'The Admiral'

Review by Bill Doughty

One hundred years ago, Sept. 1, 1919, Admiral Albert Gleaves, commander of the Asiatic Fleet, broke his flag as a four-star, full admiral. "Four days later we sailed," he writes in his memoirs. "I was glad to get to sea again and into the roaring northeast trade winds which soon blew all the dirt and much of shore out of the ship."



First published in 1934 and republished in 1985 (Hope Publishing House) with a foreword by Adm. James D. Watkins and preface by Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, Gleaves's autobiography "The Admiral" is a portrayal of a seagoing life and a fascinating portrait of a Navy's transition from sail to coal to oil, from the War of 1812 and Civil War to World War I, and from war to global diplomacy.

During his career Gleaves served under admirals like Barker, Dewey, Coughlan and Walker, "men who had been tried in battle and had served under Farragut and Porter in the Civil War. Without exception they were typical of what is expected of the American sea officers. Even if not always correct in their judgments or methods, they were a fine lot of American gentlemen devoted to their profession, and not one who did not in himself set an example of honor, loyalty and patriotism. All were prime seamen too, adhering perhaps a little too much to the ideas of the sail period, which was natural, but boldly assuming the care and handling of huge modern steel ships, whether singly or in squadron."

"Of course, all these men were not of the same type of mind. Some were prosaic and cautious, strict in interpretation of the regulations, seeing nothing but the letter of the law and following it to the death. Others were a law unto themselves, believing the naval regulations to be intended as a guide for those who carried no light of their own, and more honored in the breach than in the observance. These used their own discretion, never requested instructions, acted on their own and let it go at that. The latter were the better all around officers, and made the better leaders."

Gleaves, who was commissioned an ensign in 1881, writes about the limits of coal consumption at sea, the importance of new "electrical officers" and the dangers of having to bring ice on board (which could mean a deadly typhoid outbreak).

These sentences about the old Navy can bring a smile: "While exercising spars and sails, our main topgallant mast was sprung." And, Admiral Davis "thought the navy was headed to hell ... there wasn't a sailor ... who knew the difference between a topgallant sheet and a topsail reef tackle!"

Old Salts of the Square Rigger Navy aboard USS Mohican in 1888 (Photo by Assistant Surgeon H.W. Whitaker, USN (Navy History and Heritage Command)

Gleaves gives an unvarnished view of enlisted sailors when he first served in the fleet, nearly a century before the modern, all-volunteer, integrated, professional force.

"The crew of the Hartford was a heterogeneous collection of various nationalities. This was usual for that period. Few Americans enlisted in the navy, and those who did were invariably beachcombers and the like. Often they were deserters from other ships who reenlisted under different names. North countrymen, Swedes and Norwegians predominated. They were known as 'square heads' – solid, heavy and dumb – but faithful and, as a rule, excellent seamen. Portugal furnished a large percentage of the stewards, while Norfolk and its vicinity contributed more than half of the colored servants. The worst elements in the ship's company were the degenerate Englishmen, for the most part deserters from their own navy or merchant service. They were known as 'limeys,' and were not liked either forward or aft. The best element beside the few old-timers was perhaps Irish – splendid sailors, hard-drinking and hard-fighting, but ready at all times to reef a topsail in a gale of wind, join a landing party or man a cutter in a rugged sea."

Frederick Douglass

In 1889 Gleaves married Evelina Heap, daughter of David Porter Heap who was nephew of Commodore David Porter "of USS Essex fame." They would have two daughters. 

Gleaves was a son of Tennessee who attended the Naval Academy just eight years after the end of the Civil War. He was born twelve years before nonwhite American males could vote (thanks to the 15th Amendment), and he was 62 years old – and six months from retirement – before ratification of the 19th Amendment acknowledged a woman's right to vote.

As a young officer Gleaves served aboard USS Dolphin, captained by future rear admiral Charles O'Neil, a survivor of the Cumberland's battle with the Merrimac. Their first cruise was a mission to pick up a distinguished American at Puerto Rico and take him on a tour of inspection around Haiti. The Navy provided escort to the new minister of Haiti: Frederick Douglass.

"One day during the morning watch, while lying off Gonave, Mr. Douglass was talking to me on the quarterdeck about the future of the islands and said, 'As long as the natives have only to get their breakfast off the trees they will never work. Frederick Douglass was a most interesting person. He had belonged to Col. Edward Lloyd of the eastern shore of Maryland. When he was at the New York yard, waiting for the man-o'-war which was to take him to Hayti (sic), it was said the Colonel Lloyd's son, an ensign in another ship at the yard, called on his father's former slave and that Douglass said of this visit, he had received many honors in his life, but none had touched him so deeply as this attention shown by the son of his old master."

Gleaves recounts times spent with Assistant Secretary of the Navy and later President Theodore Roosevelt. In his career he deployed to the Falklands, Europe, Aden, Bombay (now Mumbai), Ceylon, Central America, Philippines, Formosa (now Taiwan), China, Japan, Russia and Hawaii.

He was in Hawaii aboard USS Boston shortly before the overthrow of the monarchy.



"The Sandwich, or Hawaiian, Islands, as they are now called, are strategically the most important outpost of the United States," Gleaves writes. "For years they were a tempting prize to the nations of the world, but all feared to take them. Every European nation knew that the rape of those islands would mean immediate restitution, or war, with the United States."

"On the 24th of August (1894) we arrived at Honolulu and moored inside the reef. The San Francisco, flagship of Adm. George Brown, was in port awaiting our arrival, and went to sea that afternoon. The admiral was very popular in the islands and had made several cruises there. He had brought the body of the late King Kalakaua back to Honolulu after his death in San Francisco ... When we had been in Honolulu for several days we were presented to Queen Liliuokalani at the palace. She was coldly polite and did not appear to be overjoyed to see either our minister, Mr. Stevens, or Captain Wiltse. The queen, a pureblooded native, had traveled in Europe and the United States and was a woman of the world. Evidently she sensed the approaching political storm which was inevitable and was about to blow her off her tinsel throne."

Gleaves was also a witness to history at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Torpedo boat USS Cushing

In fact, his next ship, the torpedo boat USS Cushing, would have been tied up to the ill-fated USS Maine in Havana Harbor if he hadn't been delayed by the death of his close friend Ens. Cabell Breckenridge on the eve of the explosion of the Maine and start of the war in April 1898. Breckenridge's replacement was Midshipman Henry Mustin.

Adm. Albert Gleaves

Gleaves provided critical communication, patrols, scouting and blockading during the short war, and was commended by Rear Adm. Charles D. Sigsbee for his assistance during "troubled times."

At the turn of the century Gleaves took command of USS Mayflower, "the vessel selected by President Roosevelt (T.R.) for his special use." It was considered a plum assignment and "a great prize in the Navy. I was lucky enough to be the first to get it."

He helped develop torpedoes for the Navy and commanded the North Dakota in the early part of the century. In 1914, Gleaves took command of USS Utah and in 1915 he was promoted to rear admiral.

German sailors of U-53 visit U.S. in 1917.

Admiral Mayo ordered the Distinguished Service Medal be presented to Gleaves for his actions as Commander, Destroyer Forces in 1917 calling for immediate readiness review of all destroyers and destroyer crews. After an interaction with German U-53 submarine sailors Gleaves recognized America's imminent involvement in the Great War.

He would achieve international fame for his service as Commander, Cruisers and Transport Force. According to Adm. Watkins, "That organization ferried approximately one million American soldiers to France. Remarkably, not a single soldier lost his life at sea during this demonstration of American sea power. Their unique story is a classic example of naval power projection."

Return of the Mayflower, as the United States Navy brings assistance to Europe in the First World War. (painting by Bernard F. Gribble)

In his memoirs, Adm. Gleaves calls it "the most important command I ever had." He pays tribute "to the men who carried me through so loyally." In the preface to his 1919 book, "The History of the Transport Service," Gleaves recognizes "the officers and men of the American Transports, and my admiration for their unsurpassed skill and endeavor in the performance of their duties. At sea for many years, these Master Mariners of the United States lived up to the highest traditions of the sea, and brought credit to their country."

St. Nazaire Monument, France commemorating 1917 convo

President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote, "Admiral Gleaves had already achieved distinction in the Navy before his eminent stature was further revealed by his service as commander of the cruiser and transport force during the World War. He organized the strategy of our transport service and completed the enormous task assigned to him without the loss of a single soldier. For this service he won the admiration of the world. His long naval career was characterized by great versatility and by the utmost tact and diplomacy in the discharge of the varied duties which fell to him to perform."

Gleaves was an intense reader and prolific writer.

Because he was a such a good writer and a great witness to history, it is rewarding to read his perspective from Vladivostok, Shanghai and Hong Kong – when Russia and China were allies or friends and Germany, Japan and Spain were, for a time, our enemies.

After diplomatic work in Russia, China and Japan, Gleaves lowered his admiral's flag for the last time, Feb. 4, 1921, and sailed for home via Vancouver and Seattle.

"My last cruise was ended," Gleaves writes at the end of his memoirs. "For me the lights had twinkled on the rocks for the last time."

Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves (at center, facing right), Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard, oversees the transfer of guns from USS Constitution to the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, 1921. (NHHC)

Gleaves died January 6, 1937, a few days after his 79th birthday. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His family helped launch his namesake USS Gleaves (DD-423) one month later. His granddaughters, Evelina Gleaves Van Metre and Clotilda Florence Cohen, assisted at the launching ceremony at Bath, Maine. (Clotilda died in 1996. Evelina died earlier this year and was interred last month, July 31, 2019, at Arlington.)

USS GLEAVES (DD-423) joint sponsors Evelina Gleaves Van Metre and Miss Clotilda Florence Cohen at launching of USS Gleaves (DDG-423). (NHHC)