Fabius Stanly

Who was Fabius Stanly?

Fabius Maximus Stanly was a rear admiral of the United States Navy, who served during the Mexican and Civil Wars.

Stanly was born on 15 December 1815 in New Bern, North Carolina. He was appointed midshipman on 20 December 1831. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 September 1841. During the Mexican War, he was assigned to the Pacific Squadron and participated in the capture of California and the defense of San Francisco. He also took part in several land raids and, on one occasion, led a party of 30 sailors on a cannon-spiking raid in the midst of 1,500 enemy troops. He completed his mission successfully, returning to the boats with all his wounded and some prisoners to boot.

Promoted to commander at the outset of the Civil War, he served in the Pacific Squadron until 1864. At that time, he was given command of the side-wheel steamer State of Georgia and cruised off the coast of South Carolina for the duration of the war. Stanly was commissioned captain on 25 July 1866, commodore on 1 July 1870, and rear admiral on 12 February 1874. He was retired from the Navy on 4 June 1874 and died in Washington, D.C., on 5 December 1882.

In 1941, the destroyer USS Stanly was named in his honor.