CDR George Washington Rodgers
American
Commander George Washington Rodgers was a career United States naval officer whose service spanned the Mexican-American War, the Coast Survey, and the early years of the Civil War. Entering the Navy at fourteen, he rose steadily through the ranks, later becoming Commandant of Midshipmen at the US Naval Academy and overseeing its wartime relocation to Newport, Rhode Island. Seeking active duty, Rodgers took command of several vessels — including the monitor CATSKILL — and served as Chief of Staff to Rear Admiral John Dahlgren. He was killed in action on 17 August 1863 when enemy fire struck the CATSKILL's pilothouse during the attack on Fort Wagner in Charleston Harbor. A cenotaph at Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London, Connecticut, marks his service and sacrifice. - AsNotedIn