Editing Robert Means Thompson (section)

===Navy days===
Thompson was appointed to the [[United States Naval Academy]] on 30 July 1864.  Graduating tenth in the class of 1868, Thompson first went to sea in [[USS Contoocook (1864)|''Contoocook'']] in the West Indian Squadron. He later served in [[USS Franklin (1864)|''Franklin'']], [[USS Richmond (1860)|''Richmond'']], and [[USS Guard (1857)|''Guard'']] of the Mediterranean Squadron; as well as in [[USS Wachusett (1861)|USS ''Wachusett'']] and at the [[Naval Torpedo Station]], [[Newport, Rhode Island]].<ref name="mollus">{{cite web | url=http://www.suvcw.org/mollus/pcinc/rmthompson.htm | title=Master Robert Means Thompson, Commander-in-Chief 1927 - 1930 | first=Robert Girard | last=Carroon | publisher=[[Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States]] | accessdate=2010-07-15}}</ref>  Commissioned [[Ensign (rank)#United States|ensign]] on 19 April 1869, and promoted to master on 12 July 1870, he resigned from the Navy on 18 November 1871, to study law in his brother's office.