Hamilton Fish
Encyclopedia
Hamilton Fish was an American
statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, United States Senator and United States Secretary of State
. Fish has been considered one of the best Secretary of States in the United States history; known for his judiciousness and reform efforts during the Grant Administration. Fish settled the controversial Alabama Claims
with Great Britain
through his development of the concept of international arbitration
. Fish kept the United States out of war with Spain
over Cuban
independence by coolly handling the volatile Virginius Incident. In 1875, Fish initiated the process for Hawaiian statehood, by having negotiated a reciprocal trade treaty for the island nation's abundant sugar supply. Fish organized a peace conference and treaty in Washington D.C. between between South American countries and Spain. Fish worked with James Milton Turner, America's first African American
consul, to settle the Liberian-Grebo civil war. President Grant stated that Hamilton Fish, above all, was the person whom he most trusted for political advice.
Fish came from a prominent wealthy New York family and attended Columbia College of Columbia University
. Upon graduation, Fish passed the bar, worked as New York's commissioner of deeds
, and ran unsuccessfully for New York State Assembly as a Whig candidate in 1834. After his marriage, Fish returned to New York politics in 1843 and successfully was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Fish ran for New York's Lieutenant Governor in 1846, however, he was defeated by a Democratic Anti-Rent Party
contender. When the office was vacated in 1847, Fish successfully ran and was elected Lieutenant Governor. In 1848 Fish ran and was elected Governor of New York having served only one term. In 1851, Fish was elected U.S. Senator for the state of New York and served only one term. Fish gained valuable experience serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 1850's Fish became a Republican after the Whig party dissolved. In terms of the slavery issue, Fish was a moderate; having disapproved of the Kansas Nebraska Act and the expansion of slavery.
After traveling to Europe
, Fish returned to America and supported Abraham Lincoln
as the Republican candidate for President in 1860. During the American Civil War
Fish raised money for the Union war effort and served on Lincoln's presidential commission that made successful arrangements for Union and Confederate
troop prisoner exchanges. Fish returned to his law practice, after the Civil War, and was thought to have been retired from political life. When Ulysses S. Grant
was elected President in 1868, he appointed Fish as U.S. Secretary of State in 1869. Fish took on the State Department with vigor, reorganized the office, and established civil service reform. During his 8 year tenure, Fish had to contend with Cuban belligerency, the settlement of the Alabama claims, Canadian border disputes, and the Virginius Incident. Fish implemented a new concept of international arbitration, where disputes between countries were settled by negotiations, rather then military conflicts. Fish was involved in a political feud
between Sen. Charles Sumner
and President Grant's unsuccessful controversial attempt for the annexation
of the Dominican Republic
. Fish organized a naval expedition in an unsuccessful attempt to open trade with Korea in 1871. Leaving office and politics in 1877, Fish returned to private life and continued to serve on various historical associations. Fish's male descendants would later serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for three generations. Fish died of old age in his luxurious New York State home in 1893.
, New York City, to Nicholas Fish
and Elizabeth Stuyvesant (a great-great-granddaughter of New Amsterdam
's Peter Stuyvesant
), and his parents named him after their friend Alexander Hamilton
. Nicholas Fish (1758–1833) was a leading Federalist politician and notable figure of the American Revolutionary War
. Col. Fish was active in the Yorktown Campaign
that resulted in the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Peter Stuyvesant
was a prominent founder of New York
, then a Dutch Colony, and his family owned much property in Manhattan.
Fish graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University
in 1827 and was admitted to the New York bar
in 1830, practicing briefly with William Beach Lawrence
. At Columbia Fish became fluent in French, a language that would later help him as U.S. Secretary of State. He served as commissioner of deeds
for the city and county of New York from 1832 through 1833, and was an unsuccessful Whig
candidate for New York State Assembly
in 1834.
). The couples lengthy marriage life was described as happy and Mrs. Fish was known for her "sagacity and judgement". The couple would have three sons and five daughters, and multiple notable relatives.
party leaders in 1842 convinced him to run for the House of Representatives
. In November, Fish was elected to the House of Representatives; having defeated Democrat
John McKeon
and serving in the 28th Congress from New York's 6th District between 1843 and 1845. The Whigs at this time were in the minority in the House, however, Fish gained valued national experience serving on the Committee of Military Affairs. After losing his bid for re-election, he returned to private practice as a lawyer.
in 1846, but was defeated by Democrat Addison Gardiner
who had been endorsed by the Anti-Rent Party
. Leasing farmers in New York refused to pay rent to large land tract owners and sometimes resorted to violence and intimidation. Fish had opposed the use of illegal tactics not to pay rent. Gardiner was elected
in May 1847 a judge of the New York Court of Appeals
and vacated the office of lieutenant governor. Fish was then in November 1847
elected to fill the vacancy, and was Lieutenant Governor in 1848. Lieut. Gov. Fish had a favorable reputation for being "conciliatory" and for his "firmness" over the New York Senate.
, defeating John A. Dix
and Reuben H. Walworth
, and served from January 1, 1849, to December 31, 1850. At 40 years of age, Fish was one of the youngest governors to be elected in New York history. Gov. Fish spoke out against the extension of slavery from land acquired from the Mexican American War. Gov. Fish advocated and signed into law free public education facilities throughout New York state. Gov. Fish advocated and signed into law the building of an asylum and school for the mentally retarded. In 1850, Gov. Fish recommended that the State legislature form a committee to collect and publish the Colonial Laws of New York. All the bills Gov. Fish vetoed were never overturned by the New York legislature.
a U.S. Senator from New York, and he took his seat on December 1.
In the United States Senate
, he was a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations until the end of his term on March 4, 1857. Fish became friends with President Franklin Pierce
's Secretary of State William L. Marcy
and Attorney General Caleb Cushing
. He was a Republican
for the latter part of his term and was part of a moderately anti-slavery faction. During the 1850s the Republican Party replaced the Whig Party as the central party against the Democratic Party. By 1856, Fish privately considered himself a Whig although he knew that the Whig Party was no longer viable politically. Fish was a quiet Senator, rather than an orator, who liked to keep to himself. Fish often was in disagreement with Senator Sumner, who was firmly opposed to slavery and advocated equality for blacks. His policy was to vote for legislation on the side of "justice, economy, and public virtue." He strongly opposed the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise
. Fish often voted with the Free Soil faction and was strongly against the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. In February 1855, merchants represented by Moses H. Grinnell
, criticized Fish's bill on immigration and maritime commerce. Fish's bill was designed to protect Irish and German immigrants who were dying on merchant ships during oceanic passage to America. The merchants believed that Fish's bill was oppressive to commercial interests over human interests.
During his tenure, the nation and Congress were in tremendous political upheaval over slavery, that included violence, disorder, and disturbances of the peace. In 1856, pro slavery advocates invaded Kansas and used violent tactics against those who were anti-slavery. In May 1856, Senator Charles Sumner was viciously attacked by Preston Brooks
in the Senate Chamber. At the expiration of his term, he traveled with his family to Europe
and remained there until shortly before the opening of the American Civil War
, when he returned to begin actively campaigning for the election of Abraham Lincoln
. While in France, Fish studied foreign policy with diplomats and distinguished Americans; having gained valuable experience that would eventually benefit his tenor as Secretary of State.
had been elected President in 1860, Fish spent time with Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott
, commander of the Federal Army. Fish's private secretary had aided the efforts of the Star of the West
, an American merchant ship sent by President James Buchanan
to bring relief supplies to Major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. While Fish was dining with General Scott in New York a telegram was received that announced the Confederates had attacked the Star of the West in Charleston Bay. When Fish stated that this meant war, Scott replied "Don't utter that word, my friend. You don't know what a horrid thing war is."
In 1861 and 1862 Fish joined and participated on the Union Defense Committee of the State of New York, that from April 22, 1861, to April 30, 1862 co-operated with the New York City government in the raising and equipping troops, and disbursed more than $1 million for the relief of New York volunteers and their families. The committee included chairman John A. Dix
, William M. Evarts
, William E. Dodge
, A.T. Stewart, John Jacob Astor
and other New York men. Fish was appointed chairman of the committee after Dix joined the Union Army.
In 1862 Fish was appointed by President Lincoln on a commission to serve with Bishop Edward R. Ames
to visit the Union Army
prisoners being held in the Confederate States of America
capital in Richmond, Virginia
. The Confederate government, however, refused to allow the commission to enter the city. Instead, Fish and Rev. Ames were able to start a system of prisoner exchange that remained virtually unchanged throughout the American Civil War
. After the War ended Fish went back to private practice as a lawyer in New York.
by President Ulysses S. Grant
and served between March 17, 1869 and March 12, 1877. He was President Grant's longest-serving Cabinet
officer. Upon assuming office in 1869, Fish was initially underrated by some statesmen including former Secretaries of State William H. Seward
and John Bigelow
. Fish, however, immediately took on the responsibilities of his office with diligence, zeal, and intelligence.
. After appropriations were given to his office by Congress, Fish cataloged and organized 700 volumes of miscellaneous State Department documents. Fish introduced indexing of State Department files so subordinates could easily find documents. Fish implemented Civil Service
reform by having State Department applicants be required to pass an entry examination before being appointed consultant
. This policy was sometimes hampered, since President Grant could appoint any person to office without the person having to take an examination. However, the policy of testing overall improved the staff at the State Department.
, did not approve of recognizing the Cuban rebels, since, Queen Victoria and her government had recognized Confederate belligerency in 1861. Recognizing Cuban belligerency would have jeopardized settlement and arbitration with Great Britain. In February 1870, Senator John Sherman authored a Senate resolution that would have recognized Cuban belligerency. Working behind the scenes Fish counseled Sherman that Cuban recognition would ultimately lead to war with Spain. The resolution went to the House of Representatives and was ready to pass, however, Fish, worked out an agreement with President Grant to send a special message to Congress that urged not to acknowledge the Cuban rebels. On June 13, 1870 the message written by Fish was sent to Congress by the President and Congress, after much debate, decided not to recognize Cuban belligerency. President Grant continued the policy of Cuban belligerent non recognition for the rest of his two administrations. This policy, however, was tested in 1873 with the Virginius Affair
.
had been troubled with civil strife. Báez had imprisoned an American citizen Davis Hatch for speaking out against the Báez government. Fish told Grant that the Senate would not be ready to pass a Santo Domingo annexation treaty. In April, 1869 Fish gave Grant’s private secretary Orville Babcock “special agent” status to search the island. In September 1869, Babcock made a preliminary treaty that would annex Santo Domingo into the United States and given the opportunity to apply for statehood. In October 1869, Fish drew up a formal treaty that included: a $1,500,000 payment of the Dominican national debt; Samaná Bay
would be leased to the United States for $150,000 yearly payment; Santo Domingo would eventually be given statehood.
In a private conference with President Grant, Fish agreed to support the Santo Domingo annexation if President Grant sent Congress a non-belligerency statement not to get involved with the Cuban rebellion in Spain. Charles Sumner
, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was against supporting the treaty believing that Santo Domingo needed to remain independent and that racism against U.S. black citizens in the South needed to be taken care within the continental United States. Sumner believed that blacks on Santo Domingo did not share Anglo-American values. On January 10, 1870 Grant submitted the Santo Domingo treaty to the United States Senate
. Fish believed Senators would vote for annexation only if statehood was withdrawn; however, President Grant refused this option. The Senate taking their time on deliberating, finally, rejected the treaty on June 30, 1870. Eighteen Senators led by Charles Sumner defeated the treaty. Pres. Grant, angered at Sumner's refusal to support the treaty, fired Sumner's friend J. Lothrop Motley
, Grant's ambassador to England, for disregarding Fish's instructions regarding the Alabama Claims
. Grant believed Sumner had in January 1870 stated support for the Santo Domingo treaty. Sumner was then disposed of his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1871 by Grant's allies in the Senate.
, Secretary of State Seward attempted to resolve the Alabama Claims
with the Johnson-Clarendon convention and treaty. The Alabama Claims had arisen out of the American Civil War
, when Confederate cruiser ships built in British ports had damaged Union shipping. The Johnson-Clarendon treaty, presented to Congress by President Ulysses S. Grant, was overwhelmingly defeated by the Senate and the claims remained unresolved. Anti-British Anglo-phobia led by Charles Sumner
was at an all time high when Fish became Secretary of State. Sumner had demanded Britain succeed Canada to the United States as payment for the Alabama Claims. In late 1870, an opportunity arrived to settle the Alabama Claims under Prime Minister William E. Gladstone
. Fish, who was determined to improve relations with Britain, along with President Grant and Senate supporters, had Charles Sumner removed by vote from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the door was open for renewed negotiations with Britain.
On January 9, 1871, Fish met with British representative Sir John Rose in Washington and an agreement was made, under much negotiations
, to establish a Joint Commission to settle the Alabama claims to be held in Washington under the direction of Hamilton Fish. At stake was the financing of America's debt with British bankers during the Civil War, and peace with Britain was required. On February 14, 1871 both distinguished High Commissioners representing Britain, led by the Earl of Ripon, George Robinson
, and the United States, led by Fish, met in Washington D.C. and negotiations over settlement went remarkably well. Also representing Britain was Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald. After 37 meetings, on March 8, 1871 the Treaty of Washington
was signed at the State Department and became a "landmark of international conciliation". The Senate ratified the treaty on May 24, 1871. On August 25, 1872, the settlement for the Alabama claims was made by an international arbitration
committee meeting in Geneva and the United States was awarded $15,500,000 in gold for damaged done by the Confederate warships. Under the treaty settlement over disputed Atlantic fisheries and the San Juan Boundary (concerning the Oregon
boundary line) was made. The treaty was considered an "unprecedented accomplishment", having solved border disputes, reciprocal trade, and navigation issues. A friendly perpetual relationship between Great Britain
and America was established, with Britain having expressed regret over the Alabama damages.
and the South American republics of Peru
, Chile
, Ecuador
, and Bolivia
, that resulted in an armistice between the countries. These countries had been in a "technical" state of war since 1866, and the United States in 1871 served as mediator, directed by Hamilton Fish. Representing Spain was Mauricio Lopez Roberts; Manuel Freyer represented both Peru and Bolivia; Joaquin Godoy represented Chile
; and Antonio Flores represented Ecuador
. President Grant gave Fish full powers to control negotiations at the détente
meeting between the five countries. The signed armistice treaty consisted of seven articles; hostilities were to cease for a minimum of three years and the countries would allow commercial trade with neutral countries.
In 1871, Korea was known as the "Hermit Kingdom", a country determined to remain isolated from other nations, specifically from commerce and trade from Western nations, including the United States. In 1866, U.S. relations with Korea were troubled when Christian missionaries were beheaded by the Korean tacwongun, regent to King Kojong, and the crew of the General Sherman, a U.S. trading ship, were massacred. Secretary William H. Seward
, under President Andrew Johnson
demanded redress for what was perceived as the outrageous actions of the Korean government. U.S. Naval warships were ordered to the Orient, however, when Seward's term ended in 1869, he was unable to organize a naval expedition. When Fish took office he organized the Korean naval expedition and broadened the purposes. In April, 1871 Fish ordered Frederick F. Low, minister to China, to take the Asiatic Fleet and voyage to Seoul. The purpose of the expedition was to seek retribution for the assaulted sailors and to open up a commercial treaty with the King of Korea. Fish had told the fleet not to use force unless the honor of the U.S. Flag was infringed by the Koreans.
On May 8, 1871 Low and Rear Admiral John Rodgers, commander of the Asiatic Squadron, voyaged to Korea with five warships, eighty-five guns, and 1,230 sailors and marines. On May 16, the naval squadron reached Nagasaki Bay and a week later lowered anchor near the mouth of the Han. The Koreans sent unofficial representatives to stall for time and hope the American Squadron would leave. In June, the American fleet while doing nautical survey was fired upon by the Korean Forts on the Han River
leading to Seoul. The American fleet fired back damaging the forts. An apology was demanded, since the honor of the American flag had been violated. On June 10, a U.S. military expedition was launched, after the Koreans failed to apologize for the attack; the objective to destroy the Korean forts on Kanghoa Island. The U.S.S. Monocacy pounded the forts with 9 inch guns while 546 sailors and 105 marines landed on the island ; captured and destroyed the Korean forts. The "Citadel" fortress, on a steep 115 foot hillside, posed the most difficulty in taking for the American troops, fighting in hand to hand combat with the Korean Tiger Hunters. All of the Korean forts taken, were destroyed and leveled on June 11. 350 Korean Tiger Hunters were killed; versus only one officer and two American sailors. Lieut. Hugh W. McKee was the first U. S. Navy officer to die in battle in Korea.
The Asiatic Squadron remained on the Han River for three weeks, however, the Koreans would not open negotiations for a commercial treaty. As the American Squadron left, the Koreans believed that they had won a great victory over the Americans. The attempt to open Korea up to trade was similar to how Admiral Matthew Perry in 1854 had successfully opened up Japan to Western trade. Korea, however, proved to be more isolated then Japan. Ten years later in 1881, Commodore Robert W. Shufeldt, without using a naval fleet, went to a more conciliatory Korean government and made a commercial treaty. The U.S. was the first Western nation to establish formal trade with Korea.
was in a state of rebellion against Spain. In the United States, Americans were divided on whether to militarily aid the rebel Cubans. Many jingoists believed the United States needed to fight for the Cuban rebels and pressured the Grant Administration to take action. A privately owned ship, the Virginius, was used to run guns, ammunition, and vital supplies to the Cuban rebels. The captain of the Virginius was Joseph Fry, former officer of the Confederate and Federal Navies. On October 31, 1873 the Virginius was run down in neutral waters by the Spanish warship, the Tornado, off of Morant Bay, Jamaica
. After being hit, the Virginius took on water and was forced to surrender to the Spanish authorities. The 103 crew members consisted of Cuban rebel recruits and 52 American and British citizens. The Spanish hauled down and trampled the American flag, and brought the prisoners to Santiago. A total of 53 Viginius crew members were executed by the Spanish authorities. The Spanish finally stopped the carnage as a British warship appeared with guns ready to fire on Santiago. The American Navy, at this time, although formidable world wide, was in decline after the American Civil War.
When news reached the United States of the executions, President Grant and Secretary Fish were forced to make an immediate response. Many Americans demanded a full scale war with Spain. Fish found out that the registration was falsified under American ownership, however, the executions of Americans demanded action. Fish, coolly handled the situation, called upon Spanish minister, Admiral José Polo de Bernabé in Washington D.C. and held a conference. A settlement was made where Spain relinquished the severely damaged Virginius to the U.S. Navy, while survivors were released that included 13 Americans. The Spanish Captain who ordered the executions was censured, and Spain paid $80,000 reparations to American families whose family members were executed in Santiago. The national honor of both Spain and the United States was preserved and it was chiefly due to the restraint and moderation of Fish and Bernabé that a satisfactory settlement of the Virginius Affair
was reached by the United States
and Spain
.
. Hawaiian sugar was made duty free; while the importation of manufactured goods and clothing was allowed into the island kingdom. By opening Hawaii to free trade the process for eventual statehood into the United States had begun.
, under President Grant's authority, to Liberia
. Liberia was in practice an American colony. U.S. envoy James Milton Turner, the first African American ambassador, requested a warship to protect American property in Liberia. Turner, bolstered by U.S. naval presence in harbor and support of the USS Alaska captain, negotiated the incorporation of Grebo people into Liberian society and the ousting of foreign traders from Liberia.
and Roscoe Conkling
. Cartoonist Thomas Nast
drew a caricature of Fish and Rutherford B. Hayes
as the Republican Party ticket. Fish, who was ready to retire to private life, did not desire to run for President and was content at returning to private life. Fish found out later President Grant had written the letter to the convention.
, in Putnam County, New York
, in the Hudson River Valley. His health remained good until around 1884, having suffered from neuralgia
. On September 6, 1893 Fish had retired from the evening having played cards with his daughter. The following morning on September 7, Fish, at the age of 84, suddenly died. His death was attributed to old age. Fish was buried in Garrison at St. Philip's Church-in-the-Highlands Cemetery.
Charles Francis Adams
describe Fish as "a quiet and easy-going man; but, when aroused, by being, as he thought, 'put upon', he became very formidable. Neither was it possible to placate him." Fish's 20th Century biographer, A. Elwood Corning, stated that Fish was free from "petty jealousies and prejudices which so often drag the reputation of statesmen down to the level of politicians" and that Fish "used the language and practiced the manners of a gentleman." As an invaluable member of the Grant Administration, Fish commanded "men's confidence, and respect by his firmness, candor, and justice.
. Hamilton Fish II
, Fish's son, served one term as U.S. Representative from 1909 to 1911. Fish II also served as assistant to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. Hamilton Fish III
, Fish's grandson, served as U.S. Representative from 1920 to 1945. Hamilton Fish IV
, Fish's great-grandson, served as U.S. Representative from 1969 to 1995. Another son Stuyvesant Fish
was an important railroad executive. Another son, Nicholas Fish II
, was a U.S. diplomat, who was appointed second secretary of legation at Berlin
in 1871, became secretary in 1874, and was chargé d'affaires at Berne in 1877–1881, and minister to Belgium
in 1882–1886, after which he engaged in banking in New York City. Hamilton Fish
, Fish's grandson by Nicholas, was an 1895 graduate of Columbia College of Columbia University
, saw service in The Spanish-American War
as one of the storied Rough Riders
. He was the first member of that regiment to be killed in action, at the Battle of Las Guasimas
, Cuba
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, United States Senator and United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
. Fish has been considered one of the best Secretary of States in the United States history; known for his judiciousness and reform efforts during the Grant Administration. Fish settled the controversial Alabama Claims
Alabama Claims
The Alabama Claims were a series of claims for damages by the United States government against the government of Great Britain for the assistance given to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War. After international arbitration endorsed the American position in 1872, Britain settled...
with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
through his development of the concept of international arbitration
International arbitration
International arbitration is a leading method for resolving disputes arising from international commercial agreements and other international relationships...
. Fish kept the United States out of war with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
over Cuban
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
independence by coolly handling the volatile Virginius Incident. In 1875, Fish initiated the process for Hawaiian statehood, by having negotiated a reciprocal trade treaty for the island nation's abundant sugar supply. Fish organized a peace conference and treaty in Washington D.C. between between South American countries and Spain. Fish worked with James Milton Turner, America's first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
consul, to settle the Liberian-Grebo civil war. President Grant stated that Hamilton Fish, above all, was the person whom he most trusted for political advice.
Fish came from a prominent wealthy New York family and attended Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
. Upon graduation, Fish passed the bar, worked as New York's commissioner of deeds
Commissioner of deeds
A Commissioner of Deeds is an officer having authority to take affidavits, depositions, acknowledgments of deeds, etc., for use in the state by which the person is appointed...
, and ran unsuccessfully for New York State Assembly as a Whig candidate in 1834. After his marriage, Fish returned to New York politics in 1843 and successfully was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Fish ran for New York's Lieutenant Governor in 1846, however, he was defeated by a Democratic Anti-Rent Party
Anti-Rent War
The Anti-Rent War was a tenants' revolt in upstate New York during the early 19th century, beginning with the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III in 1839....
contender. When the office was vacated in 1847, Fish successfully ran and was elected Lieutenant Governor. In 1848 Fish ran and was elected Governor of New York having served only one term. In 1851, Fish was elected U.S. Senator for the state of New York and served only one term. Fish gained valuable experience serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 1850's Fish became a Republican after the Whig party dissolved. In terms of the slavery issue, Fish was a moderate; having disapproved of the Kansas Nebraska Act and the expansion of slavery.
After traveling to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Fish returned to America and supported Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
as the Republican candidate for President in 1860. 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...
Fish raised money for the Union war effort and served on Lincoln's presidential commission that made successful arrangements for Union and Confederate
Confederacy
Confederacy may refer to:A Confederation, an association of sovereign states or communities. Examples include:* Confederate States of America, eleven southern states of the United States of America between 1861 and 1865...
troop prisoner exchanges. Fish returned to his law practice, after the Civil War, and was thought to have been retired from political life. When Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
was elected President in 1868, he appointed Fish as U.S. Secretary of State in 1869. Fish took on the State Department with vigor, reorganized the office, and established civil service reform. During his 8 year tenure, Fish had to contend with Cuban belligerency, the settlement of the Alabama claims, Canadian border disputes, and the Virginius Incident. Fish implemented a new concept of international arbitration, where disputes between countries were settled by negotiations, rather then military conflicts. Fish was involved in a political feud
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
between Sen. Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
and President Grant's unsuccessful controversial attempt for the annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Fish organized a naval expedition in an unsuccessful attempt to open trade with Korea in 1871. Leaving office and politics in 1877, Fish returned to private life and continued to serve on various historical associations. Fish's male descendants would later serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for three generations. Fish died of old age in his luxurious New York State home in 1893.
Early life and career
Hamilton Fish was born on August 3, 1808 at what is now known as the Stuyvesant–Fish House in Greenwich VillageGreenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, New York City, to Nicholas Fish
Nicholas Fish
Nicholas Fish was an American Revolutionary soldier, born in New York City.He attended Princeton but left before graduating to pursue the study of law at King's College through the office of John Morin Scott in New York...
and Elizabeth Stuyvesant (a great-great-granddaughter of New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
's Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
), and his parents named him after their friend Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
. Nicholas Fish (1758–1833) was a leading Federalist politician and notable figure of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Col. Fish was active in the Yorktown Campaign
Yorktown campaign
The Yorktown or Virginia campaign was a series of military maneuvers and battles during the American Revolutionary War that culminated in the decisive Siege of Yorktown in October 1781...
that resulted in the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
was a prominent founder of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, then a Dutch Colony, and his family owned much property in Manhattan.
Fish graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
in 1827 and was admitted to the New York bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1830, practicing briefly with William Beach Lawrence
William Beach Lawrence
William Beach Lawrence was an American politician and jurist who served as lieutenant governor of Rhode Island from 1851 to 1852....
. At Columbia Fish became fluent in French, a language that would later help him as U.S. Secretary of State. He served as commissioner of deeds
Commissioner of deeds
A Commissioner of Deeds is an officer having authority to take affidavits, depositions, acknowledgments of deeds, etc., for use in the state by which the person is appointed...
for the city and county of New York from 1832 through 1833, and was an unsuccessful Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate for New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1834.
Marriage and family
On December 15, 1836 Hamilton Fish married Julia Kean (a descendant of a New Yorker who was a New Jersey governor, William LivingstonWilliam Livingston
William Livingston served as the Governor of New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War and was a signer of the United States Constitution.-Early life:...
). The couples lengthy marriage life was described as happy and Mrs. Fish was known for her "sagacity and judgement". The couple would have three sons and five daughters, and multiple notable relatives.
New York political career
U.S. Representative
For 8 years after his defeat as a Representative in the New York State Assembly, Fish was reluctant to run for office. However, WhigWhig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
party leaders in 1842 convinced him to run for the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. In November, Fish was elected to the House of Representatives; having defeated Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
John McKeon
John McKeon
John McKeon was an American lawyer and politician from New York.- Life :He was the son of Capt...
and serving in the 28th Congress from New York's 6th District between 1843 and 1845. The Whigs at this time were in the minority in the House, however, Fish gained valued national experience serving on the Committee of Military Affairs. After losing his bid for re-election, he returned to private practice as a lawyer.
Lieutenant Governor
Fish was the Whig candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New YorkLieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
in 1846, but was defeated by Democrat Addison Gardiner
Addison Gardiner
Addison Gardiner was an American lawyer and politician who was the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1854 to 1855.-Early life and career:...
who had been endorsed by the Anti-Rent Party
Anti-Rent War
The Anti-Rent War was a tenants' revolt in upstate New York during the early 19th century, beginning with the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III in 1839....
. Leasing farmers in New York refused to pay rent to large land tract owners and sometimes resorted to violence and intimidation. Fish had opposed the use of illegal tactics not to pay rent. Gardiner was elected
New York special judicial election, 1847
At a special judicial election on June 7, 1847, four judges of the New York Court of Appeals, the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, 32 justices of the new New York Supreme Court district benches, county judges, surrogates, districty attorneys and all other judicial officers in the state of New York...
in May 1847 a judge of the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
and vacated the office of lieutenant governor. Fish was then in November 1847
New York state election, 1847
The 1847 New York state election was held on November 2, 1847, to elect the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, three Canal Commissioners and three Inspectors of State Prisons, as well as all members of...
elected to fill the vacancy, and was Lieutenant Governor in 1848. Lieut. Gov. Fish had a favorable reputation for being "conciliatory" and for his "firmness" over the New York Senate.
Governor
In November 1848, he was elected Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
, defeating John A. Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
and Reuben H. Walworth
Reuben H. Walworth
Reuben Hyde Walworth was an American lawyer and politician...
, and served from January 1, 1849, to December 31, 1850. At 40 years of age, Fish was one of the youngest governors to be elected in New York history. Gov. Fish spoke out against the extension of slavery from land acquired from the Mexican American War. Gov. Fish advocated and signed into law free public education facilities throughout New York state. Gov. Fish advocated and signed into law the building of an asylum and school for the mentally retarded. In 1850, Gov. Fish recommended that the State legislature form a committee to collect and publish the Colonial Laws of New York. All the bills Gov. Fish vetoed were never overturned by the New York legislature.
U.S. Senator
After Gov. Fish had retired from office he did not openly seek the nomination to be elected U.S. Senator. However, Fish's supporters, in January, 1851, nominated him as a candidate for U.S. Senator. Though Fish was a popular governor a deadlock ensued over his nomination. There had been misgivings by certain state Senators in the New York legislature over Fish's views on slavery. Before the election Fish had declined to speak specifically on compromise legislation over slavery, but had only stated government should enforce the laws. Although Fish did not favor the spread of slavery he was hesitant to support the free soil movement. Finally, when two Democratic Senators who were against Fish's nomination were conspicuously absent, the Senate took action and voted. On March 19, 1851, Fish was electedUnited States Senate election in New York, 1851
The 1851 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 4 and March 18/19, 1851, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.-Background:Daniel S...
a U.S. Senator from New York, and he took his seat on December 1.
In the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, he was a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations until the end of his term on March 4, 1857. Fish became friends with President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
's Secretary of State William L. Marcy
William L. Marcy
William Learned Marcy was an American statesman, who served as U.S. Senator and the 11th Governor of New York, and as the U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Secretary of State.-Early life:...
and Attorney General Caleb Cushing
Caleb Cushing
Caleb Cushing was an American diplomat who served as a U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts and Attorney General under President Franklin Pierce.-Early life:...
. He was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for the latter part of his term and was part of a moderately anti-slavery faction. During the 1850s the Republican Party replaced the Whig Party as the central party against the Democratic Party. By 1856, Fish privately considered himself a Whig although he knew that the Whig Party was no longer viable politically. Fish was a quiet Senator, rather than an orator, who liked to keep to himself. Fish often was in disagreement with Senator Sumner, who was firmly opposed to slavery and advocated equality for blacks. His policy was to vote for legislation on the side of "justice, economy, and public virtue." He strongly opposed the repeal
Repeal
A repeal is the amendment, removal or reversal of a law. This is generally done when a law is no longer effective, or it is shown that a law is having far more negative consequences than were originally envisioned....
of the Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30'...
. Fish often voted with the Free Soil faction and was strongly against the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. In February 1855, merchants represented by Moses H. Grinnell
Moses H. Grinnell
Moses Hicks Grinnell was a United States Navy officer, congressmanrepresenting New York, and Central Park Commissioner.-Biography:...
, criticized Fish's bill on immigration and maritime commerce. Fish's bill was designed to protect Irish and German immigrants who were dying on merchant ships during oceanic passage to America. The merchants believed that Fish's bill was oppressive to commercial interests over human interests.
During his tenure, the nation and Congress were in tremendous political upheaval over slavery, that included violence, disorder, and disturbances of the peace. In 1856, pro slavery advocates invaded Kansas and used violent tactics against those who were anti-slavery. In May 1856, Senator Charles Sumner was viciously attacked by Preston Brooks
Preston Brooks
Preston Smith Brooks was a Democratic Congressman from South Carolina. Brooks is primarily remembered for his severe beating of Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the United States Senate with a gutta-percha cane, delivered in response to an anti-slavery speech in which Sumner compared Brooks'...
in the Senate Chamber. At the expiration of his term, he traveled with his family to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and remained there until shortly before the opening of 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...
, when he returned to begin actively campaigning for the election of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. While in France, Fish studied foreign policy with diplomats and distinguished Americans; having gained valuable experience that would eventually benefit his tenor as Secretary of State.
American Civil War
After Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
had been elected President in 1860, Fish spent time with Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
, commander of the Federal Army. Fish's private secretary had aided the efforts of the Star of the West
Star of the West
The Star of the West was a civilian steamship hired by the United States government to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the garrison of Fort Sumter, but was fired on by Confederates in its effort to do so at the dawning of the American Civil War...
, an American merchant ship sent by President James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
to bring relief supplies to Major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. While Fish was dining with General Scott in New York a telegram was received that announced the Confederates had attacked the Star of the West in Charleston Bay. When Fish stated that this meant war, Scott replied "Don't utter that word, my friend. You don't know what a horrid thing war is."
In 1861 and 1862 Fish joined and participated on the Union Defense Committee of the State of New York, that from April 22, 1861, to April 30, 1862 co-operated with the New York City government in the raising and equipping troops, and disbursed more than $1 million for the relief of New York volunteers and their families. The committee included chairman John A. Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
, William M. Evarts
William M. Evarts
William Maxwell Evarts was an American lawyer and statesman who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York...
, William E. Dodge
William E. Dodge
William Earle Dodge, Sr. was a New York businessman, referred to as one of the "Merchant Princes" of Wall Street in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Dodge was also a noted abolitionist, and Native American rights activist and served as the president of the National Temperance...
, A.T. Stewart, John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
and other New York men. Fish was appointed chairman of the committee after Dix joined the Union Army.
In 1862 Fish was appointed by President Lincoln on a commission to serve with Bishop Edward R. Ames
Edward Raymond Ames
Edward Raymond Ames was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1852.-Birth and family:...
to visit the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
prisoners being held in the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
capital in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. The Confederate government, however, refused to allow the commission to enter the city. Instead, Fish and Rev. Ames were able to start a system of prisoner exchange that remained virtually unchanged throughout 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...
. After the War ended Fish went back to private practice as a lawyer in New York.
U.S. Secretary of State
Hamilton Fish was appointed Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
by President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and served between March 17, 1869 and March 12, 1877. He was President Grant's longest-serving Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
officer. Upon assuming office in 1869, Fish was initially underrated by some statesmen including former Secretaries of State William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
and John Bigelow
John Bigelow
John Bigelow was an American lawyer and statesman.-Life:Born in Malden-on-Hudson, New York, John Bigelow, Sr.graduated from Union College in 1835 where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Society and the Philomathean Society, and was admitted to the bar in 1838...
. Fish, however, immediately took on the responsibilities of his office with diligence, zeal, and intelligence.
Reformed U.S. State Department 1869
When Fish assumed office he immediately began a series of reforms in the Department of StateUnited States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. After appropriations were given to his office by Congress, Fish cataloged and organized 700 volumes of miscellaneous State Department documents. Fish introduced indexing of State Department files so subordinates could easily find documents. Fish implemented Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
reform by having State Department applicants be required to pass an entry examination before being appointed consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
. This policy was sometimes hampered, since President Grant could appoint any person to office without the person having to take an examination. However, the policy of testing overall improved the staff at the State Department.
Cuban belligerency and rebellion 1869-1870
By 1869, Cuban nationals were in open rebellion against their mother country Spain, due to the unpopularity of Spanish rule. American sentiment favored the Cuban rebels and President Grant appeared to be on the verge of acknowledging Cuban belligerency. Fish, who desired settlement over the Alabama ClaimsAlabama Claims
The Alabama Claims were a series of claims for damages by the United States government against the government of Great Britain for the assistance given to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War. After international arbitration endorsed the American position in 1872, Britain settled...
, did not approve of recognizing the Cuban rebels, since, Queen Victoria and her government had recognized Confederate belligerency in 1861. Recognizing Cuban belligerency would have jeopardized settlement and arbitration with Great Britain. In February 1870, Senator John Sherman authored a Senate resolution that would have recognized Cuban belligerency. Working behind the scenes Fish counseled Sherman that Cuban recognition would ultimately lead to war with Spain. The resolution went to the House of Representatives and was ready to pass, however, Fish, worked out an agreement with President Grant to send a special message to Congress that urged not to acknowledge the Cuban rebels. On June 13, 1870 the message written by Fish was sent to Congress by the President and Congress, after much debate, decided not to recognize Cuban belligerency. President Grant continued the policy of Cuban belligerent non recognition for the rest of his two administrations. This policy, however, was tested in 1873 with the Virginius Affair
Virginius Affair
The Virginius Affair was a diplomatic dispute that occurred in the 1870s between the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain, then in control of Cuba, during the Ten Years' War....
.
Dominican Republic annexation treaty 1869-1870
After President Grant assumed office on March 4, 1869 one of his immediate foreign policy interests was the annexation of the African Island nation of the Dominican Republic into the United States, at that time referred to as Santo Domingo. President Grant believed the annexation of Santo Domingo would increase the United States mineral resources and alleviate the plight of racism against African Americans in the South. Hamilton Fish, though loyal to President Grant, did not desire annexation; the divided island nation run by African leader President Buenaventura BáezBuenaventura Báez
Buenaventura Báez Méndez was the President of the Dominican Republic for five nonconsecutive terms. He is known for attempting to annex the Dominican Republic to other countries on multiple occasions.-Early years:...
had been troubled with civil strife. Báez had imprisoned an American citizen Davis Hatch for speaking out against the Báez government. Fish told Grant that the Senate would not be ready to pass a Santo Domingo annexation treaty. In April, 1869 Fish gave Grant’s private secretary Orville Babcock “special agent” status to search the island. In September 1869, Babcock made a preliminary treaty that would annex Santo Domingo into the United States and given the opportunity to apply for statehood. In October 1869, Fish drew up a formal treaty that included: a $1,500,000 payment of the Dominican national debt; Samaná Bay
Samana Bay
Samaná Bay is a bay in the eastern Dominican Republic. The Yuna River flows into the Samaná Bay, and it is located south of the town and peninsula of Samaná....
would be leased to the United States for $150,000 yearly payment; Santo Domingo would eventually be given statehood.
In a private conference with President Grant, Fish agreed to support the Santo Domingo annexation if President Grant sent Congress a non-belligerency statement not to get involved with the Cuban rebellion in Spain. Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was against supporting the treaty believing that Santo Domingo needed to remain independent and that racism against U.S. black citizens in the South needed to be taken care within the continental United States. Sumner believed that blacks on Santo Domingo did not share Anglo-American values. On January 10, 1870 Grant submitted the Santo Domingo treaty to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Fish believed Senators would vote for annexation only if statehood was withdrawn; however, President Grant refused this option. The Senate taking their time on deliberating, finally, rejected the treaty on June 30, 1870. Eighteen Senators led by Charles Sumner defeated the treaty. Pres. Grant, angered at Sumner's refusal to support the treaty, fired Sumner's friend J. Lothrop Motley
John Lothrop Motley
John Lothrop Motley was an American historian and diplomat.-Biography:...
, Grant's ambassador to England, for disregarding Fish's instructions regarding the Alabama Claims
Alabama Claims
The Alabama Claims were a series of claims for damages by the United States government against the government of Great Britain for the assistance given to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War. After international arbitration endorsed the American position in 1872, Britain settled...
. Grant believed Sumner had in January 1870 stated support for the Santo Domingo treaty. Sumner was then disposed of his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1871 by Grant's allies in the Senate.
Treaty of Washington 1871
During the previous administration under President Andrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, Secretary of State Seward attempted to resolve the Alabama Claims
Alabama Claims
The Alabama Claims were a series of claims for damages by the United States government against the government of Great Britain for the assistance given to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War. After international arbitration endorsed the American position in 1872, Britain settled...
with the Johnson-Clarendon convention and treaty. The Alabama Claims had arisen out of 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...
, when Confederate cruiser ships built in British ports had damaged Union shipping. The Johnson-Clarendon treaty, presented to Congress by President Ulysses S. Grant, was overwhelmingly defeated by the Senate and the claims remained unresolved. Anti-British Anglo-phobia led by Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
was at an all time high when Fish became Secretary of State. Sumner had demanded Britain succeed Canada to the United States as payment for the Alabama Claims. In late 1870, an opportunity arrived to settle the Alabama Claims under Prime Minister William E. Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. Fish, who was determined to improve relations with Britain, along with President Grant and Senate supporters, had Charles Sumner removed by vote from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the door was open for renewed negotiations with Britain.
On January 9, 1871, Fish met with British representative Sir John Rose in Washington and an agreement was made, under much negotiations
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, to establish a Joint Commission to settle the Alabama claims to be held in Washington under the direction of Hamilton Fish. At stake was the financing of America's debt with British bankers during the Civil War, and peace with Britain was required. On February 14, 1871 both distinguished High Commissioners representing Britain, led by the Earl of Ripon, George Robinson
George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon
George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon KG, GCSI, CIE, PC , known as Viscount Goderich from 1833 to 1859 and as the Earl de Grey and Ripon from 1859 to 1871, was a British politician who served in every Liberal cabinet from 1861 until his death forty-eight years later.-Background...
, and the United States, led by Fish, met in Washington D.C. and negotiations over settlement went remarkably well. Also representing Britain was Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald. After 37 meetings, on March 8, 1871 the Treaty of Washington
Treaty of Washington (1871)
The Treaty of Washington was a treaty signed and ratified by Great Britain and the United States in 1871 that settled various disputes between the countries, in particular the Alabama Claims.-Background:...
was signed at the State Department and became a "landmark of international conciliation". The Senate ratified the treaty on May 24, 1871. On August 25, 1872, the settlement for the Alabama claims was made by an international arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
committee meeting in Geneva and the United States was awarded $15,500,000 in gold for damaged done by the Confederate warships. Under the treaty settlement over disputed Atlantic fisheries and the San Juan Boundary (concerning the Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
boundary line) was made. The treaty was considered an "unprecedented accomplishment", having solved border disputes, reciprocal trade, and navigation issues. A friendly perpetual relationship between Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and America was established, with Britain having expressed regret over the Alabama damages.
South American détente and armistice 1871
On April 11, 1871 a peace conference, presided by Hamilton Fish, was held in Washington D.C. between SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the South American republics 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....
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, that resulted in an armistice between the countries. These countries had been in a "technical" state of war since 1866, and the United States in 1871 served as mediator, directed by Hamilton Fish. Representing Spain was Mauricio Lopez Roberts; Manuel Freyer represented both Peru and Bolivia; Joaquin Godoy represented Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
; and Antonio Flores represented Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. President Grant gave Fish full powers to control negotiations at the détente
Détente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
meeting between the five countries. The signed armistice treaty consisted of seven articles; hostilities were to cease for a minimum of three years and the countries would allow commercial trade with neutral countries.
Korean expedition and conflict 1871
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
, under President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
demanded redress for what was perceived as the outrageous actions of the Korean government. U.S. Naval warships were ordered to the Orient, however, when Seward's term ended in 1869, he was unable to organize a naval expedition. When Fish took office he organized the Korean naval expedition and broadened the purposes. In April, 1871 Fish ordered Frederick F. Low, minister to China, to take the Asiatic Fleet and voyage to Seoul. The purpose of the expedition was to seek retribution for the assaulted sailors and to open up a commercial treaty with the King of Korea. Fish had told the fleet not to use force unless the honor of the U.S. Flag was infringed by the Koreans.
On May 8, 1871 Low and Rear Admiral John Rodgers, commander of the Asiatic Squadron, voyaged to Korea with five warships, eighty-five guns, and 1,230 sailors and marines. On May 16, the naval squadron reached Nagasaki Bay and a week later lowered anchor near the mouth of the Han. The Koreans sent unofficial representatives to stall for time and hope the American Squadron would leave. In June, the American fleet while doing nautical survey was fired upon by the Korean Forts on the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
leading to Seoul. The American fleet fired back damaging the forts. An apology was demanded, since the honor of the American flag had been violated. On June 10, a U.S. military expedition was launched, after the Koreans failed to apologize for the attack; the objective to destroy the Korean forts on Kanghoa Island. The U.S.S. Monocacy pounded the forts with 9 inch guns while 546 sailors and 105 marines landed on the island ; captured and destroyed the Korean forts. The "Citadel" fortress, on a steep 115 foot hillside, posed the most difficulty in taking for the American troops, fighting in hand to hand combat with the Korean Tiger Hunters. All of the Korean forts taken, were destroyed and leveled on June 11. 350 Korean Tiger Hunters were killed; versus only one officer and two American sailors. Lieut. Hugh W. McKee was the first U. S. Navy officer to die in battle in Korea.
The Asiatic Squadron remained on the Han River for three weeks, however, the Koreans would not open negotiations for a commercial treaty. As the American Squadron left, the Koreans believed that they had won a great victory over the Americans. The attempt to open Korea up to trade was similar to how Admiral Matthew Perry in 1854 had successfully opened up Japan to Western trade. Korea, however, proved to be more isolated then Japan. Ten years later in 1881, Commodore Robert W. Shufeldt, without using a naval fleet, went to a more conciliatory Korean government and made a commercial treaty. The U.S. was the first Western nation to establish formal trade with Korea.
Virginius affair 1873
During the 1870s CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
was in a state of rebellion against Spain. In the United States, Americans were divided on whether to militarily aid the rebel Cubans. Many jingoists believed the United States needed to fight for the Cuban rebels and pressured the Grant Administration to take action. A privately owned ship, the Virginius, was used to run guns, ammunition, and vital supplies to the Cuban rebels. The captain of the Virginius was Joseph Fry, former officer of the Confederate and Federal Navies. On October 31, 1873 the Virginius was run down in neutral waters by the Spanish warship, the Tornado, off of Morant Bay, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. After being hit, the Virginius took on water and was forced to surrender to the Spanish authorities. The 103 crew members consisted of Cuban rebel recruits and 52 American and British citizens. The Spanish hauled down and trampled the American flag, and brought the prisoners to Santiago. A total of 53 Viginius crew members were executed by the Spanish authorities. The Spanish finally stopped the carnage as a British warship appeared with guns ready to fire on Santiago. The American Navy, at this time, although formidable world wide, was in decline after the American Civil War.
When news reached the United States of the executions, President Grant and Secretary Fish were forced to make an immediate response. Many Americans demanded a full scale war with Spain. Fish found out that the registration was falsified under American ownership, however, the executions of Americans demanded action. Fish, coolly handled the situation, called upon Spanish minister, Admiral José Polo de Bernabé in Washington D.C. and held a conference. A settlement was made where Spain relinquished the severely damaged Virginius to the U.S. Navy, while survivors were released that included 13 Americans. The Spanish Captain who ordered the executions was censured, and Spain paid $80,000 reparations to American families whose family members were executed in Santiago. The national honor of both Spain and the United States was preserved and it was chiefly due to the restraint and moderation of Fish and Bernabé that a satisfactory settlement of the Virginius Affair
Virginius Affair
The Virginius Affair was a diplomatic dispute that occurred in the 1870s between the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain, then in control of Cuba, during the Ten Years' War....
was reached by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Hawaiian reciprocal trade treaty 1875
Fish also negotiated the reciprocity treaty of 1875 with the Kingdom of HawaiiKingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
. Hawaiian sugar was made duty free; while the importation of manufactured goods and clothing was allowed into the island kingdom. By opening Hawaii to free trade the process for eventual statehood into the United States had begun.
Liberian-Grebo civil war 1876
The U.S. settled the Liberian-Grebo civil war in 1876 when Hamilton Fish dispatched the USS AlaskaUSS Alaska (1868)
The first USS Alaska was a wooden-hulled screw sloop of war, built at the Boston Navy Yard. The ship was launched on 31 October 1868 and sponsored by Miss Grace Hull, the daughter of Mayor Hull of Boston. Alaska was commissioned on 8 December 1869, with Commander Homer C...
, under President Grant's authority, to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Liberia was in practice an American colony. U.S. envoy James Milton Turner, the first African American ambassador, requested a warship to protect American property in Liberia. Turner, bolstered by U.S. naval presence in harbor and support of the USS Alaska captain, negotiated the incorporation of Grebo people into Liberian society and the ousting of foreign traders from Liberia.
Republican convention 1876
As the 1876 Republican convention approached during the U.S. Presidential Election, President Grant, unknown to Fish, had written a letter to Republican leaders to nominate Fish for the Presidential ticket. The letter was never read at the convention and Fish was never nominated. President Grant believed that Fish was a good compromise choice between the rival factions of James G. BlaineJames G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
and Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling was a politician from New York who served both as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He was the leader of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party and the last person to refuse a U.S. Supreme Court appointment after he had...
. Cartoonist Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist who is considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He was the scourge of Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall machine...
drew a caricature of Fish and Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
as the Republican Party ticket. Fish, who was ready to retire to private life, did not desire to run for President and was content at returning to private life. Fish found out later President Grant had written the letter to the convention.
Later life, death
After leaving the Grant Cabinet in 1877 and briefly serving under President Hayes, Fish returned to private life, practicing law and managing his real estate in New York City. Fish was revered in the New York community and enjoyed spending time with his family. Fish resided in Glen Clyffe, his estate near Garrison, New YorkGarrison, New York
Garrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
, in Putnam County, New York
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
, in the Hudson River Valley. His health remained good until around 1884, having suffered from neuralgia
Neuralgia
Neuralgia is pain in one or more nerves that occurs without stimulation of pain receptor cells. Neuralgia pain is produced by a change in neurological structure or function rather than by the excitation of pain receptors that causes nociceptive pain. Neuralgia falls into two categories: central...
. On September 6, 1893 Fish had retired from the evening having played cards with his daughter. The following morning on September 7, Fish, at the age of 84, suddenly died. His death was attributed to old age. Fish was buried in Garrison at St. Philip's Church-in-the-Highlands Cemetery.
Charles Francis Adams
Charles Francis Adams, Jr.
Charles Francis Adams II was a member of the prominent Adams family, and son of Charles Francis Adams, Sr. He served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
describe Fish as "a quiet and easy-going man; but, when aroused, by being, as he thought, 'put upon', he became very formidable. Neither was it possible to placate him." Fish's 20th Century biographer, A. Elwood Corning, stated that Fish was free from "petty jealousies and prejudices which so often drag the reputation of statesmen down to the level of politicians" and that Fish "used the language and practiced the manners of a gentleman." As an invaluable member of the Grant Administration, Fish commanded "men's confidence, and respect by his firmness, candor, and justice.
Notable descendants
Three of Fish's direct descendants, all named Hamilton, served in the U.S. House of Representatives for the state of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Hamilton Fish II
Hamilton Fish II
Hamilton Fish II was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the son of Julia Ursin Niemcewicz Kean and Hamilton Fish. He graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University, where he was a member of St...
, Fish's son, served one term as U.S. Representative from 1909 to 1911. Fish II also served as assistant to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. Hamilton Fish III
Hamilton Fish III
Hamilton Fish III was a soldier and politician from New York State...
, Fish's grandson, served as U.S. Representative from 1920 to 1945. Hamilton Fish IV
Hamilton Fish IV
See Hamilton Fish for others with the same nameHamilton Fish, Jr. was a Republican politician best known as a member of the U.S. Congressional Delegation from New York....
, Fish's great-grandson, served as U.S. Representative from 1969 to 1995. Another son Stuyvesant Fish
Stuyvesant Fish
Stuyvesant Fish was president of the Illinois Central Railroad.Fish was born in New York City, the son of Hamilton Fish and his wife Julia Ursin Niemcewicz, née Kean. A graduate of Columbia College, he was later an executive of the Illinois Central Railroad, and as its president from 1887 to 1906...
was an important railroad executive. Another son, Nicholas Fish II
Nicholas Fish II
Nicholas Fish was the grandson of American Revolutionary War soldier Nicholas Fish and son of the Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. He was born in New York City and educated at Columbia and at Harvard Law School. He practiced law in New York City, then went into the diplomatic service...
, was a U.S. diplomat, who was appointed second secretary of legation at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1871, became secretary in 1874, and was chargé d'affaires at Berne in 1877–1881, and minister to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1882–1886, after which he engaged in banking in New York City. Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish II (Rough Rider)
Hamilton Fish II, of the Rough Riders, a wealthy young New Yorker, was a Sergeant in the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, the Rough Riders, during the Spanish-American War. He is said to be the first American killed in the Battle of Las Guasimas, near Santiago, Cuba, on June 24, 1898...
, Fish's grandson by Nicholas, was an 1895 graduate of Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
, saw service 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...
as one of the storied Rough Riders
Rough Riders
The Rough Riders is the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States Army was weakened and left with little manpower after the American Civil War...
. He was the first member of that regiment to be killed in action, at the Battle of Las Guasimas
Battle of Las Guasimas
The Battle of Las Guasimas of June 24, 1898, part of the Spanish-American War, unfolded from Major General "Fighting Joe" Wheeler's attempt to storm a Spanish position in the jungles surrounding Santiago. Commanding a division that included the 1st U.S...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
External links
- U-S-History.com: Article
- Biography from Spartacus Educational
- Desmond-Fish Library Public Library co-founded by Hamilton Fish IV. Library has many Fish family artifacts, papers and portraits on display.
- LiSA (Livingston–Svirsky Archive) Contains many online documents on the Fish Family.