Naval officer; born in
New Haven, Conn., Sept. 12, 1806; entered the navy as midshipman in 1822; was flag-lieutenant of the Mediterranean
squadron in 1833; and in 1838, as first lieutenant of the ship
John Adams, under
Commodore Read, he circumnavigated the globe, and took part in an attack on the pirates of
Sumatra.
He was one of the first to introduce (1841) the principle of total abstinence from intoxicating drinks into the United States navy; and on the
Cumberland (1843-45) he delivered, on Sundays, extemporary sermons to his crew.
He successfully engaged in the suppression of the slave-trade on the coast of
Africa in 1849-52.
In command of the
China station in 1856, when the Chinese and English were at war,
Foote exerted
[
401]
himself to protect American property, and was fired upon by the Celestials.
His demand for an apology was refused, and he stormed and captured four
Chinese forts, composed of granite walls 7 feet thick and mounting 176 guns, with a less of forty men. The
Chinese garrison of 5,000 men lost 400 of their number killed and wounded.
In the summer of 1861
Foote was made captain, and in September was appointed flag-officer of a flotilla of gunboats fitted out chiefly at
Cairo, and commanded the naval expedition against
Fort Henry (q. v.) and
Fort Donelson (q. v.) on the
Tennessee and
Cumberland rivers, early in 1862, in co-operation with
General Grant.
In the attack on the latter he was severely wounded in the ankle by a fragment of a shell.
Though suffering, he commanded the naval attack on
Island number ten (q. v.). After its reduction he returned to his home at New Haven.
He was promoted to rear-admiral in July, 1862; and in May, 1863, was ordered to take command of the South Atlantic squadron, but died while preparing in New York to leave for
Charleston, June 26.
