New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-07
OBITUARY
Rear Admiral Bowman H. Nc
Gala Dies at Santa Barbara.


miral Bowman III. McCalIa, U. g N Gre
tired. died suddenly at $50 O'Clock this
morning at his home in this city from apo
pIexy. He had not been ill. and the attack
was unexuected- His wife and three daugh-
tiers were at his bedside.
When Rear Admiral McCalla was retired.
on June 10. 1906 he came TO Santa Barbara
to pass his declining years. buying a home
here.
He took foremost part in municipal az
fairs AMI was president OF the CIVIC Club-
which had charge of the entertainment Oh
the officers and crews of the Atlantic bat
tleship feet when it visited this haroor two
years ago.
Rear Admiral McCala was born at Cam
den. n. J.. in 1874. entering the navy in 1851
His services during the almost thirty-nine
years or active duty in all parts OF the
world were marked by conspicuous acts
The most brilliant achievements OF the
dead officer were in connection with the
war with Spain and the Picking Keller COL
umn. for which he received signal recogni-
ton in the form of d Congressional meaai
for distinguished service in battle. ana Also
international Acknowledgement Of his LABOR
through the bestowal upon him OF the
Order of the Red Eagle by the German
Emperor and the Chinese war medal oy
the King of England.
His last active service In the navy "as
as cornmandant OF the naval training STA
ton at Mare Island and of the navy yard
there
Only one thing ever married Admiral Nc
Calais otherwise brilliant record. inns
was an incident which occurred IN May
1890 when he was on the steam sloop En-
terprise in Pacific waters In dfff1cuIty
with an enlisted man, who mad oeeh
brought to the mast intoxicated, and VINO.
upon being reprimanded, cursed Admiral
McCalla. the latter struck the sailor WIN
the side of his sword He was court mar
tailed and sentenced to be dismissed from
the navy. but later this punishment was
mitieated to three years suspension from
the service and loss of numbers during
that period BY many the punishment was
regarded as severe. and fight was begun
to have McCaIla restored to his former
place In December, 1891, the unexptred
portion of suspension was ren1itted. and
Admiral McCalla went back to active duty
again, having lost a year and half
| He had fallen below many other officers
in rank and it was not until March, 1900.
nearly ten years later, that he recovered
( all that he had lost. Then II was that
President Mckinley granted him full and
unconditional pardon and restored him TO
the place on the list of officers held prior
to his loss of numbers by his punishment.
! This action was taken for ''meritortous
services in Cuban waters" That was when
McCalla was in command of the cruiser
Marblehead, attached to the North Atlantic
| fleet.
An incident which occurred while the
| Marblehead was assisting in the capture of
| Guantanamo goes further than anything
else to illustrate Admiral McCalla's fighting
| spirit Marines had been landed at Guam
tanamo the Marblehead assisting in the
movement. After a severe engagement the
| commanding officer of the marines on shore
| sent word out to Commander McCalla that
| the position Of his men was untenable and
that he desired the Marblehead TO come in
| and take him off. Commander McCa1la
sent back word that the Marblehead would
| come in to shore to carry off dead marines
| and no others The marines won the day.
| Admiral McCalla gained more fame dur
| ing the Boxer troubles than anywhere else
| He was in command of the American de-
tachment of the first expedition which adj
| vanced TO the relief of the legations in
| Peking and for his services there he was
| highly commended from all sides. Although
ranked by other officers and not in COM
mand Of the expedition, McCalla led to the
/ front his bIuejackets and marines, number
| ing only 112, all from the Newark. and was
| at the head of the column nearly all the
way He was wounded three times during
! this terrible, unsuccessful march. 1t was
! not on account of any lack of determine
ton or daring on the part of the leaders Of
the expedition that made it fail. but it was
/ because of the snallness of the force,
which numbered only few more than two
thousand officers and men, The allied force
which finally rescued the foreigners in Pc
king numbered nearly twenty thousand