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.
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.