Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Knox, Samuel Richardson

KNOX, Samuel Richardson, naval officer, b. in Charlestown, Mass., 28 Aug., 1811; d. in Everett, Mass., 20 Nov., 1883. His father and grandfather were Boston pilots. After a voyage in a merchant vessel that was commanded by his brother, he entered the navy as a midshipman on 1 April, 1828, served in the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets, and was on furlough and engaged in exploring the northwest coast of North America from November, 1833, till March, 1837. In 1837-'8 he accompanied Lieut. Charles Wilkes in surveys of Savannah and May rivers and George's bank and shoals, commanding the schooner “Hadassah.” He served in 1838-'42 on the Wilkes exploring expedition, as commander of the “Flying Fish.” His schooner approached nearer to the south pole than any other vessel in the squadron. Knox's highland, in latitude 70° 14′ S., was named in his honor. He was promoted lieutenant on 1 Sept., 1841, and during the Mexican war commanded a landing-party of marines and sailors at the capture of the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, Vera Cruz, led a shore-party at the assault on Tuspan, and afterward commanded the “Flirt” and the “Wasp.” In 1849-52 he surveyed the coasts of California and Oregon. He was retired on 13 Sept., 1855, but in the beginning of the civil war was engaged in blockading service off Galveston, Texas, where he had a skirmish with the enemy's batteries, and at Barataria and the mouth of the Mississippi, chasing two armed steamers up that river. He was made a captain on the retired list on 4 April, 1867.