Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Steinbel, Roger Nelson

STEINBEL, Roger Nelson, naval officer, b. in Middleton, Md., 27 Dec., 1810. He entered the navy as a midshipman, 27 March, 1832, and cruised in the schooner “Porpoise” when she was wrecked near Vera Cruz in 1833. He was on duty in New York at the naval school in 1834-'8, and became a passed midshipman, 23 June, 1838. He was commissioned lieutenant, 23 Oct., 1843, served in the coast survey until 1847, and then was on the Brazil station, on special duty in Washington, and in the steamer “Mississippi,” on the East India station, in 1857-'9. When the civil war began he went to Cincinnati to fit out river gun-boats, and then rendered good service in the Mississippi river flotilla. He commanded the river gun-boat “Lexington” at Belmont when Gen. Grant's force was defeated and saved by the gun-boats in November, 1861. From August, 1861, until May, 1862, he participated in several engagements, and contributed greatly to the successes and victories at Lucas Bend, 9 Sept., 1861, Fort Henry, 6 Feb., 1862, Island No. 10 from 16 March until its capture on 7 April, 1862, and in the action with the rams at Fort Pillow in May, 1862. In this last engagement his vessel, the “Cincinnati,” was sunk, and he was seriously wounded. He then had special duty at Philadelphia and Pittsburg until 1865. He was commissioned captain, 25 July, 1866, and commanded the “Canandaigua” in the Mediterranean in 1866-'7. He next served at the rendezvous in Boston, and was commissioned commodore, 13 July, 1870, and appointed commander-in-chief of the Pacific squadron in 1872. He was retired on 27 Dec., 1872, and subsequently promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list, 5 June, 1874.