CHARLES DWIGHT SIGSBEE
SIGSBEE, CHARLES DWIGHT, rear-admiral in the United States navy, was born in Albany, New York, January 16, 1845, son of Nicholas and Agnes (Orr) Sigsbee. His early inclinations led him toward a naval career, and he received appointment to the United States naval academy at Annapolis, in 1859, from which he was graduated in the class of 1863. He served throughout the Civil war, first in the West Gulf squadron and later with the North Atlantic squadron. He was on board the Monongahela at the battle of Mobile, and took part in the preliminary and final assaults on Fort Fisher.
The war over, he was assigned to various duties until 1874, having in the meantime been promoted lieutenant and lieutenant-commander, the latter in 1868. In 1874 he was placed in command of the Blake, and during the succeeding four years was engaged in deep sea explorations in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Gulf of Maine. During part of the time Professor Alexander Agassiz, was upon the Blake directing the deep sea dredging.
Shortly after taking command of the Blake, Commander Sigsbee began the institution of improvements in the instruments for deep sea sounding, and virtually designed a new machine for that purpose, which has since been widely adopted throughout the world. The results of the deep sea soundings made by the Blake, under his command, were published in an appendix to the report of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, for 1880, under the title "Deep Sea Sounding and Dredging: A Description and Discussion of the Methods and Appliances used on board the Coast and Geodetic Survey steamer Blake." This work has proved valuable in many ways, especially with reference to the intricate problems involved in the study of the Gulf Stream. The report is recognized as a comprehensive and standard treatise on deep sea exploration.
In recognition of his scientific work, Admiral Sigsbee has received medals and diplomas from the British government, and decorations have been presented to him by the late Queen Victoria, and by
