Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 1900:  Men pay their respects at the grave of Captain Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, who lost his life in the hurricane at Apia, Samoa

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1880s -- 1889

Hurricane at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889 --
Personnel Casualties and Survivors

The Apia hurricane took the lives of fifty-one U.S. Sailors and Marines, forty-three from USS Vandalia, seven from USS Nipsic and one on board USS Trenton. Among those lost with the Vandalia was her Commanding Officer, Cornelius M. Schoonmaker. Over ninety Germans were also lost, twenty on the Adler and about seventy-one on the Eber. Only one officer and four men survived the loss of the latter ship.

After the storm, men from Vandalia and Trenton were housed ashore in the eastern part of Apia, with a strong guard of U.S. Marines to keep them separated from German survivors encamped to the west of the town. Most crewmen from Nipsic soon were returned to their ship. Led by their officers, among them Rear Admiral Lewis A. Kimberly, Captain Norman Farquhar (Trenton's Commanding Officer), and Commander Dennis Mullan (Nipsic's Commanding Officer), the U.S. personnel were kept busy in salvage work until they were taken from the island. All of the Vandalia's men and most of those from Trenton left on board the steamship Rockton on 1 May 1889, en route to San Francisco, California.

This page features all the views we have related to personnel casualties and survivors of the 15-16 March 1889 hurricane at Apia, Samoa.

For list of all U.S. Navy personnel lost in the Apia Hurricane, see the "Frequently Asked Questions" entry:

  • Typhoons and Hurricanes: The Storm at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889.

    For more images related to the March 1889 Apia hurricane, see:

  • Hurricane at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 1900

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Men pay their respects at the grave of Captain Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN, Commanding Officer of USS Vandalia, who lost his life when his ship was wrecked during the storm. He was buried near Apia, Upolu, Samoa.
    Photographed shortly after the disaster. Those present are (from left to right):
    Mr. Hart, news correspondent;
    Mr. J.P. Dunning, Associated Press correspondent;
    Chief Engineer Albert S. Greene, of USS Vandalia;
    Ensign John H. Gibbons, of USS Vandalia;
    Lieutenant James W. Carlin, of USS Vandalia;
    two unidentified men; and
    Captain Norman H. Farquhar, Commanding Officer of USS Trenton.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 187KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97918

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Visiting the grave of Captain Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN, soon after the storm. Captain Schoonmaker, Commanding Officer of USS Vandalia, drowned during the hurricane and was buried near Apia, Upolu, Samoa.
    Those present are (from left to right):
    Mr. Hart, news correspondent;
    Mr. J.P. Dunning, Associated Press correspondent, who reported on the storm;
    Chief Engineer Albert S. Greene, of USS Vandalia;
    Ensign John H. Gibbons, of USS Vandalia;
    Lieutenant James W. Carlin, of USS Vandalia;
    two unidentified men; and
    Captain Norman H. Farquhar, Commanding Officer of USS Trenton.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Donation of Lieutenant H.E. La Mertha, USNR, 1934.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 139KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97917

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Crewmen of USS Vandalia at their camp at Apia, Upolu, Samoa, shortly after their ship was wrecked in the storm.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Donation of Lieutenant H.E. La Mertha, USNR, 1934.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 139KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 579

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Some the wrecked USS Vandalia's survivors at their camp, at Apia, Upolu, Samoa, following the storm.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Donation of Lieutenant H.E. La Mertha, USNR, 1934.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 178KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 580

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Some USS Vandalia's survivors in front of their camp headquarters, at Apia, Upolu, Samoa, following the storm.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Donation of Lieutenant H.E. La Mertha, USNR, 1934.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 139KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 71286

    Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889


    Survivors of USS Vandalia in front of their camp headquarters, at Apia, Upolu, Samoa, following the storm.

    Collection of Chief Engineer Albert S. Greene, who served in Vandalia at the time.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     

    For list of all U.S. Navy personnel lost in the Apia Hurricane, see the "Frequently Asked Questions" entry:

  • Typhoons and Hurricanes: The Storm at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889.

    For more images related to the March 1889 Apia hurricane, see:

  • Hurricane at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 24 March 2002
    Text added 7 April 2002