Matthew Perry (naval officer)

Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy who forced the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854, under the threat of military force.

Command Assignments, 1820s-1840s

Perry commanded Shark from 1821-1825, and from 1826-1827 acted as fleet captain for Commodore Rodgers. Perry returned for shore duty to Charleston, South Carolina in 1828, and in 1830 took command of USS Concord. He spent the years of 1833-1837 as second officer of the New York Navy Yard (later the Brooklyn Navy Yard), gaining promotion to captain at the end of this tour.

Related Topics:
''Shark'' - 1821 - 1825 - 1826 - 1827 - Charleston, South Carolina - 1828 - 1830 - USS ''Concord'' - 1833 - 1837 - Brooklyn Navy Yard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Support for Naval Education and Modernization

Perry had a considerable interest in naval education, supporting an apprentice system to train new seamen, and helped establish the curriculum for the United States Naval Academy. Additionally, he was a vocal proponent of modernization of the Navy. Once promoted to captain, he oversaw construction of the Navy's second steam frigate, USS Fulton, which he commanded after its completion. He was called "The Father of the Steam Navy." He organized America's first corps of naval engineers, and conducted the first U.S. naval gunnery school while commanding Fulton in 1839-1840 off Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey.

Related Topics:
United States Naval Academy - USS ''Fulton'' - 1839 - 1840 - Sandy Hook - New Jersey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Promotion to Commodore

Perry acquired the courtesy title of commodore in 1841, and was made chief of the New York Navy Yard in the same year. In 1843 he took command of the African Squadron, whose duty was to interdict the slave trade under the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, and continued in this endeavor through 1844.

Related Topics:
1841 - New York Navy Yard - 1843 - African Squadron - Slave trade - Webster-Ashburton Treaty - 1844

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Mexican-American War

During the Mexican-American War Perry was in charge of the Gulf Fleet, and commanded the force that captured Frontera, Tabasco and Laguna in 1846. In 1847 the forces under Perry's command supported the siege of Veracruz.

Related Topics:
Mexican-American War - Frontera - Tabasco - Laguna - 1846 - Siege of Veracruz

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~