Ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

John R. Monaghan (26 March 1873 – 1 April 1899) was an officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

Biography

Born in

Chewelah Chewelah ( ) is a city in Stevens County, Washington, United States. It is located approximately northwest of Spokane. The population was 2,470 at the 2020 census. History The name of the town comes from a Kalispel word, , meaning 'watersnake' ...

Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...

Monaghan was a part of the first graduating class of

Gonzaga University Gonzaga University (GU) ( ) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington, United States. It is Higher education accreditation in the United States, accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges ...

, and ultimately graduated from the

Naval Academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. List of naval academies See also

* Military academy {{Authority control Naval academies, Naval lists ...

in June 1895. For the next two years, as a Passed Midshipman, he served in the cruiser , flagship of the U.S. Asiatic Station. Promoted to the rank of Ensign in July 1897, he was next assigned to the monitor and gunboat , both of which operated along the West Coast of the Americas. In July 1898, during the

, he became an officer of the cruiser , which was then the Pacific Station's flagship. In March 1899 Ensign Monaghan, onboard ''Philadelphia'', was sent to the troubled

Samoan Islands The Samoan Islands () are an archipelago covering in the central Pacific Ocean, South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and of the wider region of Oceania. Political geography, Administratively, the archipelago comprises all of the Samoa, Indep ...

. On 1 April, while serving ashore with a combined unit of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

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and

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

ns, his force was ambushed by another group of rebel Samoans. When his unit's leader, Lieutenant

Philip Lansdale Philip Van Horne Lansdale (15 February 1858 – 1 April 1899) was an officer in the United States Navy. Biography Lansdale, born in Washington, D.C., graduated as Passed Midshipman from the Naval Academy 18 June 1879. Commissioned ensign 1 June 18 ...

, was wounded, Ensign Monaghan seized a rifle and attempted to rescue the injured officer. The official report of the action stated: "The men were not in sufficient numbers to hold out any longer, and they were forced along by a fire which it was impossible to withstand. Ensign Monaghan did stand. He stood steadfast by his wounded superior and friend—one rifle against many, one brave man against a score of savages. He knew he was doomed. He could not yield. He died in heroic performance of duty."

Legacy

A statue commemorating his death was erected in 1906 in downtown

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south o ...

. The inscription reads: "During the retreat of the allied forces from the deadly fire and overwhelming number of the savage foe, he alone stood the fearful onslaught and sacrificed his life defending a wounded comrade Lieutenant Philip V. Lansdale United States Navy."Downtown Spokane Heritage Walk
/ref> Legend has it that Monaghan's ghost haunts the Monaghan Music Mansion located on Gonzaga University's campus.

Namesake

Two ships, , have been named for him.

References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Monaghan, John R. 1873 births 1899 deaths United States Navy officers American military personnel killed in action People from Stevens County, Washington Military personnel from Washington (state) Gonzaga University alumni United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of the Spanish–American War