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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
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Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --
Captain Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN, (1839-1889)
Cornelius M. Schoonmaker was born on 2 February 1839. He was
appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in September 1854 and, following
graduation in June 1859, served for about two years off the African
west coast. In May-September 1861, during the first several months
of the Civil War, he was a junior officer on the steam frigate
Minnesota and participated with her in the capture of Forts
Hatteras and Clark. From late 1861 until after the end of the
Civil War in 1865, Lieutenant Schoonmaker was Executive Officer
of several ships, including the gunboats Wyandotte and
Octorara,
monitors Manhattan
and Catskill,
and the cruiser Augusta.
While in the Manhattan, he took part in the Battle of Mobile
Bay in August 1864 and in the subsequent campaign to capture Fort
Morgan.
In June 1865, Lieutenant Schoonmaker became Navigator of the
sloop Juniata and, after promotion to Lieutenant Commander,
was her Executive Officer. In 1867-70, he served as Navigator
of the Asiatic Squadron flagship, USS Piscataqua (renamed
Delaware in 1869). He received instruction in the emerging
field of "torpedo" warfare in 1872, then was given command
of the dispatch vessel Frolic.
Commander Schoonmaker served at the New York Navy Yard in 1873-74,
and was Inspector of the Eighth Light-House District, at New Orleans,
until 1878. He took command of the new gunboat Nipsic
in 1879, taking her to European waters in 1880-81.
Schoonmaker was stationed at the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1882-85
and received promotion to the rank of Captain in October 1886.
He became Commanding Officer of the steam sloop Vandalia,
on the Pacific Station, in 1888. Captain Schoonmaker was among
the many members of her company who lost their lives when Vandalia
was sunk in the very destructive Apia,
Samoa, hurricane of 15-16 March 1889.
This page features all views we have related to Captain
Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 100274
Commander Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN
Cabinet card photograph by Sebastianutti & Benque, Trieste.
It was probably taken in 1880-1881, when Commander Schoonmaker
commanded USS Nipsic in European waters.
Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Rear
Admiral R.R. Belknap, USN.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 75KB; 480 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 100275
Captain Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN
Cabinet card photograph by J. Williams, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii.
It was probably taken in 1887-1889, when Captain Schoonmaker
commanded USS Vandalia on the Pacific Station. He was
drowned when Vandalia was wrecked in the 15-16 March 1889
hurricane at Apia, Samoa.
Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Rear
Admiral R.R. Belknap, USN.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 48KB; 490 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: LC-B8171-3415
Lieutenant Commander Edward Barrett, USN (left), Commanding
Officer of USS Catskill, and
Lieutenant Cornelius M. Schoonmaker, USN, one of Catskill's
officers
Pose on a field gun, holding their swords, while visiting Battery
"Bee" on Sullivan's Island, Charleston harbor, South
Carolina, in 1865.
Photographed by the Matthew Brady organization.
Collections of the Library of Congress.
Online Image: 113KB; 610 x 675 pixels |
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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 |
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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 |
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Photo #: NH 1897
Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889
Memorial tablet in the Chapel at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California,
dedicated to the memory of officers and men of USS Trenton,
USS Vandalia and USS Nipsic who lost their lives
in the storm.
Photographed circa the early 1900s or earlier.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 138KB; 555 x 765 pixels |
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