Richard Wainwright | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1849-12-17)December 17, 1849 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | March 6, 1926(1926-03-06) (aged 76) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1868–1911 |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
| Commands | Office of Naval Intelligence USS Gloucester 2nd Division,Great White Fleet |
| Battles / wars | |
| Children | Richard Wainwright |
| Relations | Richard Wainwright (father) |
| Signature | _signature.jpg) |
Rear AdmiralRichard Wainwright (December 17, 1849 – March 6, 1926), son of commanderRichard Wainwright, was an officer in theUnited States Navy during theSpanish–American War.
Born inWashington, D.C., the son of Sarah Franklin Bache andRichard Wainwright. He was the grandson ofRichard Bache Jr., who served in theRepublic of Texas Navy and was elected as a Representative to the Second Texas Legislature in 1847, and Sophia Burrell Dallas, the daughter of Arabella Maria Smith andAlexander J. Dallas an American statesman who served as the U.S. Treasury Secretary under PresidentJames Madison. He was great-grandson ofSarah Franklin Bache andRichard Bache, the great-great-grandson ofBenjamin Franklin, and a nephew ofGeorge Mifflin Dallas the 11thVice President of the United States who served underJames K. Polk.[1]
Wainwright was appointed to theUS Naval Academy in 1864 by PresidentAbraham Lincoln and graduated near the top of his class in 1868. Wainwright's early career is not well documented. From 1890 to 1893 he commanded theAlert, and in 1896 he became theChief Intelligence Officer of the Navy. In November 1897, he was ordered to the Armored CruiserMaine, to serve as executive officer under CaptainCharles D. Sigsbee.[2][3]
On the night theMaine was blown up inHavana harbor, Wainwright stood beside Sigsbee on the quarterdeck as the vessel was sinking. It was Wainwright who issued the order to lower the lifeboats in which the surviving crew escaped. From the beginning, Wainwright believed theMaine was not blown up by accident and he was impatient to avenge the death of the officers, bluejackets and Marines who died as a result.[4]
In the interval between the blowing up of the Maine and thedeclaration of war againstSpain, Wainwright was assigned command of the tenderFern and placed in charge of the salvage survey and recovery of the bodies of the victims.[5][6] He stayed aboard throughout the seven weeks longSampson court of inquiry, never setting foot ashore. As the initial salvage closed, for concern about oncoming war, Wainwright remained. On the day that the last salvage team was ordered home, Rear Admiral Don Vicente de Manterola y Tasconera (the Spanish naval commander in Havana) ordered the American flag, which was still flying from the rigging of the wreckedMaine,struck. Wainwright heard of the order and, calling an interpreter, issued an order that immediately made him famous,[2]
Tell the officer in charge of the guard that if any Spaniard touches the flag that flies from that wreck, there will be another wreck in Havana harbor. Tell him I will sink his barge myself if he attempts to carry out that order.
When Wainwright did finally leave Havana, he hauled down the flag himself. On his arrival in Washington, the U. S. Navy was in the process of purchasing vessels that could be used in the war. Among them was a yacht, theCorsair, owned byJ. P. Morgan. She was converted into a gunboat, renamed theGloucester, and commissioned with Wainwright in command.
In theBattle of Santiago de Cuba he engaged the Spanishtorpedo boatsFuror andPlutón, driving them ashore as wrecks with her battery of 6-pounders.[7]
The victory came with no casualties, which was attributed to "The accuracy and rapidity of her fire, making the proper service of the guns on theSpanish ships impossible." Wainwright was commended for his valor in this action[2][8] and was advanced by ten numbers on the promotion seniority list.[9]
After ordering his heavily damaged flagshipInfanta Maria Teresa to run aground, Spanish fleet commanderSpanish Admiral Cervera, was picked up by theGloucester. Wainwright was there to greet him as he was brought aboard. "I congratulate you, sir," said the American, "on having made as gallant a fight as was ever seen on the sea."[2]
From 1900–1902, Wainwright was Superintendent of United States Naval Academy. During this time, the submarine boatHolland was in Annapolis to train crews for submarines then under construction.[10] Wainwright, having this opportunity to observe their operation, fully endorsed them for their planned harbor defense role.[11]
In 1904 he commanded American forces during theSanto Domingo Affair in which his ships shelled rebel troops and supported anamphibious assault. Later, promoted to rear admiral, he commanded the Second Division of theGreat White Fleet during that fleet's historic voyage around the world from 1907–1909.[5]
Wainwright was invested as a Chevalier (knight) of the FrenchLegion of Honor.[citation needed] He was also a Companion of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Retired from active duty on December 7, 1911. Admiral Wainwright died on March 6, 1926, in Washington, D.C., aged 76.[12] and was interred inArlington National Cemetery.[13]
He marriedEvelyn Wotherspoon on September 11, 1873, in Washington, D.C.. Their son, CommanderRichard Wainwright, Jr., United States Navy, earned theMedal of Honor for hisservice at Veracruz, Mexico.
A Naval Academy classmate,Admiral Seaton Schroeder, became his brother-in-law when he married Wainwright's sister,[2] Maria Campbell Bache Wainwright.
Three ships have been namedUSS Wainwright for Richard, his father,his son and two cousins.
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This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.| Preceded by | Head of theOffice of Naval Intelligence (Chief Intelligence Officer) 4 April 1896 – 15 November 1897 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Superintendent of United States Naval Academy 1900–1902 | Succeeded by |
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