The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-25

| Commander Richard Wainwright was
born in Washington in December. 1919
He was the son of Captain Wainwright.
who served with Farragut, and who lost
| his life before New Orleans in 1862
| Commander Wainwright's first schooldays
were passed at Dr. Youns's Academy in
! this city He entered the Naval Acad-
envy in September. 1864. graduating in
/ 1868. and seeing his FIRST service on board
I the jamestown In the Pacific squadron.
4 Wainwright was made ensign in 1869. ami
was assigned to duty in the photographic
! Office in Washington in 1870
After receiving promotion to master s
! grade he was attached to the frigate Col
orsdo. flagship OF the Asiatic squadron,
until 1872. and he was again in the Hydro
graphic Office in 1873 and 1874. He COM
manded the coast survey steamer Arago
/ from 1875 to 1878. From 1873 to 1881 he
was flag lieutenant TO Rear Admiral T.
II. Patterson, with the Asiatic fleet
From 1881 TO 1890 he saw service ~ith the
Bureau of Navigation aboard the Ten
nessee, in the North Atlantic squadron. as
secretary to Rear Admiral Jouett aboard
the Galena. and as inspector OF steel. In
1890 he was stationed at the Naval Acad-
envy. and later served as chief OF the
Naval Intelligence Bureau.
He WAS promoted TO the grade of
lieutenant commander in 1898 and was
assigned to duty as executive officer of the
battleship Maine. He served in this ca
pacity until the destruction of the vessel
in Havana Harbor on the morning of Feb
ruary IL. 1898. Subsequently he was un-
firing in his activity in rescuing the
bodies of the dead and in the investiga-
tion into the causes of the disaster.
In June. 1898, he was placed In command
of the steamer Gloucester formerly the
yacht Corsair, in which he served during
the war with Spain.
Wainwright ut Santiago.
During the blockade of Santiago Harbor
the auxilaries Gloucester and Vixen lay
close In shore and nearer the harbor en-
trance than any of the larger ships of the
American fleet.
In an official report OF the battle 1t is
observed that 1.-The skillful handling and
gallant fighting of the Gloucester excited
the admiration of everyone who witnessed
H. and merits the commentator of the
Navy Department She was lying about
two miles from the harbor entrance to the
southwark and eastward, and Immediately
steamed in. opening fire upon the large
ships of Admiral Cervera's squadron. An
tcipating the appearance of the Furor and
Pluton, the Gloucester was slowed. thereby
gaining more rapidly a high pressure OF
steam, and when the destroyers came out
she steamed for them at full speed. and
was able to close to short range. while her
fire was accurate, deadly, and OF great vol
ume During this fight the Gloucester was
under the fire of the Socapa battery"
Within twenty minutes from the time the
Furor and Pluton emerged from the har-
Dor OF Santiago their careers we're ended
and two-thirds Of their crews had been
killed. II has been said that the destroy
ers probably suffered some injury from the /
secondary batteries of the Iowa, Indiana.
and Texas, but the cause of their speedy
was the fire at close range Of |
the Gloucester's battery. After rescuing |
the survivors of the destroyers the Glou- |
cester IN reported TO have done excellent |
service in landing and securing the crew of |
the cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa