Commodore William J. McCluney (12 April 1796 — 11 February 1864) was a United States Navy officer whose service included the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Battle of Ty-ho Bay, China. McCluney commanded two of the flagships—the USS Mississippi and the USS Powhatan—in support of the Perry Expedition to Japan in 1853-1854. As a flag officer, McCluney transported the first Japanese Embassy to the United States aboard his flagship, the USS Roanoke, in 1860 on the last leg of their journey.
Early life
Born near Washington, Pennsylvania on 12 April 1796, William was the first child and only son of merchant James McCluney and Martha Levy. William's father died in 1799 leaving him, his mother, and two infant sisters on the Pennsylvania frontier. Four-year-old William's mother moved the family to Philadelphia in 1800. To support her family, William's mother became a shopkeeper in the heart of Philadelphia's commercial center. William's childhood was spent along the waterfront of America's busiest port. At age 15, McCluney applied for a commission in the U.S. Navy and on 1 January 1812, he became a midshipman.McCluney, W.J. (1 Jan 1812). Ltr to Paul Hamilton, Sec. Navy, NARA, accessed via fold3.com/images/624511361. His first assignment was aboard the sloop-of-war USS Wasp (1807) under Master Commandant Jacob Jones and first Lieutenant James Biddle, a fellow Philadelphian.
Early naval service
War of 1812 McCluney's naval career began on the eve of the second war between the United States and Great Britain—now called the War of 1812. McCluney may have been aboard the Wasp returning from a diplomatic mission to France when the war hawks in Congress and President James Madison declared war on 18 June. For certain, he was aboard when the Wasp sailed from Philadelphia on 13 October with orders to harass British commercial shipping. After a storm damaged the ship and swept two crewmen overboard, the Wasp sighted a convoy of merchantmen accompanied by warships.
On Sunday morning 18 October, the Wasp closed with the convoy and engaged the 22-gun brig-sloop HMB Frolic. The ships exchanged broadside after broadside at close range, at times hull-to-hull in heavy seas. Finally, the Wasp pulled ahead and unleashed raking fire the length of Frolic's deck.
Wasp First Officer James Biddle led the boarding party to discover the destruction of the Frolic, both ship and crew. All of Frolic's officers and more than half her men were dead or wounded. Wounded British Commander Thomas Whinyates surrendered, but was unable to strike the Frolic's colors. Lieutenant Biddle struck for him. Moments later, both of Frolic's masts fell "by-the-board". The Wasp was badly damaged as well. Five men were dead and five wounded.
Contemporary historians described the Wasp-Frolic battle as possibly the most intense single-ship action of the war. Commandant Jones put a prize-crew aboard the Frolic to jury-rig repairs and assist the Frolic's surgeon with the wounded.
Neither victor nor vanquished could sail. Sunday afternoon, the 74-gun British battleship HMS Poitiers arrived, forcing both the Wasp and her prize to surrender.
At dawn, Sunday, 18 October, five days from his home in Philadelphia, McCluney, 16, the least experienced officer aboard the Wasp, could only imagine the coming duel of warships. By noon, McCluney had witnessed the death and dismemberment of more than a hundred comrades and enemy. By evening, he was a prisoner of war. Thus began a 50-year naval career.
See main article: Capture of HMS Frolic
Reception at home
The British paroled the men of the Wasp in Bermuda and they returned to the United States.
Officers and crew were greeted as national heroes. Along with the crew of the USS United States which had captured the seven days after the Wasp-Frolic battle, the sailors were celebrated in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Congress voted $25,000 to officers and crew of the Wasp, compensation for the loss of their prize. A gold Congressional medal—precursor to the Medal of Honor—was awarded to Jones. Silver medals were awarded to the officers.
Jones was promoted to captain and command of the now USS Macedonian. Biddle was promoted to master commandant and command of Wasp's sister ship, USS Hornet. McCluney received a share of the Congressional prize money, a silver medal, and assignment to the Macedonian.National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (1813) Muster Roll of Macedonian, Accessed via fold3.com/Images/616715924. By spring 1813, the British blockade of North America kept the Macedonian and sister ships confined to New York and New London harbors. The naval war shifted from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes. McCluney was ordered to Sacketts Harbor, NY by way of New York City, taking charge of such recruits as were available for Lake Ontario.Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), ZB-Files, Transcript..., 8 Mar 1814, "Ordered to proceed to Sackett's Harbor..."
McCluney was assigned to the frigate USS Superior on Lake Ontario. He later served aboard the , both under the command of Lieutenant John H. Elton.
Inter-war service
Promoted to Lieutenant in 1818,NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., 1 Apr 1818 "Appointed a Lieutenant..." McCluney got his first command, an old 1808 Jefferson Gunboat #158 in Charleston, S.C. He was ordered "to prepare for service…and attend to repairs."NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript... Repairs were sufficient that, a year later McCluney's gunboat was recommissioned as the schooner USS Revenge. Two years later, Lieut. McCluney became first officer on a new schooner, the USS Dolphin under the command of Lieutenant David Conner.NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., 18 Jul 1821NARA (1821-1824) Muster Rolls for DOLPHIN, Accessed via fold3.com.
The Dolphin's assignment was companion to the 90-gun ship-of-the-line USS Franklin, flagship of the United States' first Pacific Squadron under command of Commodore Charles Stewart. Upon completion of McCluney's tour, he was ordered to Washington as witness in the court martial of Commodore Stewart as a result of Stewart's wife's intrigues involving royalists and rebels in Chile and Peru.NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., "...report to Capt. James Barron as witness in the case of Capt. Charles Stewart."
After nearly three years in the Pacific, McCluney became second lieutenant on the frigate USS Constellation,NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., "...report to Captain Arthur Sinclair..." flagship to the West India Squadron engaged in suppressing piracy.NARA (1826-1828) Muster Rolls for Constellation, Accessed via fold3.com.
From the summer of 1828 until fall 1830, McCluney served in the Mediterranean, first aboard the sloop USS Fairfield,NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., 28 Jul 1828 "...report to Commodore Chauncey..." then the USS Lexington. The last year of his Mediterranean tour, McCluney was first officer of the sloop USS Warren under Commander Charles W. Skinner.
In 1831, McCluney was assigned command of the and later the , both serving as receiving ships for new recruits at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn.NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., 15 Mar 1831, 3 Feb 1834.NARA, (1833 and 1834) Muster Roll(s) of Receiving Ship Franklin, Accessed by fold3.com. Subsequently, McCluney made Brooklyn his home.
Break in service
There is discontinuity in active service from the late 1830s, possibly because of health or an injury, though in 1839 he was promoted to commander.NARA (1840) Letter J.K. Paulding, Sec. Navy Bd. of Comm. [later SecNav], "Jan'y 8th, 1840...advising of commission." A Washington newspaper cited McCluney as an example of the Navy's "unemployed officers" in 1842. The paper reported a "disease of the knee joint" rendered him unfit for duty but that "an operation was performed…and he was cured, immediately applying for sea service."The Weekly Globe (Washington), Saturday, 9 Jul 1842, Vol. 1, No. 31.
Family life Marriage
During his extended leave from sea duty and with his promotion to commander McCluney became engaged to Elizabeth Shoemaker Wharton, the daughter of William Moore Wharton and Deborah Shoemaker, both of Philadelphia. On 8 November 1841, William and Elizabeth were married.New York Evening Post (NY). 1841. "Philadelphia, Monday, Nov. 8, by Rev. W.H. Furness..." In 1843, their first child, Deborah Wharton McCluney, was born. A second daughter, Arabella was born in 1850.
Later naval career
In 1841 McCluney gained command of the sloop USS Vandalia. As part of the newly created Home Squadron, the Vandalia cruised the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Brazil and the West Indies.
Mexican-American War
In the spring of 1845, McCluney was ordered to command the frigate USS John Adams. At the time, the Republic of Texas was being annexed by the United States and became the 28th state on 29 December. U.S. President James Polk was maneuvering to purchase or forcibly occupy disputed lands along the not-yet-agreed Mexico-Texas border. Polk had designs on California and the Mexican territories between California and Texas as well. The resulting Mexican–American War, primarily a land war, nevertheless involved the U.S. Navy in both the Pacific and the Caribbean. The Navy's role was blockade of Mexico and support of U.S. troops. The John Adams first engagement came in May 1846. McCluney anchored off Brazos Santiago along with Commodore David Conner's flagship, the USS Raritan, and the USS Potomac. On 18 May, during the Battle of Palo Alto, Commander McCluney joined Captain Francis H. Gregory of the Raritan forming a combined force of 500 seamen and marines for a successful amphibious assault on the military depot at Point Isabel (now Texas).Wisconsin Democrat (Green Bay). Saturday, 6 Jun 1846. "...under the command of Commodore [sic] McCluney."
In March 1847, Vice Commodore Mathew C. Perry assumed command of the squadron, and initiated more aggressive actions against Mexico. Perry commenced a landing on Tuxpan with officers and men from the squadron. McCluney led 10 officers and 111 men from the John Adams.Richmond Enquirer (VA). Tuesday, 18 May 1847. "The expedition against Tuxpan..." In June, Perry launched a similar amphibious assault 80-miles up the Tobasco River to take the provincial capital Villahermosa. McCluney and 1,400 sailors captured the mostly abandoned town before returning to their ships off the coastal town of Frontera.Richmond Enquirer (VA). Saturday, 17 Jul 1847. "The Taking of Tobasco...80 miles up...from Frontera."
Post War
Following the war, McCluney returned to his Brooklyn home and family, accepting command of rendezvous at the New York Navy Yard from March 1848 to March 1850. In August of 1848, the McCluney's daughter, Deborah, died at age five during an epidemic of dysentery called "cholera infantum."The Literary American (NY), Vol. 1, G. Payn Quackenbos, Ed., Saturday, August 12, 1848, pg. 95. A second daughter, Arabella, was born November 1850 "At Sea," according to 1850 Census Records, probably aboard McCluney's "receiving ship" at the Navy Yard in Brooklyn.1850 Census, 10th Ward, Kings County, NY., "[Name:] Arabella... [Age:] 10/12... [Place of Birth:] At sea."
On 13 October 1851, McCluney was promoted to captain.NHHC, ZB-Files, Transcript..., "...promoted to the rank of Captain."
Expedition to Japan