October 20, 1878. He is also remembered as the son of Revolutionary War figure John Paulding, linking his life to two very different chapters of American military history.