hiː ˈɛntɚd ɐ nˈeɪvəl ɐkˈædəmi ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi tˈuː ænd ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐ wˈɔːɹənt ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts nˈeɪvi æz ɐ mˈɪdʃɪpmən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv, wʌz pɹəmˈoʊɾᵻd tə pˈæst mˈɪdʃɪpmən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi wˈʌn, ðə fˈɜːst ʌv twˈɛnti tˈuː pˈæst baɪ ðə bˈoːɹd ʌv ɛɡzˌæmᵻnˈeɪʃən.
He entered a naval academy in 1832 and received a warrant in the United States Navy as a midshipman in 1835, was promoted to passed midshipman in 1841, the first of 22 passed by the board of examination.