Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/650

WORCESTER, Noah, educator, b. in Thornton, N. H., in 1812; d. in Cincinnati, Ohio, 4 April, 1847. He was graduated at Harvard in 1832, was afterward a tutor at Dartmouth, became professor of general pathology in Western Reserve college, Ohio, and was eminent as a physician. He published “Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Diseases of the Skin” (Philadelphia, 1844).

WORDEN, John Lorimer, naval officer, b. in Westchester county, N. Y., 12 March, 1818. He entered the navy as a midshipman, 12 Jan., 1835, attended the naval school at Philadelphia in 1840, and became a passed midshipman on 16 July of that year. He was promoted to lieu- tenant, 30 Nov., 1846, and served on various vessels and at the naval ob- servatory till the civil war. In April. 1861, he delivered the orders from the secretary of the navy by which Fort Pickens was saved for the Union, and upon his attempt to return to the north overland he was arrested and con- fined as a prisoner of war for seven

months. When he

was exchanged he was ordered to superintend the completion of John Ericsson's " Monitor," and ap- pointed to take command. He left New York nastily in this vessel, and after experiencing great danger arrived at Hampton Roads. On 8 March, 1862, the iron-clad ram " Merrimac " had come down from Norfolk and had sunk the " Congress " and the " Cumberland." Worden anchored along- side of the "Minnesota," then aground on the shoal, and prepared to defend the fleet when the " Merrimac " reappeared. Early the next morn- ing, 9 March, the ram prepared to attack the " Minnesota," but when she was within a mile of the ship the " Monitor " steamed out. The " Mer- rimac fired broadsides upon the " Monitor," but all the shots that struck her turret glanced off ; the " Monitor " fired deliberately about every seven minutes, every shot taking effect. Worden en- deavored to get as close as possible, while the " Merrimac " tired as rapidly as the guns could be served. The duel continued for more than two hours, when the " Merrimac " attempted to ram the " Monitor," but Worden avoided the blow by ma- noeuvring, so that the ram glanced off. Worden had orders not to use heavy charges, as the eleven- inch guns were considered too weak for more than fifteen-pound charges, with which he could not penetrate the " Merrimac's " heavy armor. At 11.30 a. m. a shell exploded on the pilot-house of the •• Monitor " while Worden was looking thiwigh the slit, and the powder and flame was driven into his eyes, rendering him blind and helpless. (See Greexe, Samuel Dana.) Lieut. Greene, the sec- ond in command, continued the action ; but the '•Merrimac" soon withdrew to Norfolk. It was a drawn battle, but the "Merrimac" was prevent- ed from accomplishing her purpose of destroy- ing the National fleet and eventually securing the independence of the Confederates by capturing Washington, New York, and other cities, as had been expected. Honors were showered upon Wor- den for this service. Congress gave him a vote of thanks, 11 July, 1862, and again on 3 Feb., 1863, and recommended him to be advanced one grade for his conduct in this conflict. He was commis- sioned a commander, 12 July, 1862, and, in accord- ance with the second vote of thanks, was promoted to captain, 3 Feb., 1863. He recovered from the injuries to his eyes, and commanded the monitor " Montauk," in the South Atlantic blockading squadron, from January till June, 1863. In order to test the ability of the monitors to withstand heavy gun-fire from forts, Worden was sent to en- gage Fort McAllister, at Genesee point, on Ogeechee river, and reported that he was convinced they could do so. In this expedition he destroyed the Confederate privateer "Nashville," which had taken shelter under the guns of Fort McAllister. He participated in the blockade of Charleston, and in the attack on the forts of Charleston by Admiral Dupont's squadron on 7 April, 1863. After receiv- ing his promotion to captain, he was on duty at New York connected with the iron-clads in 1863-6. He commanded the " Pensacola," in the Pacific squadron, in 1866-'7, and was on special duty in 1868. He was promoted to commodore, 27 May, 1868, and was superintendent of the naval academy in 1870-'4. He was commissioned a rear-admiral, 20 Nov., 1872, was commander-in-chief of the Euro- pean squadron from 3 Feb., 1875, till 23 Dec, 1877, and then served as member of the examining board and president of the retiring board until 23 Dec, 1886. As he had received two votes of thanks from congress, he was retained by operation of law on the active list until he should have had fifty- five years of service, but he was retired with the highest sea-pay of his grade, at his own request, by special act of congress, 23 Dec, 1886.

WORK, Henry Clay, song-writer, b. in Middle- town, Conn., 1 Oct., 1832 ; d. in Hartford, Conn., 8 June, 1884. He was the son of Alanson Work, who was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment in" 1841 in Missouri for assisting fugitive slaves to escape. While young the son removed with his father to Illinois, where he received a common- school education. He returned to Connecticut, was apprenticed to a printer, and employed his leisure in studying harmony. His first success was achieved during the civil war, when he sprang into favor by his war-songs, among which were- "Kingdom Coming," "Marching through Geor- gia," and " Babylon is Fallen." His songs num- ber nearly one hundred, and include " Nicodemus the Slave," " Lily Dale," and " My Grandfather's Clock." He went to Europe in i865, and on his return invested the fortune that his songs had brought him in a fruit-raising enterprise in Vine- land, N. J., which was a failure. In 1875 he be- came connected as composer with Root and Cady, the music-publishers, who had published Work's songs until the plates were destroyed by the Chicago fire of 1871. Mr. Work was also an in- ventor, and patented a knitting-machine, a walk- ing doll, and a rotary engine.

WORKMAN, Thomas, Canadian merchant, b. near Lisburn, County Antrim. Ireland, 17 June, 1813. He emigrated to Canada in 1827, served during the rebellion of 1837-'8, was present at the battle of St. Eustache, and was made a lieutenant in March. 1888. He entered the employ of a hardware firm in Montreal in 1834, with which he has retained his connection, and he is now its senior partner. He has been for more than 'thirty years a member of the board of directors of Molson's bank, Montreal, and for many years its president, and is a life-governor of the Fraser institute and