STEVENS, Thomas Holdup, naval officer, born in Charleston, South Carolina, 22 February, 1795; died in Washington, D. C., 22 January, 1841. He lost his parents, whose name was Holdup, in early life, and was adopted by a citizen of Charleston, who procured for him a midshipman's warrant in 1809. In the beginning of the war of 1812 he volunteered for service on the lakes, was assigned to duty under Captain Samuel Angus on the Niagara frontier, and took part in a night attack on the enemy's works opposite Black Rock, preparatory to the contemplated descent of General Alexander Smythe on the Canada shore, He was one of the leaders of a detachment that captured the enemy's artillery, and of a scaling-party that dislodged the British grenadiers by burning their barracks, and, although wounded in the right hand by a canister shot, remained after the naval force had retreated, and, with two other midshipmen and five seamen, crossed Niagara river at great risk in a leaky canoe. For his bravery in this action he was made a lieutenant, 24 July, 1813, while he was with Commander Oliver H. Perry at Erie, Pennsylvania, assisting in the building and equipment of the lake squadron. In the battle of Lake Erie he commanded the sloop "Trippe," and fought against the rear of the enemy's line, passing, ahead of the "Tigress" and "Porcupine," pouring grape and canister into the "Queen Charlotte" until she struck her colors, and, with Stephen Champlin, chasing and bringing back two of the enemy's vessels when they tried to escape. For these achievements he was voted a silver medal by congress, and presented with a sword by the citizens of Charleston. He was ordered in 1814 to the frigate "Java," which Commander Perry was fitting out for a cruise in the Mediterranean. In 1815, by legislative enactment, he changed his name to Stevens, which was that of his early benefactor. In 1819-'20 he was attached to the frigate " Constellation." He performed Valuable service in the cruise of Commander David Porter for the suppression of piracy in the West Indies, commanding successively the "Asp," the "Jackal," and the schooner "Shark," of the Mosquito fleet, being promoted master-commandant on 3 March, 1825. His last command afloat was the "Ontario" sloop, which was attached to Commander James Biddle's Mediterranean squadron in 1830-'2. He was made a captain, at that time the highest rank in the service, on 27 January, 1836, and commanded the navy-yard and station at Washington until his sudden death.--His son, Thomas Holdup, naval officer, born in Middletown, Connecticut, 27 May, 1819, was appointed a midshipman on 14 December, 1836, served as aide to President Tyler in 1842, received his commission as lieutenant on 10 May, 1849, and in 1852-'5 commanded the schooner "Ewing" in surveys of the California and Oregon coasts. When tile civil war began he applied for duty at the front, was ordered to command the "Ottawa," one of the ninety-day gunboats then building, raised a crew of volunteers at Erie, Pennsylvania, and joined the South Atlantic blockading squadron of Admiral Samuel F. Du Pont. While commanding a division of gun-boats, he drove the fleet of Commander Josiah Tat-hall under the protection of the forts at Port Royal, 4 November, 1861. In the battle of Port Royal he engaged Fort Walker at short range. On 1 January, 1862, he had an engagement with Commander Tatnall's Mosquito fleet in Savannah river. His command was the leading vessel in a combined attack of the navy and land forces on Fort Clinch, 3 March, 1862, and in the capture of the town of St. Mary's, Georgia, and commanded the first expedition up St. John's river, occupying Mayport Jacksonville Magnolia and Palatka and Fort Steele and Fort Finnegan, and capturing, the yacht "America." He left the South Atlantic blockading squadron early in May, 1862, to take command of the steamer "Naratanza," was present at the battle of West Point, and commanded the first expedition to Cumberland and White House to open James river, taking part in the demonstration against Petersburg and the battle of Nalvern Hill. On 4 July, 1862, he captured the Confederate gun-boat "Teazer." He was promoted commander on 16 July, and ordered to the iron-clad "Monitor," with which he covered the flank of the army on James river and its rear during the withdrawal from the peninsula. In September, while attached to Commander Charles Wilkes's flying squadron, he captured five prizes, and chased the privateer "Florida" on the Bahama banks. On 7 October, 1862, off St. George, Bermuda, he stopped the steamer "Gladiator," which had the appearance of a blockade-runner, while she was under the convoy of the British sloop-of-war "Desperate," and both commanders cleared their decks for action. Early in August, 1863, he assumed command of the ironclad "Patapsco," and in the engagements with the forts in Charleston harbor he performed gallant services. After a severe engagement with the batteries on Sullivan's island, he led a boat attack against Fort Sumter. Afterward he commanded the "Oneida," of the Western Gulf blockading squadron, but was temporarily transferred to the iron-clad "Winnebago" for the operations before Mobile in July, 1864, in which he was conspicuous for the handling of his vessel and his personal daring. He commanded the "Oneida" off the coast of Texas in 1865, was commissioned captain on 26 July, 1866, commodore on 20 November, 1872, and rear-admiral on 27 October, 1879, and, after commanding the Pacific fleet and acting as president of the board of visitors at the United States naval academy, he was retired on 27 May, 1881.--His son, THOMAS HOLDUP, is a lieutenant in the United States navy.