Silas Casey III (11 September 1841 – 14 August 1913) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star " admiral" rank. It is often rega ...

. He served as commander of the

Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...

from 1901 to 1903.

Biography

Casey was born at his family's property in

Washington County, Rhode Island Washington County, known locally as South County, is a county located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,839. Rhode Island counties have no governmental functions other than as court administrat ...

in 1841. He was the son of U.S. Army officer

Silas Casey Silas Casey (July 12, 1807 – January 22, 1882) was a career United States Army officer who rose to the rank of major general during the American Civil War. Early life and military career Casey was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He gradua ...

, so his family moved along with his father's changing military assignments. The younger Casey entered the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of ...

as an acting midshipman from

New York state New York, officially the State of New York, is a U.S. state, state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the List of U.S. ...

on 25 September 1856. He graduated as a midshipman in June 1860. After graduation, Casey was assigned to the steam frigate from 1860 to 1862. After the outbreak of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

, he was promoted to master on 31 August 1861 and participated in an engagement with the shore batteries at

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principa ...

in October 1861. Promoted to lieutenant effective 16 July 1862, Casey served as executive officer of the gunboat in the

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

from 1862 to 1863. He participated in several engagements with

Fort McAllister Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthen-work fort used to defend Savannah, Georgia during the American Civil War. It was the southernmost of the forts defending Savannah and was involved in the most battles. It was located on the Ogeechee Rive ...

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...

in 1862 and the first naval attack on Charleston, South Carolina in April 1863. From 1863 to 1865, Casey served as executive officer on the sidewheel steamship in the

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

, participating in the

first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

and second naval attacks on

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Rive ...

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...

in December 1864 and January 1865. After the war, he served as navigating officer on the gunboat in the Atlantic Squadron from 1865 to 1867. Casey was promoted to lieutenant commander on 25 July 1866. He next served on the staff of the Naval Academy as a seamanship instructor from 1867 to 1870. From 1870 to 1873, Casey served as executive officer on the screw frigate , which was the flagship of Rear Adm. John Rodgers in the

Asiatic Squadron The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily ...

. During the

Battle of Ganghwa The Battle of Ganghwa was fought during the conflict between Joseon and the United States in 1871. In May, an expedition of five Asiatic Squadron warships set sail from Japan to Korea in order to establish trade relations, ensure the safety o ...

, he led a battalion of sailors in the attack on Korean Fort Sondolmok (later called Fort McKee) near the mouth of the Han River in June 1871. From 1873 to 1874, Casey was an ordnance officer at the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the ci ...

. On 14 June 1874, he was promoted to commander. From 1875 to 1876, Casey served as commanding officer of the training ship along the Pacific coast. From 1876 to 1879, he was inspector for the Twelfth Lighthouse District. From 1880 to 1882, Casey served in the

European Squadron The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil Wa ...

, commanding the screw sloop and the screw corvette . From 1882 to 1884, he was an equipment officer at the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serves as a ceremonial and administra ...

. From 1884 to 1889, Casey was inspector for the Fifth Lighthouse District and commander of the receiving ship at the Washington Navy Yard. On 12 February 1889, Casey was promoted to captain. In July 1890, he was assigned to the fitting out of the protected cruiser and then served as her first commanding officer from February 1891 to May 1893. From April 1894 to February 1897, Casey was commanding officer of the receiving ship at the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...

. from February to November 1897, he served as commanding officer of the armored cruiser . From January 1898 to January 1901, Casey was commandant of the League Island Navy Yard. He was promoted to commodore on 11 May 1898 and rear admiral on 3 March 1899. In January 1901, Casey assumed command of the Pacific Squadron from Rear Adm.

Albert Kautz Rear Admiral Albert Kautz (January 29, 1839 – February 6, 1907) was an officer of the United States Navy who served during and after the American Civil War. Biography Kautz was born in Georgetown, Ohio, one of seven children of Johann George ...

. His flagship was the battleship until 9 December 1902, when he shifted his flag to his former command, the USS ''New York''. On 11 September 1903, he retired from active duty, having reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-two.

Personal life

Casey was the son of Silas Casey and Abby Perry (Pearce) Casey. His older brother was U.S. Army engineer Thomas Lincoln Casey. Casey married Sophie Gray Heberton (1 March 1843 – 8 August 1922) on 4 October 1865. They had two daughters. Casey and his wife lived in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

after his retirement. In 1913, he died at

Warm Springs, Virginia Warm Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Bath County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 census was 123.

and was buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

. His wife and eldest daughter were later interred beside him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Casey, Silas, III 1841 births 1913 deaths People from Washington County, Rhode Island United States Naval Academy alumni Military personnel from New York (state) People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Union Navy officers United States Naval Academy faculty United States Navy admirals Military personnel from Washington, D.C. Burials at Arlington National Cemetery