Hans Johnsen, USN, Medal of Honor for Action on USS Winslow

From Wikipedia.

HANS JOHNSEN

(January 3, 1865 - June 17, 1920)

Chief machinist serving in the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War where he received a Medal of Honor for bravery.

He was born in Sandnes,  Norway, and fought in the Spanish-American War on board the torpedo boat USS Winslow at the Battle of Cardenas.  Along with the Medal of Honor, he was warranted as a gunner on June 27, 1898, and promoted to chief gunner on June 27, 1904.

During World War I, he received a temporary promotion to lieutenant on July  1, 1918.

He died June 17, 1920, and is buried in Bayview-New York Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey.

George F. Brady, USN: Spanish-American War Medal of Honor Recipient on USS Winslow

From Wikipedia.

GEORGE F. BRADY

(September 7, 1867 to November 6, 1903)

Born in Ireland and enlisted in U.S. Navy  at age 17 on November 30, 1884.  He had risen to the rank of  Chief Gunner's Mate by the time of the Spanish-American War.

He was aboard the torpedo boat USS Winslow during the Battle of Cardenas, Cuba, on May 11, 1898.  During the battle, the Winslow was badly damaged by Spanish gunfire  Brady made attempts to  repair the ship's steering gear and helped maintain its watertight integrity to prevent it from sinking.  He also took command of the ship after its commander was wounded and taken off it.   

For his heriosm, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by the Navy on September  3, 1899.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 3: One Battered Ship

Badly damaged, the Winslow was towed clear of the action.  Her commanding officer and a number of other in the crew were wounded.  

Lt. Bernadou saw to it that the wounded and dead were transferred to the Hudson and then left the ship himself, turning command over to Chief Gunner's Mate  George F. Brady, who, along with Chief Gunner's Mate  Hans Johnsen and Chief Machinist  Thomas C. Cooney-- later received Medals of Honor and was promoted to warrant officer.

The day following the engagement, the Winslow arrived at Key West for temporary repairs there and in Mobile, Alabama.  She returned to Key West for ten days before sailing  noth on 16 August.  After brief stops at Port Royal, S.C., and Norfolk, the Winslow reached NewYork on 27 August.  She was placed out of commission at the New York Navy Yard on 7 September 1898 to begin more extensive repairs.  This was one battered ship.

Except for a brief trip to Philadelphia in mid-October, the Winslow remained inactive until early 1901.  She then was in a decommissioned status in New York and later at Norfolk Navy Yard where she was listed as in reserve.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 2: The Battle of Cardenas

As the United States and Spain got closer to war after the USS Maine blew up mysteriously in Havana Harbor, the Winslow went to Key West to be closer to where the action was expected to happen.  After war was declared, the Winslow patrolled the  north coast of Cuba near Havana, Cardenas and Mantanzas.

On 8 May 1898, she forced three Spanish gunboats back into Cardenas Harbor.   On 11 May, the Winslow, USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington steamed into Cardenas Harbor looking for those three Spanish gunboats.  A battle erupted.

The Spanish concentrated their fire on the Winslow, which was the smallest of the three American ships, and she soon started getting hit.  Shots all but disabled the Winslow.  The other two American ships joined the battle and  soon put the Spanish warship out of action.

A request went out to be towed to safety.  As the Hudson was towing the Winslow, one last Spanish shot struck the torpedo boat near her starboard gun and killed Ensign Worth Bagley.  He was the first and only naval officer killed in action in the war.

In memory of his sacrifice and devotion, four ships in the U.S. Navy have carried his name.

There were temporary repairs at Key West and Mobile before sailing to New York Navy Yard, put out of commission and then extensive repairs were carried out.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)

From Wikipedia.

The USS Winslow was noted for its participation in the 1st and 2nd Battles of Cardenas during the Spanish-American War.

It  and launched 8 May 1897.was laid down at Baltimore, Maryland, and commissioned 29 December of that year with Lieutenant John B. Bernadou in command.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  161 feet 

Beam:  16 feet

Speed:  25 knots

Complement:  20 officers and enlisted

Armament:  

three 1-pounder guns

three 18-inch torpedo tubes

--Cooter

A Civil War Connection with the USS Winslow

In the last post, I wrote that Ensign Worth Bagley, brother of David Bagley, USN, was the only naval officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War when his ship, the torpedo boat USS Winslow was hit by a shell from a Spanish warship.

The USS Winslow (TB-5) was named after the famed CivilWar naval officer John Ancrum Winslow who commanded the USS Kearsarge when it sank the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama.

There was also a World War I destroyer, the USS Winslow (DD--53), an O'Brien-class destroyer which was decommissioned in 1922.

The destroyer USS Winslow  (DD-359), a Porter-class destroyer commissioned in 1937 that served in World War II  It was named for John Ancrum Winslow and his second cousin, Admiral Cameron Winslow.

Cameron Winslow served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Looks like I'll have to be doing some RoadTrippin' Through History.

--Cooter

Ensign Worth Bagley, USN (Brother of David Bagley)

From Wikipedia.

Ensign Worth Bagley (April 6, 1774-May 11, 1898) was the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War.  He is also the brother of David Bagley who rose to the rank of admiral and commanded the USS Jacob Jones, sunk in WW I.

He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1895.  After serving two years on the USS Montgomery (C-9), USS Texas and USS Maine, he was made ensign on July 1, 1897.  In November he was appointed inspector of the new torpedo boat USS Winslow. and when she was commissioned on  December 28, he was assigned the ship's executive officer under Lt.  John Baptiste Bernadou.

In April 1898, the Winslow was with the fleet when it mobilized for action in Cuba  On the morning of May 11 the Winslow went with the USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington (PG-8) to force the entrance to the harbor of Cardenas.

She was fired upon by the Spanish gunboat Antonio Lopez and immediately there was a general engagement.  The Winslow was soon disabled and with difficulty was hauled out of range of Spanish guns by the  Hudson.

Just as the engagement ended, Ensign Bagley and four sailors were killed by a shell.

--Cooter

Adm. David Bagley-- Part 7: A Long Career and Namesakes

He was releived of all duties on March 12, 1946, and placed on the retired list with the rank of admiral on April 7, 1947 after 42 years of continuous service.  Admiral Bagley died at  the Naval Hospital, San Diego, California, on May 24, 1960.

Admiral Bagley is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

************************

The first three vessels named USS Bagley:  Torpedo Boat  No. 24, DD-185 and DD--386 were named for  Ensign Worth Bailey (the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War).  The fourth, DE-1069, was named for both  Worth Bagley and his brother, Admiral David W. Bagley.

Bagley Amphitheater at Barbers Point, Hawaii, was completed 1 April 1945 with seating capacity for 7,200.  

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley, USN (Commander of the USS Jacob Jones)-- Part 1: From a Naval Family

He was the commander of the USS Jacob Jones  (DD-61) which was sunk by a German U-boat in World War I.  I have been writing about this ship in the last several blogs.  The wreck of this ship has just recently been found.

From Wikipedia.

DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

(January 8, 1883 to May 24, 1960)

Was an admiral in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  (I will be writing about him in this blog and not my World War II one because of his command of the Jacob Jones.)

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only  United States Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War and the father of admirals  David H. Bagley and Worth H. Bagley.  So this is another one of those big-time Navy families.

His father, William Henry Bagley, was a Confederate officer from North Carolina.

Looks like I'll have to do some more RoadTrippin' Through History with this family.

--Cooter

Some More on Major General William J. Snow: 1890 West Point Graduate and Early Service

William Snow graduated from West Point in 1890, ranking #24 out of 54 students.  Thirteen otther of his class went on to become generals.

Snow received his commission as 2nd lieutenant in the field artillery and was assigned to the 1st Artillery Regiment.

During the Spanish-American War he performed coast artillery duty at Fort St. Philip (it gained fame during the Civil War when Farragut ran past it and Fort Jackson on his way to capture New Orleans).  He was pomoted to 1st lieutenant.  Next, he served as quartermaster of the 7th Artillery Regiment at Fort Slocum, New York.

The regiment was ordered to the Philippines during the insurrection and served there until there until May, 1901.

Next, he was promoted to captain and stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was made commander of the 20th Field Battery (Horse).  It was later redesignated as the Battery E, 6th Field Artillery Regiment.  From  1907 to 1908 he attended the Army War College and then returned to the 6th Field Artillery where he served as adjuatnt.

--Cooter

Major General William J. Snow

From Wikipedia.

WILLIAM J. SNOW  

(December16, 1868 to February 27, 1947)

Career U.S. Army officer who reached the rank of major general.  Served as Chief of Field Artillery for seven years in the 1920s.

Native of Brooklyn, New York.  Graduated from USMA in 1890 and commenced a long career in the Army's field artillery branch.  Served in New York early in his career, then graduated  from the artillery school at Fort Monroe.  During the Spanish-American War  he was involved with coast artillery in Louisiana.

Served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War before returning to the States to command a battery at Fort Riley (Kansas).  Then spent several years on duty at the Militia Bureau and commanded a battalion at Fort Myer (by Washington D.C.)

He commanded  the 1st Field Artillery Regiment in the period immediately preceding World War I.

--Cooter

USS Montgomery (C-9)-- Part 2: Took Part in the Spanish-American War

The USS Montgomery was launched 5 December 1891 by Columbian Iron  Works in Baltimore, Maryland; sponsored by Miss Sofia Smith; and commissioned at Norfolk  Navy Yard (Virginia)  21 June 1894, Commander Charles Henry Davis, Jr. in command.

Assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron and operated along the eastern edge of the U.S. as far south as the Caribbean Sea.

During the Spanish-American War she  cruised near Cuba and Haiti in April 1898 and in May joined the blockade of Havana.  She took two prizes, the Lorenzo and Frasquito, on 5 May, and shelled the Spanish forts  a week later.

On 13 June a 280 Krupp gun at the Santa Clara  Battery fired on the Montgomery at a range of 9,000 meters, apparently without effect.

--Cooter

USS Montgomery (C-9): Spanish-American War and WW I

There was also a USS Montgomery in the Spanish-American War which also was still afloat during World War I, although it did not see action.

From Wikipedia.

The 4th USS Montgomery (C-9) was the lead ship of its class and what was termed an unprotected cruiser  It served during two wars and was named after the capital city of Alabama.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

BUILDER:  Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Co. of Baltimore, Md.

COST:  $1,037,923 (Hull and Machinery)

COMMISSIONED:  21 June 18 1894

DECOMMISSIONED:  16 May 1918

LENGTH:  269 feet 10 inches

BEAM:  37 feet

DRAFT:  14 feet 6 inches

SPEED:  17 knots

COMPLEMENT:  30 officers, 249 enlisted

ARMAMENT:

Two 6-inch guns

Eight 5-inch guns

Six 6-pounder  guns

Two 1-pounder guns

Two Gatling guns

Three 18-inch torpedo tubes

--Cooter

There Was a USS Montgomery in the American Revolution

Earlier this month, I wrote about the current USS Montgomery (LCS-8).  I found out there were also USS Montgomerys in the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War II.

I will write about them in my blogs.

From Wikipedia.

USS MONTGOMERY (1776)

Was a three-masted, wooden sailing frigate and one of the first 13 ships authorized by the Continental Congress on 13 December 1775.  

She was built by Lancaster Burling at Poughkeepsie, New York, and launched late in October 1776.  But because the British captured New York City after the Battle of Brooklyn, the Hudson River was closed.  Because of this, the ship was never completed and later destroyed.

It was probably built to the standards of Joshua Humphry's design for a 24-gun frigate mounting twenty-four 9-pounder guns.

It was named in honor of fallen general Richard Montgomery, who had been a British soldier but sided with  the Americans and was appointed  a brigadier general by George Washington  he was later killed in a failed assault on  Quebec,  31 December 1775.

To prevent capture by the British,  the USS Montgomery was burned on 6 October 1777.

--Cooter

Arlington Marks Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknowns-- Part 1

From the July 2021 Military History magazine.

Arlington National Cemetery

Four identical caskets lay abreast in the room at City Hall in Chalons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921.  Each held the remains if an unidentified American soldier.  U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger had the solemn task of selecting one of them.

Approaching the caskets with a spray of white roses in hand, the decorated, twice-wounded Younger circled them, then set the flowers down on the third coffin from the left.  He had chosen America's Unknown World War I soldier.

Thus began the long journey home for one of hundreds if American soldiers killed in Europe during World War I whose names are "known but to God."

The casket chosen by Younger was transported by caisson and train to the port of Le Havre and placed aboard the protected cruiser USS Olympia for transport across the Atlantic to the Washington Navy Yard.  (The USS Olympia was Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War where he gave the famous order, "You may fire when ready, Gridley.")

John H. Russell, Jr., 16th Commandant USMC-- Part 1: Son of Navy Mexican and Civil War Officer

From Wikipedia.

Earlier this month, I was writing about the USS Russell (DDG-59) which was the November featured U.S. warship in the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.

This ship was named after John H. Russell, Sr. and John H. Russell, Jr..  John H. Russell, Sr. was a U.S. Navy officer in the Mexican War and Civil War.  I wrote about him in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog thus month.

John Jr., followed his father into military service, only with the U.S. Marines.

Born November 14, 1872.  Died March 6, 1947.

He was born at Mare Island, California, and the son of Rear Admiral John Henry Russell (1827-1897) and appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by President Grover Cleveland in May 1888.  Graduated in June 1892, spent two years at sea, passed his final examinations and transferred to the USMC as a second lieutenant  on July 1, 1894.

In 1896, he joined the USS Massachusetts of the North Atlantic Squadron and served on that ship until after the end of the Spanish-American War.  The Massachusetts operated in waters off Cuba and Puerto Rico during the conflict, but was not at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.

--Cooter

These Are the Wars the U.S. Has Fought-- Part 1 (With Casualties)

From the November 12, 2021, CVBJ.biz.

**   WAR OF INDEPENDENCE  (1775-1783) 

Estimated 184,000 to 250,000 Americans    4,435 killed, 6,188 wounded

**   ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR  (War of 1812)  (1812-1815)

286,730 Americans served   2,260 deaths, 4,505 wounded

**   MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR   (1846-1848)

78,718 Americans served   13,283 died, 4,152 wounded

**   CIVIL WAR  (1861-1865)

2,213,363 Americans served in Union forces   364,511 dead    Between 600,000 and 1,500,000 Americans fought for the Confederacy    133,821 died

**   SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR   (1898)

306,760 Americans served   2,446 killed, 1,662 wounded

--Cooter

In Honor of Veterans Day 2021: The Last Spanish-American War Survivors, Jones Morgan,

From the Spanish-American War  Centennial Website.

The last surviving veteran of the war was a black man named Jones Morgan who passed away in Richmond, Virginia,  on August 29, 1993, at the incredible age of 110.  His records, however, were lost in a fire.

He was born on October 23, 1882, in Newberry County, South Carolina, and ran away from home at age 15 to join the Army which he did in 1897, signing up with the  9th U.S. Cavalry, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black unit.

He served for two years before his family located him  and had him discharged.  Since he had runaway and was underage, it is likely that he used an alias when he originally enlisted, making his records nearly impossible to find.

He served as a cook and as a horse wrangler and was in Cuba and at the assault on San Juan Hill although he apparently did not take part in it.  He also indicated that he helped  wrangle horses for the Rough Riders.

He was buried in Section 16 of Forest Lawn Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, Section 16.

He Fired When Ready-- Part 6: The Losses at the Battle of Manila Bay

The Asiatic Squadron had suffered few casualties.  Only six wounded.  However, on the Spanish side, nearly 400 sailors died and ten warships either destroyed or captured according to The History Channel site.

This source says that after two hours of the fight, the Spanish fleet was so decimated that Dewey met with his captains and ordered his crews to have a second breakfast.

Wikipedia says that American losses were 

1 dead of illness

9 wounded

1 protected cruiser damaged

*******************************

Spanish losses were

77 killed

271 wounded

2 protected cruisers scuttled

5 unprotected cruisers sunk

1 transport ship sunk

Anyway you want to look at it, this was one big disaster of a battle for Spain.

Like I Said, It Was Very One-Sided.  --Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 5: It Wasn't Much of a Battle

The Battle of Manila Bay was a one-sided slaughter.  Outgunned and under-armored, the only real hope of the Spanish fleet was to ram the American vessels, but concentrated fire tactics made that impossible.  

In fact, the only real problem with the American side during the action came at 7:45 am,  when a garbled message from the quartermaster forced Charles Gridley  to message Dewey that only  15 rounds of ammunition remained for each gun.  The squadron withdrew to the middle of the bay  and had an impromptu breakfast for the enlisted men while the ammunition was counted.

It was eventually determined that the report had been reversed --  in fact, only 15 rounds of ammunition had been expended per gun.

So, breakfast was suspended and the action resumed.  At 12:40 pm, after seven hours of battle, the Spanish surrendered.  Their fleet had been annihilated.

--Cooter