Charles Dwight Sigsbee
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| Charles Dwight Sigsbee | |
|---|---|
| January 16, 1845 – July 13, 1923 (aged 78) | |
 Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee |
|
| Place of birth | Albany, New York |
| Place of death | New York City, New York |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/branch | United States Navy Union |
| Years of service | 1862-1907 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | USS Maine USS Texas South Atlantic Squadron |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War *Battle of Mobile Bay *First Battle of Fort Fisher *Second Battle of Fort Fisher Formosan Expedition Spanish-American War *Sinking of the Maine *First Battle of San Juan *Second Battle of San Juan |
Charles Dwight Sigsbee (January 16, 1845 - July 13, 1923) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. 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.
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[edit] Biography
Sigsbee was born in Albany, New York, and educated at The Albany Academy. He was appointed acting midshipman on 16 July 1862.
Sigsbee served aboard the Monongahela, Wyoming, and Shenandoah from 1863 to 1869, when he was assigned to duty at the Naval Academy. Earlier Sigsbee fought in numerous engagements during the Civil War, mostly against Confederate forts and batteries. In 1871, he was assigned to the Hydrographic Office. He was in command of various ships between 1873 and 1891, and served as a hydrographer in the Bureau of Navigation from 1893 to 1897. Sigsbee 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 June 20, 1956.
[edit] Namesake
USS Sigsbee (DD-502) was named for him.
[edit] Dates of Rank
- Midshipman - September 27, 1859
- Passed Midshipman - 1863
- Master - May 10, 1866
| Ensign | Lieutenant Junior Grade | Lieutenant | Lieutenant Commander | Commander | Captain | Commodore | Rear Admiral |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | O-2 | O-3 | O-4 | O-5 | O-6 | O-7 | O-8 |
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| October 3, 1863 | Never Held | April 21, 1867 | March 12, 1868 | May 11, 1882 | March 21, 1897 | Unknown | August 10, 1903 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- "Sigsbee". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s12/sigsbee.htm. Retrieved on 2008-09-05.
- Hamersly, Lewis Randolph (1898). Charles D. Sigsbee (Sixth Edition ed.). http://books.google.com/books?vid=0waiEcVzn9_RgiLXel&id=REQUIE_aDoIC&printsec=titlepage#PRA4-PA70,M1. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
[edit] External links
- "Charles Dwight Sigsbee, Rear Admiral, United States Navy". www.arlingtoncemetery.net. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/cdsigsbe.htm.
| Preceded by Richardson Clover |
Head of the Office of Naval Intelligence (Chief Intelligence Officer) February 1900–April 1903 |
Succeeded by Seaton Schroeder |
