Edward Merritt Hughes

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Edward Merritt Hughes (28 January 1850 - 28 September 1903) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War.

Hughes was born in Ohio and appointed to the Naval Academy in 1866. After service in a number of ships and stations ashore, he reached the high point in his career during the Spanish-American War. He was Executive Officer of Petrel during the Battle of Manila Bay. Immediately after the action, he commanded a small boat which boarded and set fire to five Spanish ships lying in Cavite Harbor, despite reports that fuses had been set to their magazines and in the face of a large and excited armed force on shore nearby. He was advanced five numbers in rank for eminent and conspicuous conduct on this occasion.

Commander Hughes died at Yokohama, Japan.

[edit] Namesake

The destroyer USS Hughes was named in his honor.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.