Benjamin F. Sands

Infobox Military Person
name = Benjamin F. Sands
born = birth date|1811|2|11
died = death date and age|1883|6|30|1811|2|11
placeofbirth = Baltimore, Maryland
placeofdeath = Washington, D.C.


caption = Benjamin F. Sands
nickname =
allegiance = U.S. Navy
serviceyears = 1828-1874
rank = Rear Admiral
branch = United States Navy
unit = Various
battles = engagement at Fort Caswell, First Battle of Fort Fisher, Second Battle of Fort Fisher
awards =
Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Sands (February 11, 1811 – June 30, 1883) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.

U.S. Navy career

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Sands was appointed Midshipman in the United States Navy on April 1, 1828. By 1834, he had served on the Brazil Station and in the West Indies and Mediterranean squadrons. From 1834 to 1841, he was engaged in coastal survey work and during the mid-40's was attached to the Bureau (Depot) of Charts and Instruments at the Naval Observatory.

During hostilities between the United States and Mexico, he was attached to the Home Squadron and served off Tabasco and Tuxpan. In the 1850s, he commanded the steamer "Walker" in the Gulf of Mexico on coast survey duty and invented a deep sea sounding apparatus and other hydrographic instruments. Commissioned Captain in 1862, he served off the west coast on survey duty until 1863, then joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron as commander of "Dacotah".

In February of that year, he participated in the engagement at Fort Caswell. He remained off the Carolinas for another two years, commanding the steamer "Fort Jackson" during the attacks on Fort Fisher. In February 1865, he was transferred to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and assigned to duty off the Texas coast. Through the end of the American Civil War, he commanded a division off that coast; and, on June 2, 1865, took formal possession of Galveston, Texas for the Union.

After the war, Sands, appointed Commodore in July 1866, served at the Boston Navy Yard until returning to Washington, D.C. as Superintendent of the Naval Observatory. Commissioned Rear Admiral on April 27, 1871, he remained at the Observatory until he retired in 1874.

Post-retirement

Rear Admiral Sands died in Washington, D.C.

Honored in ship naming

Two ships were named USS "Sands" for him and his son, James H. Sands:

*"Sands" (DD-243/APD-13), a "Clemson"-class destroyer, commissioned in 1920

*"Sands" (T-AGOR-6), an oceanographic research ship, placed in service in 1965

Arlington National Cemetery Notes on Sands

* [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bfsands.htm Arlington National Cemetery Website - Benjamin F. Sands]

ee also

Reference

*

Persondata
NAME= Sands, Benjamin F.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Navy admiral
DATE OF BIRTH= February 11, 1811
PLACE OF BIRTH= Baltimore, Maryland
DATE OF DEATH= June 30, 1883
PLACE OF DEATH= Washington, D.C.