Biography

From Find-A-Grave, "United States Navy Admiral. He began his Naval career as a young midshipman in 1811. In the War of 1812, despite his youth, he fought with great distinction against the British on Lakes Ontario and Champlain, and commanded the second division from Ticonderoga in the Battle of Lake Champlain. After the war he honed his skills on various ships. In August 1825, while a Lieutenant reported for duty on the "USS Dolphin", as the Executive Officer to Lieutenant John "Mad Jack" Percival. In this position, Paulding was with Percival during his trans-Pacific and Hawaiian adventures. After serving on board joined the "USS Constellation", he went on to command the schooner "USS Shark" in 1834, and the sloop-of-war "USS Levant" in 1838. In 1841 he was assigned as Executive Officer of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and received a promotion to Captain in 1845. In 1852, Paulding assumed command of the Washington Navy Yard, and later the United States Home Squadron. In 1861 President Abraham Lincoln appointed him to a key position on the Navy Board, to help create the Union wartime navy. In this office, Paulding was instrumental in evaluating John Ericsson's design of the iron ship, the "USS Monitor". After the Civil War, he was assigned to command the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He died at Huntington, Long Island, New York in 1878. The United States Navy destroyer "USS Paulding" (DD-21) was named in his honor." From Wikipedia, "Promoted to Commodore, Paulding took command of the Home Squadron followed aboard the flagship Wabash. The squadron was instrumental in foiling the expedition against Nicaragua underway by American, William Walker, who had dreamed of uniting the nations of Central America into a vast military empire led by himself. Through insurrection, Walker became president of Nicaragua in 1856 when Costa Rica declared war to him. After his surrender to an allied Central American army and his return to the United States, Walker attempted for a military comeback when he was captured in 1857 by a landing of Home Squadron Marines. Stateside controversy over the questionable legality of seizing American nationals in foreign, neutral lands prompted President James Buchanan to relieve Paulding of his command, forcing him into retirement. "