author
James Henry Rochelle
1826–1889
A naval officer turned biographer, he is best remembered for writing a detailed life of Rear Admiral John Randolph Tucker after a career that spanned the U.S. Navy, the Confederate Navy, and later service in Peru.
1 Audiobook
Life of Rear Admiral John Randolph Tucker
by James Henry Rochelle
About the author
Born in Courtland, Virginia, in 1826, James Henry Rochelle built an unusually wide-ranging naval career before turning to writing. Records about his papers and later historical summaries describe him as a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis who served in the U.S. Navy, resigned during the Civil War, and then served in the Confederate Navy.
After the war, Rochelle continued his maritime life abroad and was later associated with the Peruvian Navy. He died in 1889 in Southampton County, Virginia, and his longtime connection to Courtland is still noted in local historical records.
As an author, Rochelle is known for Life of Rear Admiral John Randolph Tucker, a biography shaped by his firsthand naval experience and interest in preserving the memory of officers and campaigns from the nineteenth century. His work has survived through public-domain editions, which is why readers can still discover him today.