From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. A, 1991, Navy 
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History 
Division, Washington, D.C.

Abner Read-born on 5 April 1821 in Urbana, Ohio-studied at Ohio 
University, but left that institution a year before graduating to accept 
a warrant as a midshipman, effective 2 March 1839. Assigned to 
ENTERPRISE, he departed New York harbor in that schooner on 16 March 
1840 and proceeded to South American waters where he served-first in 
ENTERPRISE and then in DELAWARE-until the latter sailed for home early 
in 1844.

Following a year of study at the naval school in Philadelphia, Read was 
promoted to passed midshipman on 2 July 1845. DOLPHIN then took him to 
the Atlantic coast of Africa where she operated against slavers through 
the summer of 1847.

Next ordered to FREDONIA, the promising young officer departed New York 
in that storeship on 9 January 1848 an proceeded to Veracruz where she 
arrived a week after the Signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. His 
vessel promptly began issuing supplies to the warships of Commodore 
Matthew C. Perry's squadron and continued such duty until heading home 
in June.

FREDONIA again left New York on 11 December 1848, bound for California. 
Gold recently had been discovered there, greatly increasing the 
importance of and the interest in that newly acquired territory. The 
ship proceeded south along the Atlantic coast of the Americas, rounded 
Cape Horn, reached San Francisco Bay on the last day of July 1849, and 
operated on the we coast during the most tempestuous year of the gold 
rush. She got underway homeward on the 4th of July 1850, and reached New 
York on 7 January 1851

Leave and a tour of duty in UNION, the receiving ship at Philadelphia, 
ensued before Read reported to the side-wheel steamer SARANAC in the 
autumn of 1853. She took him to the Mediterranean, but he left that ship 
while she was still in European waters and returned to the United States 
for duty at the Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard.

Meanwhile, Read had been rising in rank. He received his commission as 
master effective 12 April 1853 and was promoted to lieutenant on 6 
February 1854.

Read joined the wardroom of the sloop-of-war FALMOUTH in the fall of 
1854, departed Norfolk, Va., in her on 16 December 1854, and cruised 
through the West Indies unsuccessfully seeking information concerning 
ALBANY. That sloop-of-war had departed Aspinwall, Colombia (now Colon, 
Panama), on 29 September 1854 and had not been heard from since sailing.

Soon after FALMOUTH returned to New York in August, Read was shocked to 
be "dropped from the Navy" on 13 September 1855 in compliance with the 
recommendation of a board of officers charged with carrying " . . . into 
execution an act [of Congress] to promote the efficiency of the Navy." 
He appealed this decision and was reinstated in rank by a board of 
inquiry in 1858

His first ship following his return to duty was SUPPLY which departed 
New York in the autumn of 1858 and took him back to South American 
waters as a part of Commodore Shubrick's expedition to demand an apology 
and retribution for the death of WATER WITCH's helmsman. That sailor had 
been killed by fire from Paraguayan batteries upon his side-wheel 
steamer as she explored the Parana River and its tributaries. Following 
the resolution of the dispute between the United States and Paraguay 
through diplomacy backed by a highly visible display of American 
seapower, SUPPLY operated off the coast of Africa, along the Atlantic 
coast of the United States, and in the Gulf of Mexico.

SUPPLY arrived at Pensacola, Fla., on 7 December 1860, just a month and 
a day after Lincoln was elected President, precipitating the secession 
crisis. A bit over a week later, WYANDOTTE entered the navy yard at that 
port to have her hull scraped. That screw steamer was short of officers 
due to the resignation of Southerners, so Read was detached from SUPPLY 
and assigned to the new arrival. In her he helped to prevent Fort 
Pickens from falling into Confederate hands. However, while doing so, he 
became ill and was sent home to recuperate.

Ready for duty again, Read took command of the newly acquired NEW LONDON 
when she was commissioned at New York on 29 October 1861. Assigned to 
the Gulf Squadron, his screw steamer was stationed in Mississippi Sound 
where-shortly before midnight on 21 November 1861-she joined screw 
gunboat R. R. CUYLER in taking the lumber-laden schooner OLIVE. In 
ensuing months, NEW LONDON took over 30 prizes. Her success was so 
remarkable that Flag Officer Farragut felt that he must hold NEW LONDON 
in his new command even though she had been assigned to the eastern 
group when the Navy divided its force in the gulf into two squadrons. " 
. . . Lieutenant Read's having made her such a terror to the 
Confederates in this quarter," he explained, " . . . that justice to the 
service required me to keep her . . . .  " She was, he maintained, " . . 
. absolutely necessary to command the inland passage . . . ."

Read and his ship were ever ready to face up to any challenge which 
confronted them. When he found " . . . two rebel steamers . . . at Pass 
Christian . . ." on 25 March 1862, NEW LONDON headed straight for the 
Southern ships-CSS PAMLICO and CSS OREGON and drove them off to the 
protection of Southern shore batteries after a two-hour engagement.

A bit over a year later, on 18 April 1863, Read-who had been promoted to 
lieutenant commander on 16 July 1862-led a boat expedition which landed 
near the lighthouse at Sabine Pass. It was attacked by a large force of 
Confederate troops who had been hiding behind the light keeper's house. 
All but one member of Read's crew were wounded as they raced back to 
their boat and rowed to NEW LONDON. Read himself suffered a serious 
gunshot wound of the eye. Yet, despite his painful injury, he remained 
on duty until New London returned to New Orleans late in May for 
repairs.

While work on NEW LONDON was still in progress Read was detached from 
her on 22 June and ordered to relieve Capt. Melancton Smith in command 
of MONONGAHELA. Six days later his new ship headed up the Mississippi to 
defend Donaldsonville La., which was then being threatened by Southern 
troops. As its beleaguered riparian fortresses at Vicksburg and Port 
Hudson were about to slip from its grasp, the Confederacy was struggling 
desperately-albeit vainly-to maintain some hold on the river. NEW LONDON 
spent the ensuing days patrolling the Mississippi between Donaldsonville 
and New Orleans. On the morning of 7 July 1863, Southern forces opened 
fire on the ship with artillery and musketry when she was about 10 miles 
below Donaldsonville. A shell smashed through the bulwarks on her port 
quarter wounding Read in his abdomen and his right knee. He was taken to 
a hospital at Baton Rouge where he died on the evening of the next day.

Farragut and the other officers of the squadron were lavish in praise of 
their fallen comrade. The admiral said that Read had “. . . perhaps done 
as much fighting as any man in this war . . . . " "The very mention of 
his name " Farragut maintained, "was a source of terror to the rebels. " 
On another occasion, the Admiral said, "I know nothing of him 
prejudicial as a man, but I do know that no Navy can boast a better 
officer and I deem him a great loss both to the Navy and to his 
country."

