Henry Minett
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| Henry Minett | |
|---|---|
| May 7, 1857 – December 20, 1952 | |
| Place of birth | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Place of death | Asheville, North Carolina |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1876–1906 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | USS Viking |
| Midshipman - June 20, 1877 | |
|---|---|
| 1877–1878 | USS Swatara |
| Ensign - November 1, 1880 | |
| 1879–1871 | USS Jamestown |
| 1882 | USS New Hampshire |
| 1882–1883 | USS Hartford |
| 1883–1884 | USS Lackawanna |
| 1885–1886 | Naval Torpedo Station |
| Lieutenant, JG - May 23, 1886 | |
| 1886–1887 | USS Minnesota |
| 1888 | USS Pensacola[1] |
| 1888–1891 | USS Omaha |
| 1891 | USS Vermont |
| Lieutenant - December 11, 1891 | |
| 1894–1897 | USS Marblehead |
| 1897–1898 | USS Wabash |
| 1898 | USS Viking |
| 1898 | League Island Naval Yard |
| 1898 | USS Yorktown[2] |
| 1899–1900 | USS Adams[3] |
| Lieutenant Commander | |
| 1901–1902 | USS Concord[4] |
| 1902–1903 | USS Wheeling |
| 1903–1905 | USS Wabash[5] |
| 1905 | Naval War College |
| Commander - June 28, 1905 | |
| Captain | |
| 1906–1908? | Norfolk Naval Yard |
Henry Minett (May 7, 1857–December 20, 1952) was a career officer of the United States Navy who served during the Spanish-American War. Prior to retirement in 1905, he achieved the rank of captain. He is best remembered as one of the first acting-Governor of American Samoa. Minett Islet in Alaska is named for him.
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[edit] Spanish-American War
At the beginning of the Spanish-American War, Minett was serving on board the USS Wabash off the coast of Boston, Massachusetts. He was transferred to New York and given his first command, the newly-purchased USS Viking.[6] The Viking had been a private yacht, but was pressed into service in for the war. For two months, Minett was part of the harbor patrol, stationed off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, defending New York from potential Spanish threats.[7] On July 12, the Viking was transferred to Cuba to assist in the blockade of Santiago de Cuba. Minett's duties in Cuba included transporting passengers, orders, and supplies to the larger ships of the blocklade. On August 16, Minett and the Viking were transferred to Norfolk, Virginia where she was decommissioned. Although a participant in the blockade, Minett saw no combat during the war.[8]
[edit] American Samoa
On January 16, 1903, Minett was acting-Governor when the formal reply to the deed of secession arrived from President Theodore Roosevelt. A full military ceremony was held where Minett presented each of the tribal chiefs who had signed the deed with an engraved silver watch and chain. Minett also presented a letter from the president acknowledging his acceptance of the territory. Using Navy officers as a color guard, Minett also formally presented the gift of an American flag to the members of the Fita Fita Guard, the local militia created by Governor Tilley three years earlier.[9]
While Minett was acting as governor, the territory was visited by German Samoa Governor Wilhelm Heinrich Solf, perhaps the first such visit from a governor's eastern counterpart. In this meeting, the two governors discussed maintaining friendly relations, but also restricting travel between the two territories. Some natives had been ignoring the partition and going on extended "visiting parties" between the zones. Both governors agreed to attempt to curb this practice.[10]
Minett's time as governor was also marked by the improving of roads in the territory and by hunger problems.
[edit] Retirement
After retirement, Minett remained at Norfolk Naval Yard on the court-martial board of inquiry. By 1908, he was president of that board.[11]
In 1880, an islet was named in his honor: Minett Islet. Minett was serving at Sitka Sound aboard the USS Jamestown when the islet was named.
[edit] References
- ^ "Army and Navy News", The New York Times, 1888-03-10, p. 2.
- ^ "The United Service", The New York Times, 1898-10-11, p. 4.
- ^ "The United Service", The New York Times, 1900-01-13, p. 5.
- ^ "Gunboat at Wrong Station", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1901-07-17, p. 9.
- ^ "Orders to Naval Officers", The Washington Post, 1903-08-07, p. 7.
- ^ "The United Service", The New York Times, 1898-05-10, p. 3.
- ^ "Patrolling the Harbor", The New York Times, 1898-05-18, p. 3.
- ^ USS Viking I. MultiEducator, Inc. Retrieved on 2008-06-04. (from DANFS)
- ^ "Red-Letter Day for People of Samoa", Los Angeles Times, 1903-02-10, p. 10.
- ^ "Affairs in Tutuila", The Washington Post, 1903-02-18, p. 4.
- ^ "Society", The Washington Post, 1908-08-13, p. E5.
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