William T. Sampson

William Thomas Sampson (February 9, 1840 – May 6, 1902) was a

Following duty on the steam frigate Colorado with the European Squadron, another tour as instructor at the Naval Academy, and in the Bureau of Navigation of the Navy Department, he served in the screw sloop Congress. He then commanded the Alert, the training ship Mayflower, and the Swatara while on duty at the Naval Academy.

During the next years, he was Assistant to the Superintendent of the

The United States declared war against Spain on April 25, 1898; and, eight days later, Admiral

Sampson's message omitted any mention of Schley's leadership in the battle, leading to a controversy as to who was responsible for the victory. While Sampson also arguably played a significant role in the victory, having laid down the strategic framework and determining the favorable positions of his own forces, it was of course Schley who had actually commanded the fleet during the battle.[1] Schley appealed for a court of inquiry, which he got in 1901. In the Navy, the quarrel was so divisive that the rank-and-file identified themselves as either a "Schley man" or a "Sampson man." The court of inquiry heard testimony in support of Schley by his own men and, despite some criticism of Schley, exonerated the commander of the Flying Squadron.

After the Battle of Santiago Bay, Sampson was appointed Cuban Commissioner on August 20, 1898, but resumed command of the North Atlantic Fleet in December. He became Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard in October 1899 and transferred to the Retired List on February 9, 1902.

Sampson was a companion of the

• Civil War Campaign Medal
• Sampson Medal
• Spanish Campaign Medal

Dates of rank

• Acting Midshipman – September 24, 1857
• Midshipman – June 1, 1861
• Lieutenant – July 16, 1862
• Lieutenant Commander – July 25, 1866
• Commander – August 9, 1874
• Captain – March 26, 1889
• Temporary Rear Admiral – March 26, 1898
• Commodore – July 3, 1898
• Rear Admiral – March 3, 1899
• Retired List – February 9, 1902

Namesakes

• Four destroyers of the Navy have been named USS Sampson in his honor.
• The United States Naval Academy's Sampson Hall, which houses the English and History departments, is named in his honor.
• The United States Navy also authorized a service medal, officially named the West Indies Naval Campaign Medal but better known as the Sampson Medal, to recognize those who had served under his command during the Spanish–American War. The obverse of the medal bears Sampson's image and, thus, Sampson was one of only four Americans in history entitled to wear an official medal with their own image on it. (The others were Admiral George Dewey, General John J. Pershing and Admiral Richard E. Byrd.)
• The former Sampson Naval Training Base, that became the Sampson Air Force Base and is now a New York State Park on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake were named in his honor. Approved by President Roosevelt in 1942, 498 buildings were constructed on 2,500 acres (10 km²) of farmland in the Finger Lakes near Palmyra, New York by 15,500 workers in 270 days so that 411,000 sailors could be trained before the facility closed in 1946. The facility was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base for the Korean War and between 1950 and 1956 over 300,000 airmen had their basic training there. Even though the facility is now the Sampson State Park, known for its herd of white deer, it has returned to military duty now that the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery has been completed.
• A Brooklyn, New York elementary school, PS 160, was named in his honor.
• The steamship SS Admiral Sampson was named in his honor. It was built in 1898 and sank in Puget Sound in 1914.
• Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is named in his honor.^[3]
• Detroit Public Schools has a school that bears the name William T. Sampson Elementary School, located at 6075 Begole Street, Detroit, MI 48210. It is no longer used and has been shuttered.
• The Wisconsin town of Sampson is named in his honor.^[4]

Personal life

In 1863, Sampson married Margaret Sexton Aldrich (1842–1878). On January 16, 1878, Sampson's first wife Margaret died. ^[5][6]

In 1882, Sampson married Elizabeth Susan Burling.^[5]

In 1916, Sampson's daughter

Sampson's grand-daughter Marjorie Sampson Smith became a sponsor of USS Sampson (DD-63) on March 4, 1916.^[7]

Admiral Sampson died on May 6, 1902, in Washington, D.C., and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. ^[8]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to William T. Sampson.

• List of superintendents of the United States Naval Academy
• Puerto Rico campaign

References