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Seaton Schroeder, Rear-Admiral |
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Captain Seaton Schroeder Commanding Officer USS Vigrinia (BB-13) |
Seaton Schroeder was born in Washington, D.C., on 17 August 1849 and entered the Naval Academy in 1864. He served with the Pacific Fleet in 1868 and 1869 under Admiral John Rodgers in screw sloop, Benicia, and fought in the Salt River near Seoul, Korea. His sea tours took him to Alaska, Japan, and the Philippines in Saginaw, to the West Indies in Canandaigua, and on a world cruise on Swatara. After specializing in hydrographic duties for 11 years, he spent two years in the Office of Naval Intelligence where he helped develop the Driggs-Schroeder rapid-fire gun. He returned to sea in 1890 as the Commanding Officer of Vesuvius. In 1893, he began a three-year tour as ordnance officer for the Washington Navy Yard and as the recorder of the Board of Inspection and Survey; and joined the Board as a member in 1894. Following his appointment as executive officer of battleship, Massachusetts, he participated in the American blockade of Santiago, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War and was advanced three numbers in rank "for eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle" during five engagements between 31 May and 4 July 1898. He was appointed Naval governor of Guam on 19 July 1900, and there commanded Yosemite and later, Brutus, On 1 May 1903, Schroeder became Chief Intelligence Officer of the Navy. |
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Due to the illness of Fleet Admiral Robley Evans, a decision to replace him was finally taken in April 1908 and he was replaced by Rear Admiral Charles Sperry. Officer promotions were also addressed by the department because four other Admirals who had set out from Hampton Roads with the battleship fleet would also retire before the end of the cruise leaving only Sperry with sufficent active service time remaining before retirement to complete the voyage. The retirement of the two senior Admirals and the elevation of Sperry to fleet command brought William Emory to command the 3rd Divison and created two flag officer vacancies in Division Command. These were filled by Captain Seaton Schroeder of the VIRGINA and senior Captain of the Fleet, and Schroeder's brother-in-law, Captain Richard Wainwright of the LOUISIANA, both being promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and each was given a Division command. Promoted to Rear Admiral in 1908, he hoisted his flag on Connecticut when he took command of the Atlantic Fleet on 8 March 1909. Two months later, he was assigned to the General Board and subsequently placed on the retired list on 17 August 1911. Rear
Admiral Schroeder was recalled to active duty in 1912 to prepare a new signal
book, and again in World War I to serve as Chief
Hydrographer and the Navy representative on
the United States Geographic Board. He died
at the Naval Hospital, Washington, D.C., on 19 October 1922. |
This is the original Department of the Navy letter sent to Captain Seaton Schroeder to asume command of Forth Division signed by the Secretary of the Navy.
It
is endoresed by Admiral Sperry and Captain Schroeder. |
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During the cruise of the Great White Fleet Rear Admiral Schroeder was appointed to head a board to investigate the proposed site of Pearl Harbor. This task, as well as the court-martial of Captain Qualthrough, are two topics discussed in the letter to the left, that was written to his wife during the port visit at Gibraltar. He also discusses his impressions of the port facility at Gibraltar. He is impressed by the organization and layout of the facility, the built-in bunkers on the pier that were full and ready for an entire fleet of ships. The content of the letter provided below: |
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Gibraltar Tuesday, February 2nd These little, jolly, lovely letters, Honey, Nos. 38, 39, 40. I have been pretty busy since arriving off here yesterday, as usual, and tomorrow a general count of which I am president meets to try poor Captain Qualthrough. A disagreeable side of Naval life. But I started in promptly and vigorously with a meeting of the Battle Practice Conference, and we finished the matter up town and we now have only to sign when smoothly copied. If this sort of work, and boards and courts ect., is made much easiest by the entire fleet having been brought inside the breakwater where we are snugly moored, - something after the fashion of sardines, but is makes it easy to get about from ship to ship. I am so glad of what you did in looking after Mrs. Addison. I sent him a note this morning. It was very nice of you. Potter is to command the parade on the 4th of March, not I. I would have liked it well enough so far as the managing was concerned, and the getting home, but I think for the second in command of the fleet to command less than 2000 men would sum a little infra dig. I will hardly be able to get home at that time. There is a plan for division commanders to inspect their divisions before the ships separate at Hampton Roads; and the purpose is that the inspections shall be made in accordance with forms laid down by the Department supplemented by additions conceived in the fleet, all of which will result in very much of a farce. The Commander-in-Chief asked me how long I thought it could take for me to inspect the four ships of my division; and I replied that if we had good weather and no interruptions from others occurrences and worked unremittingly, I might mange it in a month. Four companies are going to be absent from eight ships during five days for the inauguration parade, and during that time we may each be able to tackle some one at their ship. But it is going to be a busy time right along. According to the orders just received, the fleet is to enter the bay on the 22nd, pass in review and anchor; after which the Admirals call upon the President, and he then visits each flagship. All of which you will know. I suppose the tides have been examined into; otherwise it will be copied work to accomplish all that is laid down in the order given. I was in hopes that we would be allowed to arrive on the day before. We will undoubtedly anchor on the Southern Drill Ground during one or two nights before. Admiral Sperry said he heard something about the Sylph taking officers’ families out, but that he had decided to send the Yankton on ahead, and she would be available for that. A sealed mail bag is sent onshore everyday, which I understand is dispatched by land routes to France and England to take the streamers; but there is not betting which makes a good connection. This morning at nine all flag officers and captains are to assemble on board the Connecticut to have a group photographed for the Herald, I believe; and from their I must scurry back to shift into the proper uniform for the court martial. In presiding of a court martial it reminds me that there has had to be issued an order not to fire a gun at the meeting of a court while in this close harbor, because there are so many that it would give the British a sad idea of the conduct of our men. Yesterday it sounded like torpedo defense target practice. This afternoon I may take a run ashore. There is not much of interest have to one who has seen the wonderful gun galleons that were cut into the solid rock high up during one of the old time sieges, with openings cut out though the vestal face of the cliff facing the neutral ground through which they trained guns upon the besiegers. It is marvelous jut to look about (mail to sign for morning guard boat) from the deck and admired the beautiful solidity and common sense of the works about. The breakwater, or mole is something new since I was here last, and encloses a many anchorage for a lot of ships. Our entire fleet is in here, besides four Russian ships, a Dane, and a number of British battle sips and cruisers. But the mole is not only a mole; it is purposely so broad that throughout the entire length there are continuous coal bunkers, and they are kept full, and their ships run in, go alongside, fill up without delay and (time to go to be photographed) are ready for sea. And their stove houses, and torpedo boat ships and railways, and boat sheds are so beautifully arranged for commerce, and on so handsome in their solidity and design. Of all of our many yards I do not think there is one that is rationally laid out. People say that that is an inevitable hault of our modern yards growing up gradually from old conditions; but the same applies to every Navy. The only thing is that we were nery slow n accepting changes; and, in New York for instance, persist in holding on and trying to bolster up an impossible location. An not only that, but a few years ago the government actually sold a large amount of ground that anyone might have know would soon be badly needed. And we do need it badly now. At Pearl Harbor we have an opportunity and if the plan that my board recommended is carried out and does not result in a commitment disposition of everything then we will have absolutely not excuse. Of course as the work progresses it must be intelligently worked out in its details. S.S |
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