WERDEN, Reed, naval officer, born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, 28 February, 1818; died in Newport, Rhode Island, 13 July, 1886. He was appointed from Ohio a midshipman in the navy, 9 January, 1834, became a passed midshipman, 16 July, 1840, was commissioned lieutenant. 27 February, 1847, and served in the sloop "Germantown" during the Mexican war in 1847-'8, in which he commanded a detachment of men from that ship in the expeditions against Tuspan and Tampico. When the civil war began he was attached to the steam frigate "Minnesota," in which he participated in the attacks on the forts at Hatteras Inlet and operations in the sounds of North Carolina in Stringham's squadron. He commanded the steamers " Yankee" and "Stars and Stripes" on the North Atlantic blockade in 1861-'2, and in the latter led the first division in the capture of Roanoke island. He was commissioned commander, 16 July, 1862, had charge of the steamer "Conemaugh," on the South Atlantic blockade, in 1862-'3, was fleet-captain of the Eastern Gulf blockading squadron in 1864-'5, and commanded the steamer "Powhatan," in which he blockaded the Confederate ram "Stonewall" in the port of Havana, Cuba, until she was surrendered by the Spanish authorities. He was commissioned a captain, 25 July, 1866, promoted to commodore, 27 April, 1871, was made rear-admiral, 4 February, 1875, and commander-in-chief of the South Pacific station in 1875-'6. He was then placed on the retired list at his own request.