Robert L. Phythian
Encyclopedia
Robert Lees Phythian was a United States naval officer who was the first superintendent of the New York Nautical School
and later was a superintendent for the U.S. Naval Academy
and the U.S. Naval Observatory
.
. In 1859 he was promoted to Master, and in 1861 served on the sloop . That same year, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant, and then served at the Naval Academy from 1862 to 1863. He was then assigned to the ironclad
monitor
, part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In 1864 he was assigned to another ironclad, and continued to serve on blockading duty until the end of the war in 1865.
From 1866 to 1869 he served as an instructor again at the Naval Academy. On July 13, 1870, Phythian was commissioned a commander and became chief-of-staff of the Pacific Squadron
, remaining remained there until 1872. He assigned to the Boston Navy Yard
from 1873 until 1874, then was transferred to the New York Nautical School (now SUNY Maritime College
) as its first superintendent. Phythian would remain the superintendent of the school until 1878, after which he was assigned for special duty in 1879 and later torpedo instruction in 1880.
In November 1881 he was promoted to Captain. He then returned to the Boston Navy Yard where he served from 1882 to 1883. After this, he was assigned to the ship on the Asiatic Station where he served from 1883 to 1886. Upon his return he served as Superintendent of the Naval Observatory
from 1886 to 1890, and then as Superintendent of the Naval Academy
from 1890 to 1894. On September 7, 1894 he was commissioned Commodore and then returned to the Naval Observatory where he served as superintendent until 1897. He retired the next year.
Phythian died in 1917.
State University of New York Maritime College
SUNY Maritime College is a maritime college located in the Bronx, New York City in historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula where the East River meets Long Island Sound...
and later was a superintendent for the U.S. 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...
and the U.S. 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...
.
Biography
Phythian, was born in New York in 1835. After graduating from the Naval Academy he served on the frigate , flagship to the Brazil SquadronBrazil Squadron
The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina...
. In 1859 he was promoted to Master, and in 1861 served on the sloop . That same year, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant, and then served at the Naval Academy from 1862 to 1863. He was then assigned to the ironclad
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
monitor
Monitor (warship)
A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors...
, part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In 1864 he was assigned to another ironclad, and continued to serve on blockading duty until the end of the war in 1865.
From 1866 to 1869 he served as an instructor again at the Naval Academy. On July 13, 1870, Phythian was commissioned a commander and became chief-of-staff of the Pacific Squadron
Pacific Squadron
The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
, remaining remained there until 1872. He assigned to 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...
from 1873 until 1874, then was transferred to the New York Nautical School (now SUNY Maritime College
State University of New York Maritime College
SUNY Maritime College is a maritime college located in the Bronx, New York City in historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula where the East River meets Long Island Sound...
) as its first superintendent. Phythian would remain the superintendent of the school until 1878, after which he was assigned for special duty in 1879 and later torpedo instruction in 1880.
In November 1881 he was promoted to Captain. He then returned to the Boston Navy Yard where he served from 1882 to 1883. After this, he was assigned to the ship on the Asiatic Station where he served from 1883 to 1886. Upon his return he served as Superintendent of 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...
from 1886 to 1890, and then as 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...
from 1890 to 1894. On September 7, 1894 he was commissioned Commodore and then returned to the Naval Observatory where he served as superintendent until 1897. He retired the next year.
Phythian died in 1917.
Further reading
- Waiting for dead men's shoes: origins and development of the U.S. Navy's officer personnel system, 1793-1941 Donald Chisholm; includes coverage of the Phythian Board of 1891 dealing with imbalances of officer numbers and the Navy career path.