Benjamin Peffer Lamberton
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(February 25, 1844 - June 9, 1912)
| Rank | Date |
| Midshipman | September 21, 1861 |
| Graduated Naval Academy | November 22, 1864 |
| Ensign | November 1, 1866 |
| Master/Lieutenant Junior Grade | December 1, 1866 |
| Lieutenant | March 12, 1867 |
| Lieutenant Commander | December 18, 1868 |
| Commander | June 2, 1885 |
| Captain | May 17, 1898 |
| Rear Admiral | September 11, 1903 |
| Station | Date |
| Shore Units/US Naval Academy Annapolis (USNA) | 1861-1864 |
| USS America | 1864 |
| USS Susquehanna (Brazil Squadron) | 1865 |
| USS Juniata | 1866-1867 |
| USS Saratoga | 1867-1869 |
| Unknown | 1870-1884 |
| Inspector, Lighthouse Board in Charleston | 1885 |
| Unknown | 1886-1897 |
| Chief of Staff, Asiatic Fleet | 1898 |
| Commanding Officer, USS Olympia | May 17, 1898 |
| Lighthouse Board | 1906 |
Chief of Dewey’s Staff
Commander Benjamin Peffer Lamberton (February 25, 1844 - June 9, 1912); was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He attended Carlisle High School and the Dickinson Preparatory School before spending three years as a member of the Dickinson College class of 1862. He was a Member of Belles Lettres Literary Society. He graduated from the Naval Academy in time to see active service on the America as it pursued the Confederate raiders Florida and Tallahassee in 1864. In 1898 Lamberton was ordered to command of the protected cruiser Boston on the Asiatic Squadron, but upon arrival in Hong Kong was appointed chief of staff on board Admiral George Dewey's flagship Olympia. He saw action the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. An incident during the heat of the battle demonstrated the ardor of Olympia's crew. On learning of Dewey’s decision to give the crew a break for breakfast, a gun captain commented to Captain Lamberton, "For God’s sake, Captain, don’t let us stop now. To hell with breakfast!" Pemberton was the senior officer charged with negotiating the surrender of Manila. He retired on his sixty-second birthday in 1906. Lamberton is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.