Oscar Walter Farenholt
Oscar Walter Farenholt | |
|---|---|
United States of America | |
| Service/ |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1861–1901 |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
| Unit | USS Wabash USS Catskill |
| Commands held | USS Henry Janes USS Pinta USS Monocacy USS Monadnock |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War Spanish–American War |
| Spouse(s) | Ella Mortimer Ames (1848–1925) |
Rear Admiral Oscar Walter Farenholt (May 2, 1845 – June 30, 1920) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War, the Spanish–American War and is the first enlisted man in the Navy to reach flag rank.[1]
Early life
Farenholt was born to
San Antonio, Texas, who had settled on a ranch on the Salado River 1842, not far from the famous Alamo Mission.[2] Speaking only German until the age of eight, he was sent to New Orleans to a French school where he learned English for the first time. He continued his schooling until twelve years of age, entering a preparatory school, near Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[3] Farenholt eventually broke off his studies believing dismissal from this institution to be in short order due to a boyish scrape, traveled to New Orleans, and shipped out to New York City aboard the American sailing ship Saint Charles. He continued sailing as a merchant sailor until the outbreak of the American Civil War.[4]
American Civil War
Farenholt entered the
Battle of Pocotaligo, South Carolina and was discharged from the Navy.[6] He reentered the U.S. Navy in February, 1863 after recovering and was assigned to the monitor USS Catskill participating in almost daily engagements with defenses of Charleston, South Carolina from April 1863 to April 1864.[5] He participated in the unsuccessful storming party of Fort Sumter in September, 1863.[3] Distinguished service led to his appointment as Acting ensign on August 19, 1864, and he was in command of the mortar schooner USS Henry Janes attached to the squadron in the Sounds of North Carolina later that year. He also participated in the recapture of Plymouth, North Carolina, and several engagements on the Roanoke, Chowan, and Blackwater rivers as well as the capture of Fort Fisher, North Carolina.[4][5]
Post Civil War
Farenholt was assigned various duties and was promoted to
Spanish–American War
.jpg)
During the
neutrality laws.[4]
Post Spanish–American War
He served at the
Philippine Islands in 1901, was Commander of the monitor USS Monadnock in the Asiatic station during 1901, and was promoted rear admiral on September 1, 1901. He was the first enlisted man in the Navy to reach flag rank, and voluntarily retired after giving 40 years of active service.[1][4]
Farenholt married Miss Ella Mortimer Ames (born 1848 in Massachusetts) in 1870.San Francisco, California.[12] Two ships have been named for Farenholt, USS Farenholt (DD-332) and USS Farenholt (DD-491).
Notes
- ^ a b c d Encyclopedia Americana pp. 18–19
- ^ Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York pg. 612
- ^ a b c Men and Women of America p. 587
- ^ a b c d Leonard's, Marquis's p. 471
- ^ a b c d Hamersly's pp. 115–116
- ^ A thousand American men of mark to-day pp. 67–68
- ^ a b Wade p. 371
- ^ The Spalding Memorial: A Genealogical History of Edward Spalding of Virginia and Massachusetts Bay and His Descendants. Chicago, Illinois: American Publishers's Association. 1897. p. 295. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ "Doctors of Medicine". Quinquennial Catalogue of the Officers and Graduates of Harvard University. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The University Press. 1910. p. 543. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ "Farenholt, Ammen". The National Cyclopædia of American Biography. J. T. White Company. 1962. p. 296. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ "Admiral Farhenholt Dies at Mare Island". The Sacramento Union. Vol. 215, no. 1. July 1, 1920. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels p. 393
References
- Hamersly, Lewis Randolph; The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, L.R. Hamersly Co., (1902)
- American men of mark; A Thousand American Men of Mark To-Day, American men of mark, (1917)
- L.R. Hamersly & Company; Men and Women of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries, L.R. Hamersly & Company, (1909)
- Encyclopedia Americana Corp; The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge, Volume 11, (1919)
- New York (State). Legislature. Assembly; Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Volume 10, (1867)
- Leonard, John Willion, Marquis, Albert Nelson; Who's Who in America, Marquis, (1903)
- United States. Navy Dept ; Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Government Printing Office, (1922)
- Wade, Herbert Treadwell; The New International Encyclopaedia, Volume 8, Dodd, Mead and company, (1922)