Caspar Frederick Goodrich (7 January 1847 – 26 January 1925) was 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...

, who served 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...

.

Goodrich was born 7 January 1847 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. He was the son of William & Sarah A. Bearden Goodrich. He applied from Connecticut and was graduated from 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...

 in 1864, he spent 2 years in Colorado

USS Colorado (1856)

The first USS Colorado — a -class, three-masted steam screw frigate — was launched on 19 June 1856 by the Norfolk Navy Yard. It was sponsored by Ms. N. S. Dornin, and commissioned on 13 March 1858, Captain W. H...

 and Frolic; 3 years in Portsmouth and Lancaster

USS Lancaster (1858)

The first USS Lancaster was a screw sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War through the Spanish-American War....

; and 3 years at the Naval Academy. Between 1874 and 1881 he had duty on board Tennessee

USS Tennessee (1865)

USS Tennessee, originally USS Madawaska, was a screw frigate built of wood at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and launched 8 July 1865. Powered by two Ericsson vibrating lever engines, Madawaska departed New York City for sea trials 14 January 1867, Comdr. Francis A. Roe in command...

 and followed by a tour at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I. After serving as executive officer of Lancaster, flagship

Flagship

A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

 for the European Squadron

European Squadron

The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil War...

, and Inspector of Ordnance at the Washington Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...

, Goodrich became Officer in Charge of the Newport Torpedo Station in 1886. From 1891 until 1896, he commanded successively Jamestown

USS Jamestown (1844)

The first USS Jamestown was a sloop in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.Jamestown was launched in 1844 by the Gosport Navy Yard, Virginia; and commissioned there on 12 December, with Commander Robert B...

, Constellation

USS Constellation (1854)

USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. According to the US Naval Registry the original frigate was disassembled on 25 June 1853 in Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, and the sloop-of-war was constructed in the...

, and Concord

USS Concord (PG-3)

USS Concord was a member of the of steel-hulled, twin-screw gunboats in the United States Navy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named in honor of the town of Concord, Massachusetts, site of the Battle of Concord in the American Revolutionary War.The...

 before he spent a year 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:...

 at Newport. Originating the Coast Signal Service in 1898, he then served as Director.

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...

 in 1898, he commanded St. Louis

USS St. Louis (1894)

SS St. Louis, was a transatlantic passenger liner built by the William Cramp & Sons Building & Engine Company, Philadelphia and was launched on 12 November 1894; sponsored by Mrs...

 and Newark

USS Newark (C-1)

The first USS Newark was a United States Navy protected cruiser, the first modern cruiser in the US fleet.She was laid down by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 June 1888, launched on 19 March 1890, sponsored by Miss Annie Boutelle, the daughter of Congressman Charles A...

, and received the surrender of Manzanillo, Cuba

Manzanillo, Cuba

Manzanillo is a municipality and city in the Granma Province of Cuba.It is a port city in the Granma Province in eastern Cuba on the Gulf of Guacanayabo, near the delta of the Cauto River...

, following that city's bombardment 12 August. In the years following, Goodrich commanded Iowa

USS Iowa (BB-4)

| The second half of the 19th century saw radical changes in shipbuilding design. Wood-built sailing ships with cannons were replaced by steam-powered warships armored with steel...

, Richmond

USS Richmond (1860)

The USS Richmond was a wooden steam sloop in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Service in the Caribbean :Richmond was launched on 26 January 1860 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by a Miss Robb. Richmond, commanded by Captain D. N. Ingraham, departed Norfolk, Virginia 13...

, Minneapolis

USS Minneapolis (C-13)

The first USS Minneapolis was a United States Navy protected cruiser. She was named for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota....

, and Puritan

USS Puritan (BM-1)

The second USS Puritan was a Puritan class monitor in the United States Navy, constructed in 1882. She was the only ship in her class.-Construction:...

 at sea and served as Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard (1900) and the Portsmouth Navy Yard (1903) on land before his promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral 17 February 1904 and his appointment for 3 years as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Squadron

Pacific Squadron

The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...

. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake

1906 San Francisco earthquake

The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...

 he went with his fleet to San Francisco to help extinguish the fire, especially by spraying water on the flames from ships anchored in the port. After duty as commandant of the New York Navy Yard 1907 to 1909, he retired 7 January 1909.

Recalled to active duty in 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...

, Admiral Goodrich served as officer-in-charge of the Pay Officers' Material School at Princeton until 8 November 1919 when he again stepped down from active duty, ending a 50-year naval career. In 1873 he married Eleanor Milnor. They had a large house in Pomfret, CT called "Gladwyn". He died in Princeton 26 January 1925.

In 1945, the destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 USS Goodrich

USS Goodrich (DD-831)

USS Goodrich was a of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich , and his son, Lieutenant Caspar Goodrich ....

 (DD-831) was named in honor of R.Adm. Goodrich and his son Lt. Caspar Goodrich

Caspar Goodrich

Caspar Goodrich, son of Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich, was born in Italy. Goodrich was appointed a Midshipman from Connecticut on 7 September 1897. He was designated a Naval Cadet 10 June 1901 and reported to Lancaster for duty. From 1903 to 1905 Goodrich served in Maine, Cleveland, and Chicago...

.

Published works

• Torpedoes—their disposition and radius of destructive effect [Washington, D.C., 1882]

• Report of the British naval and military operations in Egypt, 1882. By Lieutenant-Commander Caspar F. Goodrich. Washington, Gov’t print. off., 1883, 1885.

• In memoriam, Stephen Bleecker Luce : Rear Admiral, United States Navy, born 1827, died 1917, a tribute. New York City : The Naval History Society, 1919

• Rope yarns from the old navy New York, The Naval History Society, 1931.