Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Hoff, Henry Kuhn

HOFF, Henry Kuhn, naval officer, b. in Pennsylvania in 1809; d. in Washington, D. C., 25 Dec., 1878. He was appointed a midshipman from South Carolina on 28 Oct., 1823, commissioned lieutenant on 3 March, 1831, and commander on 6 Feb., 1854. In 1861-'2 he commanded the steam sloop “Lancaster” of the Pacific squadron. He was promoted commodore on 16 July, 1862, was on special duty in 1863, and afterward on ordnance duty in Philadelphia till 1867. He was made a rear-admiral on 13 April, 1867, and in 1868-'9 commanded the North Atlantic squadron. During the Cuban insurrection, which began in October, 1868, he promptly and energetically interfered to protect resident American citizens, who suffered injustice from Spanish officials. He was placed on the retired list on 19 Sept., 1868, returned to the United States in August, 1869, was a member of the retiring board, and in 1870 president of the board of visitors at Annapolis.