John Lorimer Worden

Worden, John Lorimer (1818–1897) U.S. naval officer. Born in Westchester County, New York, John Worden entered the navy as a midshipman in 1834. His career followed a normal pattern until the beginning of the Civil War. He was captured by Confederate authorities while returning from delivering secret dispatches to the naval squadron off Pensacola, and held prisoner for seven months. Shortly after his release in early 1862 he was given command of the new ironclad Monitor that was under construction in New York. He sailed the untried experimental vessel through heavy seas to Hampton Roads, Virginia in time to save the Union fleet there from destruction by the Confederate ironclad Virginia. The two ships fought to a momentous draw on March 9, 1862. Worden was temporarily blinded by flying fragments late in the engagement, but he recovered to receive the thanks of Congress. In October he took command of the monitor Montauk in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, figuring prominently in a number of coastal actions and sinking the cruiser Nashville. From mid–1863 to the end of the war he was assigned to supervise the construction of new ironclads. He became superintendent of the Naval Academy in 1869, and later commanded the European Squadron. He retired as a rear admiral in 1886.

John Lorimer Worden , 1818-97, American naval officer, b. Westchester co., N.Y. Appointed midshipman in 1834, he saw varied service before the Civil War. Worden was captured (Apr., 1861) by the Confederates and held prisoner for seven months. Shortly after his exchange, he assumed command of the new ironclad Monitor. In the famous battle of Monitor and Merrimack , Worden was wounded in the face and temporarily blinded. Later he saw service with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron (1862-63). Promoted to rear admiral in 1872, Worden was (1869-74) superintendent of Annapolis and commanded (1875-77) the European squadron.