Without native insight, study is wasted. Without serious and strenuous application, natural endowments are ineffective in the face of problems whose solution demands laborious days and sleepless nights.
He was born September 27, 1840, at West Point, New York. His father, Dennis Hart Mahan, was a professor of military engineering in the United States military academy. His mother's maiden name was Mary Helena OKill. The earliest known ancestor on his father's side in America was John Mahan. His early years were spent in the country; and his first remembered predilection was for the navy. He took preliminary courses at St. James school, Hagerstown, Maryland, and at Columbia college, New York; and was graduated (with the rank of midshipman) from the United States naval academy, June 9, 1859. His earliest service was in Brazilian waters, until the outbreak of the Civil war; and with the South Atlantic squadron, steamship Pocahontas, in 1861 and 1862. He was commissioned lieutenant, August 31, 1862, and was detailed to service in the naval academy until 1863. He was attached to the steam sloop, Seminole, Western Gulf squadron, 1863-64; and to the steamship James Adger, South Atlantic squadron, 1864-65. He was commissioned lieutenant-commander, June 7, 1865; did duty on the steamship Muscoota, Gulf squadron; on the steamship Iroquois, Asiatic squadron; commanded steamship Aroostook of the Asiatic fleet; was on duty at the New York navy yard, and on the receiving ship at New York; was commissioned commander, November 20, 1872; was in command of the Wasp; and was on duty at the Boston navy yard, 1875 to 1876. He was assigned to duty at the naval academy, 1877-80; was again at the New York navy yard, 1880-83; and was in command of the Wachusett, 1883-85.
On September 23, 1885, he was commissioned captain, and was assigned to the Naval war college at Newport, Rhode Island. In 1886 he was made president of that institution, which office he held until 1889. He was again president of the college from July, 1892, to May, 1893, after acting as president of a commission to select a site for a navy yard on our northwest coast, and serving on the Bureau of Navigation, doing special duty, from 1889-92. He commanded the Chicago for two years. When he was ordered to the Chicago, in 1893, he had already formed the plan of writing a "Life of Nelson"; and he had a number of books of reference sent on board the steamer, with this in view. But he found, on attempting the combination of
