Charles Dwight Sigsbee

Charles Dwight Sigsbee
Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee
Born	(1845-01-16)January 16, 1845 Albany, New York
Died	July 13, 1923(1923-07-13) (aged 78) New York City, New York
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1862–1907
Rank	Rear admiral
Commands held	USS Maine USS Texas South Atlantic Squadron
Battles/wars	American Civil War *Battle of Mobile Bay *First Battle of Fort Fisher *Second Battle of Fort Fisher Formosan Expedition Spanish–American War *Sinking of the Maine *Second Battle of San Juan

Charles Dwight Sigsbee (January 16, 1845 – July 13, 1923) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. In his earlier career he was a pioneering oceanographer and hydrographer. He is best remembered as the captain of the USS Maine, which exploded in Havana harbor, Cuba, in 1898. The explosion set off the events that led up to the start of the Spanish–American War.

Sigsbee was born in Albany, New York, and educated at The Albany Academy. He was appointed acting midshipman on 16 July 1862.

Sigsbee fought in numerous engagements during the Civil War, mostly against Confederate forts and batteries. Sigsbee served aboard the Monongahela, Wyoming, and Shenandoah from 1863 to 1869, when he was assigned to duty at the Naval Academy. In 1871, he was assigned to the Hydrographic Office. He was first posted to the Hydrographic Office in 1873. He was assigned to the Coast Survey in 1874 and commanded the Coast Survey steamer Blake 1875–1878. He returned to the Navy Hydrographic Office from 1878–1882 and served as Hydrographer in the Bureau of Navigation from 1893 to 1897. During his period on the Blake he developed the Sigsbee sounding machine which became a standard item of deep-water oceanographc equipment for the next 50 years.

Sigsbee served at the United States Naval Academy 1869–71, 1882–85, and 1887–90. He commanded the Kearsarge on the European station 1885–86 and the training ship Portsmouth 1891-92.