Edward Merritt Hughes
Encyclopedia
Edward Merritt Hughes was an officer in the United States Navy
during the Spanish-American War
.
, the son of merchant Abram A. Hughes. He was appointed to the Naval Academy
in 1866 and graduated on June 7, 1870. He passed through the grades of Ensign
, Master
, Lieutenant
, Lieutenant Commander
, and, on March 3, 1901, was commissioned Commander
.
After service in a number of ships and stations ashore, he reached the high point in his career during the Spanish-American War. He was Executive Officer of Petrel
during the Battle of Manila Bay. Immediately after the action, he commanded a small boat which boarded and set fire to five Spanish
ships lying in Cavite Harbor, despite reports that fuses had been set to their magazines and in the face of a large and excited armed force on shore nearby. He was advanced five numbers in rank for eminent and conspicuous conduct on this occasion.
His commanding officer later wrote, "The action of Lieutenant Hughes in setting fire to the enemy's sunken ships in the face of a well armed superior, but demoralized force, was the one act of conspicuous gallantry which the battle that day afforded."
Commander Hughes died in the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokohama
, Japan
.
The destroyer USS Hughes
was named in his honor.
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...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
Life and career
Hughes was born in Lockbourne, OhioLockbourne, Ohio
Lockbourne is a village in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 280 at the 2000 census. Lockbourne is nearby Rickenbacker International Airport, and had provided its original name of Lockbourne Air Force Base.-Geography:...
, the son of merchant Abram A. Hughes. He was appointed to 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 1866 and graduated on June 7, 1870. He passed through the grades of Ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
, Master
Master (naval)
The master, or sailing master, was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel...
, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A 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 Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, and, on March 3, 1901, was commissioned Commander
Commander
Commander 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...
.
After service in a number of ships and stations ashore, he reached the high point in his career during the Spanish-American War. He was Executive Officer of Petrel
USS Petrel (PG-2)
|-External links:* at navsource.org...
during the Battle of Manila Bay. Immediately after the action, he commanded a small boat which boarded and set fire to five Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
ships lying in Cavite Harbor, despite reports that fuses had been set to their magazines and in the face of a large and excited armed force on shore nearby. He was advanced five numbers in rank for eminent and conspicuous conduct on this occasion.
His commanding officer later wrote, "The action of Lieutenant Hughes in setting fire to the enemy's sunken ships in the face of a well armed superior, but demoralized force, was the one act of conspicuous gallantry which the battle that day afforded."
Commander Hughes died in the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The destroyer USS Hughes
USS Hughes (DD-410)
USS Hughes was a World War II-era in the service of the United States Navy, named after Commander Edward Merritt Hughes.Hughes was laid down on 15 September 1937 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 17 June 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Edward M...
was named in his honor.