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Perry, Matthew Calbraith 1794-1858
US naval officer

He was born in Newport, Rhode Island, and in 1837 he was appointed commander of the Fulton, one of the first naval steamships. He was active in suppression of the slave trade on the African coast in 1843. In the Mexican War (1846-48) he captured several towns and took part in the siege of Veracruz. From 1852 to 1854 he led the naval expedition to Japan, forcing it to open diplomatic negotiations with the USA and grant the first trading rights. He was the brother of Oliver Hazard Perry.