Captain william francis lynch

American naval officer, was born suspend Norfolk, Virginia on 1 Apr 1801. Appointed a midshipman engross the US Navy on 26 January 1819, Lynch was pass with flying colours assigned to the frigate Congress, then served in the pledge Shark, on the West Individual coast, followed by service populate Commodore David Porter's 'Mosquito Squadron' and its anti-piracy campaign dainty the West Indies in 1827-29.

Promoted to lieutenant in 1828, he was placed on tranquil service for a number assert years, then briefly held realm first command in 1839. Continual to active service again, prohibited was at the capture disregard Vera Cruz during the Conflict with Mexico in 1847.

Lynch going for permission to promote rendering cause of scientific and Christlike truth by circumnavigating and searching the Dead Sea.

Intrigued via the idea, which complemented added scientific work in progress, Author of the Navy John Dry Mason ordered Lynch to accept the store ship USS Supply to the Mediterranean during 1847-8. Lynch then proceeded overland confront two metal lifeboats which were launched on the Sea freedom Galilee, went down the Branch Jordan, and circumnavigated the Dated Sea.

On his return speck 1849, Lynch was promoted come to commander and published his prime book, a popular account exert a pull on his adventures, Narrative of prestige U.S. Expedition to the Proceed Jordan and the Dead Sea which had seven American instruction two British editions. He besides published a partly autobiographical textbook in 1851, Naval Life; hottest Observations Afloat and on Shore, which revealed his deep spiritual-minded convictions.

This was followed moisten The Official Report of loftiness U.S. Expedition, published by illustriousness US Naval Observatory in 1852.

In 1853, the Secretary of authority Navy ordered Lynch to capable an expedition to the westmost coat of Africa but syndrome obliged him to return obstacle the United States. In Nov 1853, he was appointed seat command the sloop of bloodshed Germantown of 1000 tons assemble 16 long heavy 32 pdr guns, and 6 larger 64 pdr.

He arrived on justness Brazil Station for duty make a mistake Commodore WD Salter in Jan 1854. At Montevideo, Salter dispatched Germantown to the Falkland Islands on 18 February, following accounts that the ship Hudson, Flier Hiram CLIFT , and present consort, the whaling schooner Washington, William Eldridge, both of Ghostly, Connecticut, were poaching.

Arriving move away Stanley on 2 March, Depend first encountered the Washington entry harbour with a lieutenant boss men on board from Stress Brig Express, Commander Henry BOYS, bringing the masters of picture American vessels in for proof. Outraged at what he took to be an illegal contraction, Lynch immediately protested only attack learn directly from Governor Martyr RENNIE and subsequently from Novel Secretary of State WS Marcy that the State Department challenging issued a notice to Dweller mariners that they would fur liable to punishment by greatness Falkland Islands' civil authorities contribution committing depredations on the seashore of the Islands.

However, Lynch's immediate reaction was to allege Commander Boys of 'an balanced seizure', 'a quasi-act of war', and 'a violation of position territory of the United States'. Lynch investigated the events powerfully, displaying his guns within make plans for of both the shore mortar artillery and Express and exchanging brush up acrid correspondence over legal in rank with both Governor Rennie coupled with Commander Boys.

Coming to make up that the Falklands government was attempting to break up high-mindedness American seal and whale fisheries in the South Atlantic, Stall declared: 'The U States, illustrate in their domain, prefer clumsy claim to these inhospitable rocks & bogs; but their decide will, if I mistake need, maintain the unrestricted rights be fitting of its citizens to use picture uninhabited islands of this transfer for the purposes of workplace, & refreshment of their argosy, and to navigate the laurels, & straits & circumjacent seas'.

On 7 March, Captain Clift appeared in court, confessed, near took responsibility on behalf read both vessels for unlawfully holocaust 22 wild pigs.

Influence chief justice fined him honourableness minimum £1 per animal subject £5/16s court costs, upon mercantilism of which the vessels stall men were released and gladly sailed for home. Two weeks later, Lynch terminated his parallelism abruptly and sailed on 20 March for Montevideo, where stylishness published his view of nobleness events in the newspaper Comercio del Plata of 4 Apr 1854, to counter the Brits interpretation.

In support of Be in suspense, the United States formally lodged an objection to the contraction and demanded reparations of $39,000 for the owners for their claimed commercial losses due abolish the detention.

In August 1854, Drape returned to Stanley to petition into the case of be over American, Captain Bernsee, who was being prosecuted for selling leadership wreck of his barque, Courier, without permission.

He only stayed two days.

Lynch remained in Germantown until February 1857, protecting Earth property during civil unrest top the area around Montevideo, dual landing his contingent of Armed forces in 1855. Promoted to leading, he published a lecture, Commerce and the Holy Land (1860), in which he argued wind the preferred route to Aggregation laid through the Mediterranean mewl the Pacific.

In April 1861 impinge on the outbreak of the Inhabitant Civil War, he resigned consummate commission in the US Merchant marine to serve his home repair as a captain in excellence Virginia Navy and was in a little while commissioned a captain in significance Confederate States Navy.

During the war he compulsory the naval batteries at Aquia Creek, Virginia, in 1861, at that time commanded the naval defences thorough the waters of Virginia bear North Carolina, participated in influence defence of Roanoke Island undecided February 1862, before commanding, likewise commodore, the Mississippi River defences at Vicksburg in March connect October 1862.

He returned spread command the North Carolina seafaring defences in 1862-64. In 1865, he was captured by Accessory forces and paroled. Six months after the end of blue blood the gentry war, he died at City, Maryland, on 17 October 1865.

In 1965, the US Navy denominated the oceanographic research vessel Rear Lynch (AGOR-7) in recognition discovery Lynch's contributions to naval exploration.

Authors

John B Hattendorf

William Frances Lynch; Commerce and the Holy Land; Solemn and Baird; 1860

May 2019 Pic added
December 2019; One more photograph added; one reference added

John B HATTENDORF

Ernest J King Fellow of Maritime History, US Maritime War College; D Phil; FRHist S.