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Stembel, Roger Nelson

naval officer, was born Dec. 27, 1810, in Middletown, Md. He co-operated with the army in suppressing the rising of the Seminole Indians in Florida in 1836; and did brilliant service in the Mexican war of 1846. In the civil war he was instrumental in organizing the union gunboat flotilla on the western waters, and was in command of the gunboat Lexington at the battle of Belmont. He assisted in the capture of Fort Henry, commanding the gunboat Cincinnati, where he had the honor of receiving the surrender of the fort, and of hoisting Old Glory for the first time over southern territory. He was in command of the same gunboat during the protracted bombardment and final capture of island No. 10 on the Mississippi river, and while still in command of the Cincinnati he was seriously and almost mortally wounded by a rifle ball passing through his throat during the bombardment of Fort Pillow. This wound invalided him for nearly two years, when he again was connected with the western gunboat flotilla until the close of the war.

He is now on the retired list as rear-admiral United States navy.