THATCHER, Henry Knox, naval officer, born in Thomaston, Maine, 26 May, 1806; died in Boston, Massachusetts, 5 April, 1880. He was a grandson of General Henry Knox. He received his early education in the schools of Boston, and in 1822 was admitted as a cadet at the United States military academy. The records of the academy show that he was absent on sick-leave from 28 November, 1822, till April, 1823, when his resignation is recorded. He had exchanged his cadetship for the appointment in the navy, which he entered as a mid-shipman, 4 March, 1823. He became a passed midshipman, 23 March, 1829, and was commissioned lieutenant, 28 February, 1833. After serving in various parts of the world, he was promoted to commander by action of the naval retiring board, 14 September, 1855. He commanded the sloop " Decatur," Pacific station. Early in 1862 he was ordered to command the sailing-sloop "Constellation" on the Mediterranean station, and he was thereby prevented from engaging in active operations during the first years of the civil war. He was promoted to the grade of commodore, 16 July, 1862, without having had any commission as a captain. In July, 1863, he returned from the Mediterranean and took charge of the steam frigate "Colorado" on the North Atlantic blockade, and in her commanded the first division of Commander David D. Porter's fleet in both attacks on Fort Fisher. He was then appointed acting rear-admiral in advance of his regular promotion to that grade, and was ordered to succeed Vice-Admiral Farragut in command of the Western Gulf squadron at Mobile. There he conducted combined operations with General Edward R. S. Canby which resulted in the surrender of the city and the Confederate fleet after its flight and pursuit up Tombigbee river. The navy department sent him congratulations on the successful results at Mobile. Other points on the Gulf were quietly surrendered, and on 2 June, 1865, Galveston, Texas, was occupied by Thatcher's squadron without opposition, and the entire coast was restored to the Union. He was placed in command of the consolidated Gulf squadrons until May, 1866, after which he commanded the North Pacific squadron until August, 1868. He was commissioned rear-admiral, 25 July. 1866, and was placed on the retired list, 26 May, 1868. After his return home he was port-admiral at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1869-'71, after which he was unemployed until his death. Upon his death the secretary of the navy published an obituary order and directed salutes of thirteen minute-guns to be fired in his honor, and flags to be displayed at half-mast. He was a member of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati and the military order of the Loyal legion. While in command of the North Pacific squadron he was presented with a medal and made a knight of the order of Kamehameha I. by the king of the Hawaiian islands, which honors he was allowed to accept by act of congress.