David Geisinger
Encyclopedia
David Geisinger was an officer of the United States Navy
, who served during the War of 1812
, and was later Commodore of the East India Squadron
.
in the United States Navy, on 15 November 1809. During the War of 1812
, he was on board the sloop-of-war
. On 21 September 1814, an eight-gun brig
, , ran afoul of Wasp, and was captured. Deemed too valuable to destroy, Atalanta was placed under the command of Midshipman Geisinger and was sent home to the United States. Geisinger arrived at Savannah, Georgia
, safely on 4 November 1814. His good fortune was to escape from the fate of the Wasp, which was lost with all on board. He was promoted to lieutenant
on 9 December 1814.
On March,1829, Geisinger was promoted to a commander
. As commanding officer of the , he carried the diplomat Edmund Roberts to Siam
in March, and Muscat
in September 1833, where Roberts negotiated treaties of amity and commerce with King Rama III
and Sultan Said bin Sultan
respectively.
Geisinger was promoted to captain
on 24 May 1838. He commanded the East India Squadron
from 1848 to 1850 as a Commodore. Geisinger learned from the Dutch consul about the imprisonment at Nagasaki of 18 American sailors from a wrecked whaler, and ordered Captain James Glynn
of the to go to Nagasaki, Japan. Glynn arrived on April 17, 1849, and insistently demanded the release of the prisoners, and threatened an intervention of the United States. With some help from the Dutch in the negotiations, the prisoners were finally delivered to him on April 26. He was the first American to negotiate successfully with Japan.
Geisinger's last assignment was at the Philadelphia Naval Asylum
. He was placed on the retired list on September 13, 1855, and died in Philadelphia on March 5, 1860.
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 during 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...
, and was later Commodore of the East India Squadron
East India Squadron
The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a squadron of American ships which existed in the nineteenth century, it focused on protecting American interests in the Far East while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on the western coasts of the Americas and in the South Pacific Ocean...
.
Biography
Geisinger was born in Maryland in 1790 and was appointed midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in the United States Navy, on 15 November 1809. During 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...
, he was on board the sloop-of-war
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
. On 21 September 1814, an eight-gun brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
, , ran afoul of Wasp, and was captured. Deemed too valuable to destroy, Atalanta was placed under the command of Midshipman Geisinger and was sent home to the United States. Geisinger arrived at Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, safely on 4 November 1814. His good fortune was to escape from the fate of the Wasp, which was lost with all on board. He was promoted to 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...
on 9 December 1814.
On March,1829, Geisinger was promoted to a 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...
. As commanding officer of the , he carried the diplomat Edmund Roberts to Siam
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in March, and Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
in September 1833, where Roberts negotiated treaties of amity and commerce with King Rama III
Jessadabodindra
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama III , was the third monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 21 July 1824 to 2 April 1851. He succeeded his father, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, as the King of Siam...
and Sultan Said bin Sultan
Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman
Said bin Sultan Al-Said was Sultan of Muscat and Oman from November 20, 1804 to June 4, 1856. He became joint ruler of the country along with his brother Salim on the death of their father, Sultan bin Ahmad, in 1804...
respectively.
Geisinger was promoted to captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
on 24 May 1838. He commanded the East India Squadron
East India Squadron
The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a squadron of American ships which existed in the nineteenth century, it focused on protecting American interests in the Far East while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on the western coasts of the Americas and in the South Pacific Ocean...
from 1848 to 1850 as a Commodore. Geisinger learned from the Dutch consul about the imprisonment at Nagasaki of 18 American sailors from a wrecked whaler, and ordered Captain James Glynn
James Glynn
James Glynn was a U.S. Navy officer who in 1848 distinguished himself by being the first American to negotiate successfully with the Japanese during the "Closed Country" period....
of the to go to Nagasaki, Japan. Glynn arrived on April 17, 1849, and insistently demanded the release of the prisoners, and threatened an intervention of the United States. With some help from the Dutch in the negotiations, the prisoners were finally delivered to him on April 26. He was the first American to negotiate successfully with Japan.
Geisinger's last assignment was at the Philadelphia Naval Asylum
Philadelphia Naval Asylum
The Philadelphia Naval Asylum, later the Naval Home, was a hospital, the Philadelphia Naval School, and a home for retired sailors for the United States Navy from 1834 to 1976, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. He was placed on the retired list on September 13, 1855, and died in Philadelphia on March 5, 1860.