Foote, Andrew Hull

Foote, Andrew Hull, American naval officer, was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1806, entered the navy in 1822, and after some service against the pirates of the West Indies was appointed captain in 1849. In 1856 he gallantly carried by storm four Chinese forts at Canton, from which he had been fired on while protecting American property. On the outbreak of the civil war he equipped and organised the western flotilla, and in February 1862, with his gunboats, he stormed Fort Henry. At Fort Donelson, in the same month, he received a wound which soon afterwards compelled him to resign his command; but his services obtained for him the rank of rear-admiral and a vote of thanks from congress. He died in New York city, 26th June 1863, while on his way to take over the command of the fleet off Charleston.