Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
Warner Baldwin Bayley (9 September 1845 – 22 April 1928) was a
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 ...
officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
. His career specialized in
engineering
Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
and included service in 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 ...
and the investigation of the sinking of the
battleship
A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, on 9 September 1845. He was appointed to U.S. Navy service as an acting third assistant engineer during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
on 4 August 1864. He mustered out of the Navy on 28 April 1869, but apparently returned to Navy service soon thereafter, being promoted to
second assistant engineer
A third engineer or second assistant engineer is a rank of engine officer who is part of the engine department on a ship.
The third engineer is usually in charge of boilers, auxiliary engines, condensate and feed systems, record keeping of chemi ...
on 2 September 1870. He served aboard the
screw
A screw is an externally helical threaded fastener capable of being tightened or released by a twisting force (torque) to the screw head, head. The most common uses of screws are to hold objects together and there are many forms for a variety ...
sloop-of-war
During the 18th and 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship of the Royal Navy with a single gun deck that carried up to 18 guns. The rating system of the Royal Navy covered all vessels with 20 or more guns; thus, the term encompassed all u ...
in the
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the No ...
from 1873 to 1874, then had a tour of shore duty at the Navy's
Bureau of Steam Engineering
The Bureau of Steam Engineering was a bureau of the United States Navy, created by the act of 5 July 1862, receiving some of the duties of the former Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repair. It became, by the Naval Appropriation Act of 4 June ...
from 1875 to 1877 and was promoted to
first assistant engineer
A second engineer or first assistant engineer is a licensed mariner, licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. This title is used for the person on a ship responsible for supervising the daily Maintenance, repair and ope ...
on 21 September 1877. He then returned to sea in the
Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron (naval), 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 w ...
, first aboard the
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
from 1877 to 1878, then aboard the
tug
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
(October 5, 2012).
After another tour at the Bureau of Steam Engineering from 1880 to 1881, Bayley was on special duty with the
United States Department of the Navy
The United States Department of the Navy (DON) is one of the three military departments within the United States Department of Defense. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary of War James McHenr ...
from 1881 to 1885. He then served aboard the screw steamer 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 (United States), Mediterranean Squadron and ...
from 1885 to 1888. He had duty under the
United States Fish Commission
The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the Fishery, fisheries of the United St ...
from 1888 to 1892, followed by a tour at the
New York Navy Yard
The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...
in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York, from 1892 to 1893.
Bayley returned to sea in 1893, serving aboard the new gunboat in the North Atlantic Squadron into 1894. In April 1894 he reported for duty aboard the gunboat and was promoted to
chief engineer
A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "Chief" or "ChEng", is the most senior licensed mariner (engine officer) of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that departmen ...
on 25 May 1894. He was aboard the
monitor
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, Wes ...
from 1895 to 1896.
After brief service at the Bureau of Steam Engineering beginning in June 1896, Bayley began a tour at the
United States Civil Service Commission
The United States Civil Service Commission was a government agency of the federal government of the United States. It was created to select employees of federal government on merit rather than relationships. In 1979, it was dissolved as part of ...
in August 1896. He remained there until he reported aboard the battleship in the North Atlantic Squadron for duty as Fleet Engineer. ''Massachusetts'' was reassigned to the Flying Squadron in March 1898 and operated with that squadron off
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
after 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 ...
broke out in April 1898. Although ''Massachusetts'' was away coaling and missed the climactic
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba was a decisive naval engagement that occurred on July 3, 1898 between an United States, American fleet, led by William T. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley, against a Restoration (Spain), Spanish fleet led by Pascu ...
, Bayley distinguished himself in other actions off Cuba and was advanced two numbers for "eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle" during his time aboard her.
After the U.S. Navy abolished the distinction between engineering and
line officer
A line officer or officer of the line is, opposed to staff officers or reserve officers, a military officer who is eligible for command of operational, tactical or combat units. The name most likely stems from the Early modern warfare tactics ...
s, Bayley's rank was converted to lieutenant commander on 3 March 1899. Leaving ''Massachusetts'' in November 1900, he reported to the Bureau of Steam Engineering on 27 November 1900 for inspection duty, and was promoted to
commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
on 3 March 1901.
From September to November 1903, Bayley was a member of a board of inquiry examining the 15 February 1898 destruction of the battleship in
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Navy Examining Board on 2 November 1903 and, promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
on 1 July 1905, remained on it until going on an extended period of sick leave beginning 11 November 1905. He retired from the Navy at the rank of rear admiral while on sick leave on 18 April 1906.
Personal life
Bayley married the former Annette Williamson (d. 19 August 1947) in October 1890. They were had one son.
Death
Bayley died in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, on 22 April 1928 and is buried with his wife at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
, in
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...
.
Gallery
File:Fourteen Retired Flag Officers.jpg, Bayley is second from the left in the back row in this photograph of 13 retired U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps flag officers taken .
File:Flag officers Rear Admiral George C. Remey birthday 1926.jpg, Bayley is standing second from right in this photo of retired flag officers taken at the 85th birthday party of Rear Admiral George C. Remey on 10 August 1926.