Early records of the U.S. Naval War College
Scope and Contents
This record group is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, lists, contracts, inventories, and plans regarding the establishment, administration and curriculum of the Naval War College, new building construction, and items relating to the establishment of a naval coaling station somewhere in the Narragansett Bay, R.I. Of particular interest may be correspondence with discussions about merging the NWC with the Naval Torpedo Station in 1888 and the possible removal of NWC to Washington, D.C. in 1910-1911. Also included are journals and letterpress copybooks kept by past NWC presidents, Charles Stockton and French E. Chadwick.
Dates
- Creation: 1883-1919
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1895-1911
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Access is open to all researchers, unless otherwise specified.
Conditions Governing Use
Material in this collection is in the public domain, unless otherwise noted.
Historical note
U.S. Naval War College Chronology
- 7 Aug 1882
- Coaster’s Harbor Island is ceded to the U.S. government from Rhode Island
- 4 Jun 1883
- William E. Chandler, Secretary of the Navy, accepts Coaster’s Harbor Island for the U.S. Navy via General Order 33
- 6 Oct 1884
- General Order 325 establishes the Naval War College in Newport
- 6 Oct 1884-1886
- Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce named the first President, Naval War College
- 8 Sep 1885
- First lecture given
- 1886-1889
- Captain A. T. Mahan assumes his first term as NWC President
- 1886
- First lecture on war gaming given by William McCarty Little
- 11 Jan 1889
- Consolidation of NWC with the Naval Torpedo Station ordered by the Navy Department
- 1889-1892
- Captain Caspar F. Goodrich begins the first of two terms as college president
- 1890
- Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by Mahan is published
- 1890-1891
- No courses held. Bureau of Navigations cites shortage of officers
- May 1892
- Luce Hall is completed – first building constructed for NWC
- 1892-1893
- Mahan’s second term as President
- 1893
- No course held
- 1893-1893
- Commander Charles H. Stockton assumes his first term as President
- 4 Oct 1893
- First visit by a Secretary of the Navy, Hilary A. Herbert
- 1893-1896
- Captain Henry C. Taylor named President, Naval War College
- 1896-1898
- Goodrich’s second term as President
- 1898-1900
- Stockton’s second term as President
- Mar 1898- Nov 1898
- All activities suspended due to United States participation in the Spanish-American War
- 1900-1903
- Rear Admiral French E. Chadwick named President
- 1903-1906
- Captain Charles S. Sperry becomes tenth President, Naval War College
- Jun 1904
- New library (present day Mahan Hall) is completed
- 1906-1909
- Rear Admiral John Porter Merrell serves as President
- 1909-1911
- Rear Admiral Raymond P. Rodgers serves as President
- 1911-1913
- Term of Captain William L. Rodgers, the last non-flag officer to serve as President
- 1913-1917
- Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight serves as President
- 1917
- Rear Admiral William S. Sims begins his first term as President
- 1917-1918
- Academic activities suspended due to World War I
Extent
2.09 Linear Feet (5 archival boxes)
Abstract
Correspondence, memoranda, lists, contracts, inventories, military and naval orders, and plans regarding the early administration and curriculum of the Naval War College, new building construction, and items relating to the establishment of a naval coaling station in Narraganset Bay. Also included are journals and letterpress copybooks kept by past NWC presidents Charles Stockton and French Chadwick.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information is unknown.
Accruals
No accruals are expected. This record group is closed.
Existence and Location of Copies
Two reels of microfilm with selections of early records from 1884-1910 are available at the Naval Historical Collection.
Processing Information
This collection was first processed by former NHC Archivist, Evelyn Cherpak. During initial processing, correspondence regarding the early history of the Naval War College from 1892-1919 were removed from RG 2, Box 37 to RG 1 and replaced with photocopies.
In 2016, the collection was rehoused according to current archival standards and the finding aid was updated.
Subject
- Aldrich, Nelson W. (Nelson Wilmarth), 1841-1915 (Person)
- Chadwick, French Ensor, 1844-1919 (Person)
- Chandler, William E. (William Eaton), 1835-1917 (Person)
- Goodrich, Caspar F. (Caspar Frederick), 1847-1925 (Person)
- Herbert, Hilary A. (Hilary Abner), 1834-1919 (Person)
- Knight, Austin Melvin, 1854-1927 (Person)
- Luce, Stephen Bleecker, 1827-1917 (Person)
- Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914 (Person)
- Mason, George C. (George Champlin), 1820-1894 (Person)
- Merrell, John Porter, 1846-1916 (Person)
- Perry, Raymond R., 1894-1925 (Person)
- Rodgers, William Ledyard, 1860-1944 (Person)
- Schley, Winfield Scott, 1839-1911 (Person)
- Sims, William Sowden, 1858-1936 (Person)
- Sperry, Charles S. (Charles Stillman), 1847-1911 (Person)
- Taylor, H. C. (Henry Clay), 1845-1904 (Person)
- United States. Department of the Navy (Organization)
- United States Naval Torpedo Station (Newport, R.I.) (Organization)
Genre / Form
- Contracts
- Financial records
- Letter books
- letters (correspondence)
- Lists
- Memorandums
- Military orders
- Reports
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Early records of the U.S. Naval War College1883-1919 (bulk 1895-1911)
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Delmage.
- Date
- Oct 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Naval War College Archives Repository