Lewis Ashfield Kimberly
Rear Admiral Lewis Ashfield Kimberly (22 April, 1830 – 28 January, 1902) served in the United States Navy. He was the father of Captain Victor Ashfield Kimberly
Life & Career
Kimberly was born in New York and was appointed Midshipman in 1846. His early service included tours on the Africa and Pacific Stations, and he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 September, 1855. During the Civil War, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 16 July, 1862 and saw extensive service on the blockade, on the Mississippi River, and at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he served as Executive Officer on board screw sloop Hartford.
Following the war, he was promoted to the rank of Commander on 25 July, 1866. His first command was of the receiving ship New York, followed by command of screw sloops Benecia from 1870 to 1872, and command of monitor Canonicus in 1873.
Kimberly was promoted to the rank of Captain on 3 October, 1874. He then assumed command of screw sloop Monongahela from 1874 to 1876, and screw sloops Omaha from 1877 to 1878.
Following service ashore, Kimberly was promoted to the rank of Commodore on 27 November, 1884. He served as Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard from 1885 to 1886. In 1887 he was appointed to command the Pacific Station, and soon thereafter was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 26 July, 1887. He achieved fame during the Apia cyclone of 1889. Though his flagship screw frigate Trenton was lost, his bravery in the face of the storm earned him high praise at home and abroad.
This was his only opportunity to fly his flag at sea. His remaining service was as President of the Board of Inspection and Survey until he was placed on the Retired List for age on 2 April, 1892.[1]
See Also
Bibliography
Papers
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of U.S.S. Benecia 1870 – Sep, 1872[2] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of U.S.S. Canonicus 1873 – 1874[3] |
Succeeded by James D. Graham |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of U.S.S. Monongahela 1874 – 1876[4] |
Succeeded by Albion V. Wadhams |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of U.S.S. Omaha 1877 – 1878[5] |
Succeeded by Bartlett J. Cromwell |
| Preceded by Oscar C. Badger |
Commandant, Navy Yard, Boston 1885 – 1886[6] |
Succeeded by William P. McCann |
| Preceded by Christopher R. P. Rodgers as Commanding Pacific Station |
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet 1887 – 1889[7] |
Succeeded by Albert Kautz as Commanding Pacific Station |
Footnotes
