William Ledyard Rodgers
Encyclopedia
William Ledyard Rodgers (1860–1944) was a Vice Admiral
of the United States Navy
. His career included service in the Spanish-American War
and World War I
, and a tour as President of the Naval War College
. Rodgers was also a noted historian on military and naval topics, particularly relating to ancient naval warfare.
He was the third generation in a well-known family of able naval officers. He was the son of Rear Admiral
John Rodgers
who fought in the American Civil War
and the grandson of Commodore
William L. Rodgers who fought in the American Revolutionary War
(a.k.a., American War of Independence) and the War of 1812
.
of 1898. In 1911, he was appointed president of the Naval War College
(from November 20, 1911 to December 15, 1913). In 1916, during World War I, Rodgers was promoted to Rear Admiral
and given command of the supply fleet crossing the Atlantic.
In 1920, he was appointed to the General Board of the Navy Department, after serving briefly as commander of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet. He also was appointed to the Advisory Commission on the Limitation of Armaments, but retired in 1924 to write military history
books.
Vice Admiral Rodgers died in 1944 at the age of 84.
, titled Greek and Roman Naval Warfare, A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design from Salamis (480 B.C.) to Actium (1937), and Naval Warfare Under Oars, 4th to 16th Centuries, A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design.
Rodgers was primarily a military historian who described battle
s and tactics
, but his works also derive principles of naval warfare
in the ancient world, and contain some detailed descriptions of archeological finds, and commentary on the limitations of materials and design of ancient naval vessels.
The latter work, Naval Warfare Under Oars, departs from the classic Greek-Roman world of the Mediterranean Sea
, and contains chapters of history
on such rare topics as Viking
and Medieval naval warfare.
Rodgers also published a book in 1907, titled A Study of Attacks Upon Fortified Harbors (Artillery Notes) (Artillery School Press). During his lifetime, he wrote many articles on various historical studies, such as the rate of fire of the Welsh longbow, which were published in various military journals and magazines of the time. Rodgers throughout his lifetime consistently showed an interest in actual hands on testing and physical examination of history.
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
of 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...
. His career included service in 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...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and a tour as President of the Naval War College
President of the Naval War College
The President of the Naval War College is a flag officer in the United States Navy. The President's House is his official residence.Since the Korean War, all presidents of the Naval War College have been vice admirals or rear admirals.-Presidents:...
. Rodgers was also a noted historian on military and naval topics, particularly relating to ancient naval warfare.
He was the third generation in a well-known family of able naval officers. He was the son of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
John Rodgers
John Rodgers
John Rodgers may refer to:*John Rodgers , Colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland...
who fought in the American 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...
and the grandson of Commodore
Commodore (USN)
Commodore was an early title and later a rank in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard and a current honorary title in the U.S. Navy with an intricate history. Because the U.S. Congress was originally unwilling to authorize more than four ranks until 1862, considerable importance...
William L. Rodgers who fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
(a.k.a., American War of Independence) and the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Naval career
William Ledyard Rodgers graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878 and fought in the Spanish-American WarSpanish-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...
of 1898. In 1911, he was appointed president of the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
(from November 20, 1911 to December 15, 1913). In 1916, during World War I, Rodgers was promoted to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
and given command of the supply fleet crossing the Atlantic.
In 1920, he was appointed to the General Board of the Navy Department, after serving briefly as commander of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet. He also was appointed to the Advisory Commission on the Limitation of Armaments, but retired in 1924 to write military history
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
books.
Vice Admiral Rodgers died in 1944 at the age of 84.
Works on military and naval history
Rodgers' most enduring legacy are two classic works of ancient naval warfareNaval warfare
Naval warfare is combat in and on seas, oceans, or any other major bodies of water such as large lakes and wide rivers.-History:Mankind has fought battles on the sea for more than 3,000 years. Land warfare would seem, initially, to be irrelevant and entirely removed from warfare on the open ocean,...
, titled Greek and Roman Naval Warfare, A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design from Salamis (480 B.C.) to Actium (1937), and Naval Warfare Under Oars, 4th to 16th Centuries, A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design.
Rodgers was primarily a military historian who described battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
s and tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
, but his works also derive principles of naval warfare
Naval warfare
Naval warfare is combat in and on seas, oceans, or any other major bodies of water such as large lakes and wide rivers.-History:Mankind has fought battles on the sea for more than 3,000 years. Land warfare would seem, initially, to be irrelevant and entirely removed from warfare on the open ocean,...
in the ancient world, and contain some detailed descriptions of archeological finds, and commentary on the limitations of materials and design of ancient naval vessels.
The latter work, Naval Warfare Under Oars, departs from the classic Greek-Roman world of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, and contains chapters of history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
on such rare topics as Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
and Medieval naval warfare.
Rodgers also published a book in 1907, titled A Study of Attacks Upon Fortified Harbors (Artillery Notes) (Artillery School Press). During his lifetime, he wrote many articles on various historical studies, such as the rate of fire of the Welsh longbow, which were published in various military journals and magazines of the time. Rodgers throughout his lifetime consistently showed an interest in actual hands on testing and physical examination of history.