TAYLOR, William Vigneron, naval officer, born in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1781; died there, 11 February, 1858. He went to sea before the mast, became a captain in the merchant marine, and entered the navy as a sailing-master, 28 April, 1813. He was attached to Commander Oliver H. Perry's flag-ship, the "Lawrence," in the battle of Lake Erie, where he was severely wounded, afterward receiving a vote of thanks and a sword for his services. He was commissioned a lieutenant, 9 December, 1814, cruised in the "Java" on the Mediterranean station in 1815-'16, and was on leave at Newport on account of his wound in 1816-'23, after which he served in the ship "Ontario," of the Mediterranean squadron, in 1824-'6, at the Boston navy-yard in 1827-'8, and in the frigate "Hudson," on the Brazil station, in 1829-'30. He was promoted to master-commandant, 3 March, 1831, was in charge of the receiving-ship at Boston in 1833-'4, and the sloop "Warren" in 1835. In 1839-'41 he had the store-ship "Erie." He was promoted to captain, 8 September, 1841, and commanded the Pacific squadron in the "Ohio" in 1847-'8. After this he was Oil leave at Newport until his death.--His son, William Rogers, naval officer, born in Newport, Rhode Island, 7 November, 1811, entered the navy as a midshipman, 1 April, 1828, became a passed midshipman, 14 June, 1834, and cruised in the "Peacock" in the East Indies in 1835-'6. When the "Peacock" was stranded on the island of Massera in 1836, he was sent to take the United States diplomatic agent, Edmund Roberts, to Muscat to arrange treaties. This voyage lasted five days in an open boat, and upon arrival at Muscat the sultan offered him the sloop "Sultane " to go to the relief of the" Peacock "; but the latter had got off, and he rejoined her at sea. He served as acting lieutenant on the same station and in the Pacific in the schooner "Enterprise" and ship "North Carolina" in 1836-'8. He was commissioned a lieutenant, 10 February, 1840, and was engaged in the survey of Tampa bay, Florida, in 1842-'3, during which he at times had command of the steamer " Poinsett" and the brig "Oregon." He served on the Brazil station in the brig "Perry" and the ship '" Columbus" in 1843-'4. During the Mexican war he was on the sloop "St. Mary's" in the engagement with batteries at Tampico, where he commanded the launch in the expedition that captured that port and five Mexican schooners, 14 November, 1846. During the siege and bombardment of Vera Cruz he commanded the eight-inch gun in the naval battery on shore for thirty-six hours. He was promoted to commander, 14 September, 1855, and was on ordnance duty at Washington in 1857-'9. In 1861 he was ordered to command the steamer "Housatonic," and he was promoted to captain, 16 July, 1862. While senior officer in the blockade off Charleston he engaged the Confederate rams "Chocura" and "Palmetto" in the "Housatonic " when they attacked the squadron in January, 1863. When Dahlgren took command he was appointed fleet-captain, and participated in the actions against Morris island in July, 1863. On 16 July he was in the battle on board the monitor "Catskill," and on 18 July in the monitor "Montauk." He commanded the steamer "Juniata" in both attacks on Fort Fisher. He was president of the board to revise the navy regulations, was in charge of the ordnance-yard at Washington in 1866-'7, and was promoted to commodore, 25 July, 1866. He was a member of the examining board in 1868, commanded the northern squadron of the Pacific fleet in 1869-'71, was promoted to rear-admiral, 19 January, 1871, and was president of the examining board in 1871-'2, and commanded the South Atlantic squadron from 22 May, 1872, till 7 November, 1873, when he was retired.