Encyclopedia of Civil War Military Biography – Q
QUACKENBUSH, Stephen Platt, naval officer, born in Albany, New York, 23 January, 1823. He entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1840, became lieutenant in 1855 and lieutenant-commander in 1862. During the Civil War he was in charge of the “Delaware,” the “Unadilla,” the “Pequot,” the “Patapsco,” and the “Mingo,” of the Blockading Squadron. He covered General Ambrose E. Burnside's army in falling back from Aquia creek and the landing at Roanoke Island, scattering a large body of the enemy, took part in the battles at Elizabeth City and New Berne, North Carolina, flying the divisional flag of Commodore Stephen C. Rowan, and engaged the Confederate batteries and a regiment of flying infantry at Winton, North Carolina, where 700 or 800 Union men had been reported, and a white flag displayed as a decoy for the naval vessels. He was then ordered to deliver to the people General Burnside's and Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough’s proclamation concerning the 700 or 800 men reported. When the “Delaware” was close to the shore a body of armed Confederates was reported. She opened fire, and Winton was destroyed according to orders, in consequence of the display of the white flag. He subsequently was in action at Sewell's Point Landing, Wilcox landing, and Malvern hill, on James River, where he commanded the “Pequot.” and received a shot that took off his right leg. He afterward covered the rear-guard of the army in of the steam gun-boat “Unadilla,” of the South Atlantic Squadron, in 1863, he captured the “Princess Royal," which contained machinery for shaping projectiles, engines for an iron-clad then building in Richmond, and a large quantity of quinine. When commanding the “Patapsco,” of the North Atlantic Squadron, in 1864, he was engaged in ascertaining the nature and position of the obstructions in Charleston Harbor, and, while dragging for torpedoes, his ship was struck by one and sunk in twenty seconds. He was then in charge of the steamer “Mingo,” protecting Georgetown, South Carolina, and, with a force of light-draught vessels, prevented the re-erection of a fort by the enemy. He became commander in 1866, captain in 1871, and commodore in 1880. In 1861–2 he was in charge of the U.S. Navy-yard at Pensacola, Florida, and in 1885 he was retired as rear-admiral. Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. V, p. 146.
QUAY, Matthew Stanley, senator, born in Dillsburg, York County, Pennsylvania, 30 September, 1833. He was graduated at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1850, began his legal studies at Pittsburg, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was appointed prothonotary of Beaver County in 1855, in 1856 elected to the same office, and re-elected in 1859. In 1861 he resigned his office to accept a lieutenancy in the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves, and he was subsequently made assistant commissary-general of the state with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Afterward he was appointed private secretary to Governor Andrew G. Curtin, and in August, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of the 134th Pennsylvania Regiment. He was mustered out, owing to impaired health, 7 December, 1862, but participated in the assault on Marye's Heights, 13 December, as a volunteer. He was subsequently appointed state agent at Washington, but shortly afterward was recalled by the legislature to fill the office of military secretary, which was created by that body. He was elected to the legislature in October, 1864, in 1865, and 1866, and in 1869 he established and edited the Beaver “Radical.” In 1873-'8 he was secretary of the commonwealth, resigning to accept the appointment of Recorder of Philadelphia, which office he resigned in 1879. In January, 1879, he was again appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth, filling that post until October, 1882, when he resigned. In 1885 he was elected state treasurer by the largest vote ever given to a candidate for that office, and in 1887 was chosen to the U. S. Senate for the term that will end 3 March, 1893. Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. V, p. 147.
QUEEN, Walter W., naval officer, born in Washington, D.C., 6 October, 1824. He entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1841, was attached during the Mexican War to the frigate “Cumberland,” and participated in the attacks on Alvarado, Tampico, Tuspan, and Vera Cruz. He was dismissed from the service in 1848 for participation as a principal in a duel, was reinstated in 1853, and became lieutenant in 1855. He was on special duty in the steam sloop “Powhatan” in 1861, re-enforced Fort Pickens, Florida, and served nineteen days on shore in charge of the boats of the fleet. He commanded the 2d Division of the mortar flotilla under David D. Porter during the bombardment of Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, and during the attack on Vicksburg when Flag-Officer David G. Farragut assed the batteries with his fleet. He became lieutenant-commander in 1862, was on ordnance duty in 1862–3, and in charge of the steam gunboat “Wyalusing,” of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, in 1863–4. On 5 May, 1864, with that vessel, he engaged the Confederate ram “Albemarle,” with her consorts the “Bombshell” and the “Cotton-Plant.” He became commander, with special duty on the “Hartford,” in 1866, captain in 1874, commodore in 1883, and rear-admiral, 27 August, 1886, and was retired in October. Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. V, p. 147.
QUINBY, Isaac Ferdinand, soldier, born near Morristown, New Jersey. 29 January, 1821. He was graduated at the U. S. Military Academy in 1843, standing first in engineering. He was a classmate and close friend of General Grant. He was an assistant professor at West Point in 1845-'7 and took part in several skirmishes on the Rio Grande and Vera Cruz lines at the close of the Mexican War. He went to Rochester, N.Y., in September, 1851, to become professor of mathematics in the newly founded university in that city, and resigned from the army, 16 March, 1852. He hold his professorship until the Civil War, and then became colonel of the 13th New York Regiment. Under his command, it marched through Baltimore on 30 May, being the first body of National troops to pass through that city after the attack upon the 6th Massachusetts Regiment on 19 April. Colonel Quinby resigned his commission, 2 August, 1861, and resumed his chair; but he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, 17 March, 1862, and in the following month was assigned to the command at Columbus. Kentucky. In October, 1862, he was relieved, to take command of the 7th Division of the Army of the Tennessee. The division was sent to take part in the movement to turn the Confederate right flank at Vicksburg by Yazoo pass, the Coldwater, Tallahatchie, and Yazoo Rivers. Amid great difficulties General Quinby pushed on to Fort Pemberton, where he arrived on 23 March. Finding that there was no ground suitable for camping or moving a large body of troops, and the fire of the small gun-boats being ineffectual, he conceived the idea of going around to the east side of Fort Pemberton, crossing the Yallabusha River on a pontoon bridge, cutting the communications of the fort, and compelling its surrender; but he also constructed works for a direct attack, and sent back to Helena for heavy guns. The boat that carried them brought orders from General Grant to abandon the movement by Yazoo Pass, and General Quinby withdrew his force from before Fort Pemberton on 5 April. The fatigues and anxieties of this expedition in a malarious region brought on a severe illness, and he was ordered home on sick-leave, 1 May, 1863. But learning, a few days after reaching home, the progress of Grant's movement to the rear of Vicksburg, he hastened back, assuming command of his division on the 17th, and taking part in the assault of the 19th, and the subsequent movements. On 5 June illness again rendered him unfit for duty in the field, and he wont to the north under Grant's orders, remaining in Rochester until 1 July. He then commanded the rendezvous at Elmira till 31 December, 1863, when, convinced that he would not again be able to go to the front, he resigned his commission and resumed his duties as professor in the university. In May, 1869, he was appointed U. S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York, and he held that office during General Grant's two presidential terms, holding his professorship also till September, 1884. In May, 1885, he was appointed city surveyor of Rochester, and he now (1888) holds that office. He was a trustee of the Soldiers' Home at Bath. New York, and vice-president of the board from the foundation of the institution in 1879 till his resignation in 1880. In addition to his official duties, he is frequently employed as a consulting engineer. He has revised and rewritten several of the works in the Robinson Course of Mathematics, and the treatise on the " Differential and Integral Calculus" in that series is altogether his. Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. V, p. 150.
QUINCY, Samuel Miller, born in Boston in 1833, was graduated at Harvard in 1852, was admitted to the Boston bar, and for several years edited the " Monthly Law Reporter." He entered the array as captain in the 2d Massachusetts Regiment. 24 May, 1861, became lieutenant-colonel of the 72d U.S. Colored Regiment, 20 October, 1863, and its colonel, 24 May, 1864, and on 13 March, 1865, was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers. He has edited the "Reports of Cases" of his great-grandfather, Josiah (1865). Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. V, p. 153.
QUITMAN, John Anthony, soldier, born in Rhinebeck, New York,
