Worden
JOHN LORIMER, an American naval officer; born in Sing Sing (now Ossining), Westchester co., N. Y., March 12, 1818; was appointed a midshipman in the navy, Jan. 10, 1834.
At the beginning of the Civil War he was captured by the Confederates, and after being held seven months was exchanged. He was ordered to the comwas mand of John Ericsson's "Monitor" which armed with two 11-inch smooth-bore Dahlgren guns, carrying a shot of 168 pounds, and which left New York March 6, 1862. He arrived at Hampton Roads on the evening of the 8th, after the iron-clad "Merrimac" had destroyed the wooden frigates "Cumberland" and "Congress." On the morning of the 9th a memorable battle was fought by the "Merrimac" and "Monitor," the former of which was partly disabled and abandoned the fight, after several violent collisions with the "Monitor." He was promoted commander in 1862, captain in 1863; and commanded the iron-clad "Montauk" in the operations against Fort Sumter in April of that year. In June, 1868, he was promoted commodore, and in 1872 rearadmiral. He was superintendent of the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1870- 1874; commander-in-chief of the European squadron in 1875-1877; and was retired, at his own request, with full sea pay, Dec. 23, 1886. He died in Washington, D. C., Oct. 18, 1897.