Edward D. Taussig
Encyclopedia
Edward David Taussig was a decorated Rear Admiral
in the United States Navy
. He is best remembered for being the officer to claim Wake Island
during the Spanish-American War
, as well as recapturing and serving briefly as Governor of Guam, to restore order on the island after its capture by the United States
. His son, Joseph Taussig
, also served in the Navy.
. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy
in 1863, during the American Civil War
, and was educated at that institution during the next four years. Graduated in June 1867 and commissioned in the rank of ensign
in late 1868, his early sea service was perhaps most remarkable for his time as an officer of the gunboat
when a tidal wave
washed her far inland at Arica
(then part of Peru
), on 13 August 1868. He was decorated for his actions during this event. As a lieutenant
during the 1870s and 1880s Taussig was stationed at a number of shore stations and in several ships, among them the Washington Navy Yard
's receiving ship , the , flagship
of the European Squadron
, aboard the replica of the battleship Illinois at the Columbia Exposition
, and spent some years on survey duty. The latter work continued well into the 1890s, when he was a lieutenant commander
. He became the executive officer
of the in 1895. He subsequently was transferred to the Hydrographic Office
and the United States Coast Survey. (During this time, he was an officer on the Coast Survey steamer Blake.)
in August 1898, his first command was the gunboat
during the Spanish-American War
. In December of that year, he was given orders to proceed to Wake Island
and claim it for the United States. He formally claimed the island on January 17, 1899. At the time, this action (ordered by President William McKinley
) was seen as somewhat questionable, however no other nation had claimed the island and there was no native population. It was primarily taken for its strategic value as a cable station, midway between Hawaii and the Philippines
.
On February 1, 1899, Taussig arrived at Guam
and recaptured it and re-raised the American flag on the territory. The island previously had been captured by Henry Glass
, who had left Francisco Portusach Martínez
(an American citizen, but a civilian) in charge of the territory. Unfortunately, he had been deposed in favor of non-American leadership and Taussig was asked to intervene. In his short time, he set up a local council system of temporary government which lasted until the arrival of Louis A. Kaiser
.
Shortly afterwards, he was relieved of command on September 1, 1899 for criticizing Admiral John C. Watson
. He was assigned to duty with the Lighthouse Bureau
. In 1902, he was again given command of a school ship, the , operating out of the Boston Naval Yard. Between 1902 and 1908, Captain Taussig's commands included the receiving ship , and battleship
s and . He also attended the Naval War College
, was Captain of the Yard at the New York Navy Yard and was Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard and the Fifth Naval District. In May 1908, while serving in the latter positions, he attained the rank of rear admiral
. Retired in November 1909, Rear Admiral Taussig was recalled to active duty during World War I
as Commandant of the Naval Unit at Columbia University
.
Edward D. Taussig died at Newport, Rhode Island
, on 29 January 1921.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in 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...
. He is best remembered for being the officer to claim Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
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...
, as well as recapturing and serving briefly as Governor of Guam, to restore order on the island after its capture by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His son, Joseph Taussig
Joseph Taussig
Joseph Knefler Taussig was a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy. He served in the Spanish–American War, China Relief Expedition, World War I and World War II.-Biography:...
, also served in the Navy.
Biography
Taussig was born in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He was appointed to the U.S. 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 1863, during 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 was educated at that institution during the next four years. Graduated in June 1867 and commissioned in the rank of ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in late 1868, his early sea service was perhaps most remarkable for his time as an officer of the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
when a tidal wave
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
washed her far inland at Arica
Arica, Chile
Arica is a commune and a port city with a population of 185,269 in the Arica Province of northern Chile's Arica and Parinacota Region, located only south of the border with Peru. The city is the capital of both the Arica Province and the Arica and Parinacota Region...
(then part of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
), on 13 August 1868. He was decorated for his actions during this event. As a 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...
during the 1870s and 1880s Taussig was stationed at a number of shore stations and in several ships, among them 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...
's receiving ship , the , 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...
of 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...
, aboard the replica of the battleship Illinois at the Columbia Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
, and spent some years on survey duty. The latter work continued well into the 1890s, when he was a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
. He became the executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the in 1895. He subsequently was transferred to the Hydrographic Office
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
and the United States Coast Survey. (During this time, he was an officer on the Coast Survey steamer Blake.)
Spanish-American War
Promoted to the rank of commanderCommander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
in August 1898, his first command was the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
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 December of that year, he was given orders to proceed to Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
and claim it for the United States. He formally claimed the island on January 17, 1899. At the time, this action (ordered by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
) was seen as somewhat questionable, however no other nation had claimed the island and there was no native population. It was primarily taken for its strategic value as a cable station, midway between Hawaii and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
On February 1, 1899, Taussig arrived at Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and recaptured it and re-raised the American flag on the territory. The island previously had been captured by Henry Glass
Henry Glass
Henry Glass was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, best remembered for his role in the bloodless capture of Guam in the Spanish-American War...
, who had left Francisco Portusach Martínez
Francisco Portusach Martínez
Francisco Portusach Martínez was a Spanish merchant and whaler who was briefly the Governor of Guam, before he was deposed. In the American media of the time, he was often referred to as Francisco Portusach or Frank Portusach....
(an American citizen, but a civilian) in charge of the territory. Unfortunately, he had been deposed in favor of non-American leadership and Taussig was asked to intervene. In his short time, he set up a local council system of temporary government which lasted until the arrival of Louis A. Kaiser
Louis A. Kaiser
Louis A. Kaiser was a Captain in the United States Navy, as well as briefly acting-Governor of Guam. He was a pioneer in the Navy on the use of wireless telegraphy, prior to World War I.-Early career:...
.
Shortly afterwards, he was relieved of command on September 1, 1899 for criticizing Admiral John C. Watson
John C. Watson
John Crittenden Watson was an admiral of the United States Navy.-Biography:Watson was born in Frankfort, Kentucky on August 24, 1842, the grandson of renowned Kentucky politician John J. Crittenden. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy on 15 June 1860...
. He was assigned to duty with the Lighthouse Bureau
United States Lighthouse Service
The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939...
. In 1902, he was again given command of a school ship, the , operating out of the Boston Naval Yard. Between 1902 and 1908, Captain Taussig's commands included the receiving ship , and battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s and . He also attended 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...
, was Captain of the Yard at the New York Navy Yard and was Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard and the Fifth Naval District. In May 1908, while serving in the latter positions, he attained the rank of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
. Retired in November 1909, Rear Admiral Taussig was recalled to active duty during 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...
as Commandant of the Naval Unit at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Edward D. Taussig died at Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, on 29 January 1921.
Namesake
- The destroyer of 1944-1974 was named for him.
- A street at Naval Station NorfolkNaval Station NorfolkNaval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
in Norfolk, Virginia, is named for him.