{{short description|United States Navy admiral (1833–1904)}} {{About||the fictional naval officer|Ryanverse#Main|persons of a similar name|James Greer (disambiguation){{!}}James Greer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox military person | name = James Augustin Greer | image = James A. Greer.png | caption = Admiral Greer in 1892 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1833|2|28}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1904|6|17|1833|2|28}} | burial_label = Place of burial | burial_place = [[Arlington National Cemetery]] | birth_place = [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], U.S. | death_place = [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S. | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | nickname = | allegiance = [[United States of America]] | branch = {{Naval|United States|1864}} | service_years = 1848–1895 | rank = [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear admiral]] | unit = | commands = {{USS|Carondelet|1861|6}}<br />{{USS|Benton|1861|6}}<br />{{USS|Black Hawk|1848|6}}<br />{{USS|Mohongo|1864|6}}<br />{{USS|Tuscarora|1861|6}}<br />{{USS|Tigress|1871|6}}<br />{{USS|Constitution||6}}<br />{{USS|Constellation|1854|6}}<br />{{USS|Hartford|1858|6}}<br />[[European Squadron]] | battles = {{tree list}} * [[American Civil War]] ** [[Siege of Vicksburg]] ** [[Battle of Grand Gulf]] ** [[Red River campaign]] {{tree list/end}} | awards = | relations = | other_work = | signature = Signature of James Agustin Greer (1833–1904).png }} '''James Augustin Greer'''<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kyThbyYKo9IC&pg=PA919 |title=Official Register of the United States |date=July 1, 1903 |page=919 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref> (February 28, 1833 – June 17, 1904) was a [[rear admiral]] in the [[United States Navy]], who served during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].
==Early years== Greer was born in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]].<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/greer.html |title=USS ''Greer'' |work=[[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]] |year=2004 |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> He enlisted into the Navy on January 10, 1848, shortly before his 15th birthday, joining the sloop {{USS|Saratoga|1842|2}} as a [[midshipman]].<ref name="NYT-retired">{{cite news |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/02/28/102449715.pdf |title=After Valuable Service Rear Admiral Greer to be Placed on the Retired List |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=3 |date=28 February 1895 |location=[[New York, NY|New York]] |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref> He entered the [[United States Naval Academy]] in 1853, and graduated as a [[Passed Midshipman#United States Navy|passed midshipman]] the following year. After participating in the [[Paraguay Expedition]], he cruised the west African coast until the outbreak of the Civil War.<ref name="DANFS"/>
==Civil War== Greer was serving as a [[lieutenant]]<ref name="NYT-retired"/> on board the {{USS|San Jacinto|1850|2}} on November 7, 1861, when she stopped the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Steamboat|steamer]] ''Trent'' and removed the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] diplomatic commissioners on their way to [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], thereby nearly drawing Great Britain into the war on the Confederate side.<ref name="DANFS"/> This incident became celebrated as the [[Trent Affair|''Trent'' Affair]].
Greer was promoted to [[Lieutenant commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]]<ref name="NYT-retired"/> and served on the {{USS|St. Louis|1828|2}} from 1862 to 1863, and then was attached to Rear Admiral [[David Dixon Porter]]'s [[Mississippi Squadron]]. While in command of the [[Ironclad warship|ironclads]] {{USS|Carondelet|1861|2}} and {{USS|Benton|1861|2}}, he participated in the [[Battle of Vicksburg|Vicksburg campaign]] and the shelling of [[Battle of Grand Gulf|Grand Gulf]] as well as the abortive Union [[Red River Campaign|Red River expedition]]<ref name="DANFS"/> in early 1864.
After commanding the Naval Station at [[Mound City, Illinois]], he assumed command of the {{USS|Black Hawk|1848|2}},<ref name="DANFS"/> flagship of the [[Mississippi River Squadron]] under [[Samuel Phillips Lee]],<ref name="NYT-retired"/> and was then in charge of conveying [[United States Army|Army]] transports up the [[Tennessee River]].<ref name="DANFS"/>
In 1866 he was elected a companion of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the [[Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States]] (MOLLUS). He was assigned MOLLUS insignia number 160.
==Post-war service== A tour of duty as assistant to the [[Commandant of Midshipmen|Commandant at Annapolis]] after the war<ref name="DANFS"/> was followed by promotion to [[Commander (United States)|commander]] on July 25, 1866<ref name="NYT-retired"/> and appointment to command of {{USS|Mohongo|1864|2}} with the [[Pacific Squadron]], where Greer was commended for "defending American interests" in Mexico.<ref name="DANFS"/> He then commanded the {{USS|Tuscarora|1861|2}}.<ref name="NYT-retired"/> After a tour of duty at the [[United States Naval Academy|Naval Academy]] between 1869 and 1873, Greer returned to the Pacific Station. In 1873, he commanded the {{USS|Tigress|1871|2}} when that ship was sent to find and aid the ship ''[[USS Periwinkle (1864)|Polaris]]''. The ''Polaris'' was wrecked on an Arctic expedition which had been led by [[Charles Francis Hall]].<ref name="DANFS"/>
Greer was promoted to [[Captain (United States)|captain]] in 1876.<ref name="NYT-retired"/> After special service in {{USS|Constitution||2}} during the 1878 [[Exposition Universelle (1878)|Paris Exposition]],<ref name="DANFS"/> Greer commanded the ships {{USS|Constellation|1854|2}} and {{USS|Hartford|1858|2}}.<ref name="NYT-retired"/>
He held a variety of shore posts<ref name="DANFS"/> and was promoted to [[Commodore (United States)|commodore]] in 1886<ref name="NYT-retired"/> before serving as commander of the [[European Squadron]] from 1887 to 1889.<ref name="DANFS"/>
Greer served as president of the "Board of Organization, Tactics, and Drill", and of the "Examination and Retiring Board".<ref name="NYT-retired"/>
He was promoted to [[Rear admiral (United States)|rear admiral]] in 1892, and retired on February 28, 1895. Admiral Greer died in [[Washington, D.C.]], on June 17, 1904,<ref name="DANFS"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/144466907 |title=Rear Admiral Greer Dead: One of the Distinguished Naval Fighters of the Civil War |date=June 18, 1904 |page=2 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref> and was buried with full military honors in [[Arlington National Cemetery]] two days later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgVncmVlchIFamFtZXMaAWE-/ |title=Burial Detail: Greer, James A |work=ANC Explorer |accessdate=13 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/144523817 |title=Funeral of Admiral Greer.: Military Escort of Honor Follows Body to Arlington Cemetery. |date=June 20, 1904 |page=7 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref>
==Namesakes== * The destroyer {{USS|Greer|DD-145}} was named for him. * Several [[Tom Clancy]] novels feature a Vice Admiral James Greer, who is the [[Deputy Director of Central Intelligence]].
==References== {{reflist}} * {{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/greer.html}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greer, James A.}} [[Category:1833 births]] [[Category:1904 deaths]] [[Category:Military personnel from Cincinnati]] [[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]] [[Category:People of Ohio in the American Civil War]] [[Category:Union navy officers]] [[Category:United States Navy rear admirals]] [[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]