Charles Dwight Sigsbee
Encyclopedia
Charles Dwight Sigsbee was a Rear Admiral
in
the United States Navy
. In his earlier career he was a pioneering oceanographer and hydrographer. He is best remembered as the captain of the USS Maine
, which exploded in Havana
harbor, Cuba
, in 1898. The explosion set off the events that led up to the start of the Spanish American War.
, and educated at The Albany Academy
. He was appointed acting midshipman on 16 July 1862.
Sigsbee fought in numerous engagements during the Civil War
, mostly against Confederate forts and batteries. Sigsbee served aboard the Monongahela
, Wyoming
, and Shenandoah
from 1863 to 1869, when he was assigned to duty at the Naval Academy
. In 1871, he was assigned to the Hydrographic Office. He was first posted to the Hydrographic Office in 1873. He was assigned to the Coast Survey in 1874 and commanded the Coast Survey steamer Blake 1875-1878. He returned to the Navy Hydrographic Office from 1878–1882 and served as Hydrographer in the Bureau of Navigation
from 1893 to 1897. During his period on the Blake he developed the Sigsbee sounding machine which became a standard item of deep-water oceanographc equipment for the next 50 years.
Sigsbee served at the United States Naval Academy
1869-71, 1882–85, and 1887-90. He commanded the Kearsarge
on the European station 1885-6 and the training ship Portsmouth 1891-92.
Sigsbee took command of the battleship Maine in April 1897. After the Maine was destroyed in February, 1898, Sigsbee and his officers were exonerated by a court of inquiry. Subsequently he commanded the St. Paul in 1898 at the Second Battle of San Juan
and Texas
until 1900.
In February of that year he was appointed Chief Intelligence Officer of the Office of Naval Intelligence
, succeeding Cmdr. Richardson Clover
; he held this post until April 1903 when he was succeeded by Cmdr. Seaton Schroeder
. He was promoted to Rear Admiral
on 10 August 1903.
He assumed command of the South Atlantic Squadron in 1904, and the Second Division, North Atlantic Squadron
in 1905.
Rear Admiral Sigsbee commanded the USS Brooklyn
as his flagship on June 7, 1905, when she sailed for Cherbourg, France
. There, the remains of the late John Paul Jones
were taken aboard and brought back home for his internment at the United States Naval Academy
.
Admiral Sigsbee retired from the Navy in 1907 and died in New York. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
. His grandson, Charles Dwight Sigsbee III, First Lieutenant, United States Army, was buried next to him on July 10, 1956.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in
the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. In his earlier career he was a pioneering oceanographer and hydrographer. He is best remembered as the captain of the USS Maine
USS Maine (ACR-1)
USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...
, which exploded in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
harbor, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, in 1898. The explosion set off the events that led up to the start of the Spanish American War.
Biography
Sigsbee was born in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and educated at The Albany Academy
The Albany Academy
The Albany Academy is an independent college preparatory day school for boys in Albany, New York, USA, enrolling students from Preschool to Grade 12. It was established in 1813 by a charter signed by Mayor Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer and the city council of Albany...
. He was appointed acting midshipman on 16 July 1862.
Sigsbee fought in numerous engagements during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, mostly against Confederate forts and batteries. Sigsbee served aboard the Monongahela
USS Monongahela (1862)
USS Monongahela was a barkentine–rigged screw sloop-of-war that served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Her task was to participate in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America...
, Wyoming
USS Wyoming (1859)
The first USS Wyoming of the United States Navy was a wooden-hulled screw sloop that fought on the Union side during the American Civil War. Sent to the Pacific Ocean to search for the CSS Alabama, Wyoming eventually came upon the shores of Japan and engaged Japanese land and sea forces...
, and Shenandoah
USS Shenandoah (1862)
The first USS Shenandoah was a wooden screw sloop of the United States Navy.Shenandoah was built by the Philadelphia Navy Yard and launched on 8 December 1862. She was sponsored by Miss Selina Pascoe; and was commissioned on 20 June 1863, Captain Daniel B...
from 1863 to 1869, when he was assigned to duty at the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. In 1871, he was assigned to the Hydrographic Office. He was first posted to the Hydrographic Office in 1873. He was assigned to the Coast Survey in 1874 and commanded the Coast Survey steamer Blake 1875-1878. He returned to the Navy Hydrographic Office from 1878–1882 and served as Hydrographer in the Bureau of Navigation
Bureau of Navigation (United States Navy)
The U.S. Navy's Bureau of Navigation was established in 1862 as part of the reorganization of the Navy Department. Principal responsibilities were to provide nautical charts and instruments and to oversee several activities involved navigation research, including the Naval Observatory...
from 1893 to 1897. During his period on the Blake he developed the Sigsbee sounding machine which became a standard item of deep-water oceanographc equipment for the next 50 years.
Sigsbee served at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
1869-71, 1882–85, and 1887-90. He commanded the Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge (1861)
USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama during the American Civil War. The Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire...
on the European station 1885-6 and the training ship Portsmouth 1891-92.
Sigsbee took command of the battleship Maine in April 1897. After the Maine was destroyed in February, 1898, Sigsbee and his officers were exonerated by a court of inquiry. Subsequently he commanded the St. Paul in 1898 at the Second Battle of San Juan
Second Battle of San Juan (1898)
The Second Battle of San Juan occurred on 22 June 1898 when two Spanish vessels tried to break the American blockade off San Juan.-Background:...
and Texas
USS Texas (1892)
USS Texas was a second-class pre-dreadnought battleship built by the United States in the early 1890s. She was the first American battleship and the first ship named in honor of the state of Texas to be built by the United States...
until 1900.
In February of that year he was appointed Chief Intelligence Officer of the Office of Naval Intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
, succeeding Cmdr. Richardson Clover
Richardson Clover
Rear Admiral Richardson Clover was an officer of the United States Navy. An 1867 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he was a noted hydrographer, served as Director of Naval Intelligence, and commanded the gunboat during the Spanish-American War. He was socially prominent in Washington,...
; he held this post until April 1903 when he was succeeded by Cmdr. Seaton Schroeder
Seaton Schroeder
Seaton Schroeder was an admiral of the United States Navy.-Biography:Schroeder was born in Washington, D.C., on 17 August 1849 the son of Frances Schroeder, who was the United States Ambassador to Sweden...
. He was promoted to Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
on 10 August 1903.
He assumed command of the South Atlantic Squadron in 1904, and the Second Division, North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
in 1905.
Rear Admiral Sigsbee commanded the USS Brooklyn
USS Brooklyn (CA-3)
The second USS Brooklyn was a United States Navy armored cruiser.She was launched on 2 October 1895 by William Cramp and Sons Ship and Engine Building Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Miss Ida May Schieren; and commissioned on 1 December 1896, Captain Francis Augustus Cook in...
as his flagship on June 7, 1905, when she sailed for Cherbourg, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. There, the remains of the late John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
were taken aboard and brought back home for his internment at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
.
Admiral Sigsbee retired from the Navy in 1907 and died in New York. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. His grandson, Charles Dwight Sigsbee III, First Lieutenant, United States Army, was buried next to him on July 10, 1956.
Namesake
- USS Sigsbee (DD-502)USS Sigsbee (DD-502)USS Sigsbee , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee ....
was named for him. - Sigsbee DeepSigsbee DeepThe Sigsbee Deep is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico. The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between . The average depth of the Gulf is roughly . The Sigsbee Deep is a trough that extends more than and is often called the "Grand Canyon under the sea." It is located in the...
, the deepest part of the Gulf of MexicoGulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
was discovered by ships under his command and it was named in his honor.
Dates of Rank
- MidshipmanMidshipmanA midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
- September 27, 1859 - Passed MidshipmanMidshipmanA midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
- 1863 - Master - May 10, 1866
Ensign Ensign (rank)Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....Lieutenant Junior Grade Lieutenant, Junior GradeLieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade...Lieutenant LieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...Commander CommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...Captain Captain (naval)Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....Commodore Commodore (rank)Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...Rear Admiral Rear admiral (United States)Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6 O-7 O-8 
October 3, 1863 Never Held April 21, 1867 March 12, 1868 May 11, 1882 March 21, 1897 Unknown August 10, 1903
External links
- Charled D. Sigsbee papers 1858-1923 at State Library of New York - Collection description. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc16148.htm