James H. Sands
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral James Hoban Sands (12 July 1845 – 26 October 1911) was an officer in the United States Navy
during the American Civil War
and eventually became Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
.
, he was born in Washington, D.C.
in 1845. Sands was appointed Acting Midshipman
in the United States Naval Academy on 25 November 1859, and graduated in 1863 while the academy was still in Newport. During the American Civil War
, he served in Tuscarora
, Juniata, and Shenandoah
and, in the years that followed, in and Richmond
. He was part of the blockading fleet during the Civil War, which for a time was commanded by his father, and was present at the evacuation of Charleston; he also participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher, for which he was cited for gallantry in action, and twice recommended for promotion.
Ordered to the Naval Observatory
in 1869, he returned to sea duty on the Asiatic Station, a year and a half later. From October 1873 to April 1875, he served in the Hydrographic Office
. Duty in Minnesota
and Iroquois followed; and, in 1884, he returned to Washington, D.C., for duty at the Washington Navy Yard
.
During the 1890s, he commanded Monongahela
; served as equipment officer at the Boston Navy Yard
; commanded Columbia
and Minneapolis
; and served as Governor of the Naval Home Squadron
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
Detached from the latter in 1901, he became a member of the Retirement Board and assumed its presidency in 1902. Commissioned Rear Admiral the same year, he served as Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, League Island
, Philadelphia, from May 1902 to April 1903; commanded the Coast Squadron
until 1905; then assumed duty as the eighteenth Superintendent of the Naval Academy
. Further duty on the Retirement Board and as President, Naval Examining Board, followed; and, in July 1907, he transferred to the Retired List.
They had one son and two daughters. The son, William Franklin Sands
, became United States Minister to Guatemala
, and the two daughters, Clara and Hilda, became Religious of the Sacred Heart.
for Sands and his father, Benjamin F. Sands
:
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and eventually became Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
.
Naval career
Son of Rear Admiral Benjamin F. SandsBenjamin F. Sands
Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Sands was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-U.S. Navy career:...
, he was born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1845. Sands was appointed Acting Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in the United States Naval Academy on 25 November 1859, and graduated in 1863 while the academy was still in Newport. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he served in Tuscarora
USS Tuscarora (1861)
The first USS Tuscarora was a sloop of war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.Tuscarora was laid down on 27 June 1861 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Merrick & Sons; launched on 24 August 1861; sponsored by Miss Margaret Lardner; and commissioned on 5 December 1861, Commander...
, Juniata, and Shenandoah
USS Shenandoah (1862)
The first USS Shenandoah was a wooden screw sloop of the United States Navy.Shenandoah was built by the Philadelphia Navy Yard and launched on 8 December 1862. She was sponsored by Miss Selina Pascoe; and was commissioned on 20 June 1863, Captain Daniel B...
and, in the years that followed, in and Richmond
USS Richmond (1860)
The USS Richmond was a wooden steam sloop in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Service in the Caribbean :Richmond was launched on 26 January 1860 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by a Miss Robb. Richmond, commanded by Captain D. N. Ingraham, departed Norfolk, Virginia 13...
. He was part of the blockading fleet during the Civil War, which for a time was commanded by his father, and was present at the evacuation of Charleston; he also participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher, for which he was cited for gallantry in action, and twice recommended for promotion.
Ordered to the Naval Observatory
United States Naval Observatory
The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense...
in 1869, he returned to sea duty on the Asiatic Station, a year and a half later. From October 1873 to April 1875, he served in the Hydrographic Office
Hydrographic office
A hydrographic office is an organization which is devoted to acquiring and publishing hydrographic information.Historically, the main tasks of hydrographic offices were the conduction of hydrographic surveys and the publication of nautical charts...
. Duty in Minnesota
USS Minnesota (1855)
USS Minnesota was a wooden steam frigate in the United States Navy. Launched in 1855 and commissioned eighteen months later, the ship served in east Asia for two years before being decommissioned...
and Iroquois followed; and, in 1884, he returned to Washington, D.C., for duty at the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
.
During the 1890s, he commanded Monongahela
USS Monongahela (1862)
USS Monongahela was a barkentine–rigged screw sloop-of-war that served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Her task was to participate in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America...
; served as equipment officer at the Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
; commanded Columbia
USS Columbia (C-12)
The fourth USS Columbia was an unarmored protected cruiser in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War and World War I. She was the lead ship of her class of two cruisers; her sister ship was...
and Minneapolis
USS Minneapolis (C-13)
The first USS Minneapolis was a United States Navy protected cruiser. She was named for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota....
; and served as Governor of the Naval Home Squadron
Home Squadron
The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Detached from the latter in 1901, he became a member of the Retirement Board and assumed its presidency in 1902. Commissioned Rear Admiral the same year, he served as Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, League Island
League Island
League Island was an island in the Delaware River, part of the city of Philadelphia, just upstream from the mouth of the Schuylkill River, which was the site of the Philadelphia shipyard, which eventually became the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, now known as the Philadelphia Naval Business...
, Philadelphia, from May 1902 to April 1903; commanded the Coast Squadron
Coast Squadron
The Coast Squadron was a unit in the United States Navy in the early 20th century.It was organized under the North Atlantic Fleet....
until 1905; then assumed duty as the eighteenth Superintendent of the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. Further duty on the Retirement Board and as President, Naval Examining Board, followed; and, in July 1907, he transferred to the Retired List.
Family
Sands was a devout Roman Catholic and his influence was effective in creating a tolerance for Catholics and others of various faiths at the Naval Academy and within the military services. Sands was married to Mary Elizabeth Meade, who came from a famous Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, family. She also converted to Catholicism.They had one son and two daughters. The son, William Franklin Sands
William Franklin Sands
William Franklin Sands was a United States diplomat most known for his service in Korea on the eve of Japan's colonization of that country.-Biography:...
, became United States Minister to Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, and the two daughters, Clara and Hilda, became Religious of the Sacred Heart.
Namesakes
Two ships were named USS SandsUSS Sands
Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Sands for Benjamin F. Sands and his son, James H. Sands.* The first Sands was a Clemson-class destroyer, commissioned in 1920 and decommissioned in 1945....
for Sands and his father, Benjamin F. Sands
Benjamin F. Sands
Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Sands was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-U.S. Navy career:...
:
- Sands (DD-243/APD-13)USS Sands (DD-243)The first USS Sands was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named for Benjamin F. Sands and his son, James H...
, a Clemson-classClemson class destroyerThe Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II.The Clemson-class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, New York Shipbuilding...
destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, commissioned in 1920
- Sands (T-AGOR-6), an oceanographic research ship, placed in service in 1965
- Grandson, James Sands (father William F. Sands); great grandson, James H. Sands (father James Sands, grandfather William F. Sands); and two great-great grandsons: James H. Sands-Berking (parents Adele G. Sands and Carter Berking, grandfather James Sands, great-grandfather William F. Sands), and James H. Sands (parents Geoffrey K. Sands and Elena Sands, grandfather James Sands, great-grandfather William F. Sands).