Person:Austin Knight (19)

MILITARY: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships-Office of the Chief of Naval Operations-Naval History Division. Austin Melvin Knight, born in Ware,,Massachusetts, 16 December 1854,graduated from the Naval Academy in 1873. After service as a Passed Midshipman, he was commissioned Ensign 16 July 1874. He served in various sea and shore assignments over the next two decades, including tours at the Naval Academy, and in Tuscarora, Constellation, Monogahela, and Lancaster.

During the Spanish-American War he served aboard the Puritan, blockading the coasts of Cuba and Puerto Rico. After attending the Naval War College at Newport in 1901, he commanded several ships during the next decade including Yankton,Washington (ACR-11), and Castine. Knight was promoted Rear Admiral 29 January 1911. Subsequently he served twice as Commander in Chief, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, and commanded the Special Squadron and the Narragansett Bay Naval Station.

From 15 December 1913 to 16 February 1917 he served with distinction as President, Naval War College. On 22 May 1917, he took command of the Asiatic Fleet with the rank of Admiral (Temporary); he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal during Allied naval operations at Vladisvostok, Siberia. He transfered to the retired list 16 December but subsequently served on active duty from 13 March 1919 until 30 June 1920 as Senior Member, Board of Awards. He died 25 February 1927, at Washington,D.C., and was buried at the Naval Academy Cemetery, on 17 November 1930, Austin Melvin Knight was commissioned Admiral posthumously on the Retired List from 26 February 1927.

The U.S.S. Knight (DD-633) was named in his honor, and laid down 18 March 1941, by Boston Navy Yard, launched 27 September 1941, and sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Royal, granddaughter of Admiral Knight. and commissioned 23 June 1942, Lt. Comdr. Richard B. Levin in command.

http://www.spanamwar.com/Spanishprisonersnh.html On April 12, 1916 the Spanish transport AMIRANTE LOBO received the bodies of the Spanish prisoners that died during their incarceration. Col. Nicholas Urculla, the Attaché to the Spanish Embassy in Washington, ceremoniously accepted the flag covered metal lined caskets from Rear Admiral Knight. Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, representing the Department of the Navy, stated, 'As the representative of my government and especially of the department of the Navy, I am charged with the duty of transferring to your custody the remains of those brave men, your countrymen, whose fate it was to die far from the land which they loved and which they honored by their valor. They have slept for many years in the soil of an alien, though a not unfriendly country. Today, they enter upon their journey home. We rejoice with you that this is so; and yet we would not have you feel that we have thought of them as strangers in these years through which they have rested in this, to them, a strange land. What we could do we have done, to create about their resting place an atmosphere not of respect alone but of affection. Year after year in honoring our own heroes we have honored them, with little thought of any difference. Year after year on our Memorial Day, the flag they loved has been planted above their heads. The time has come when they are to pass beneath the folds of that flag never again to leave its shelter. And so to you who represent the great and gallant nation to which they and the memory of their deeds belong, we commit their sacred dust. Bear it lovingly across the sea, and with it bear to your sovereign and your people the assurance of the heartfelt sympathy of the President and people of the friendly nation in whose care you have left it so long.'

'May your voyage be happy and your home coming marked by brighter skies than you have found in our cold northern climate.  You will believe, I know, that our climate does scant justice to the warmth of our friendship and our sympathies.' 

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/milrev/english/NovDec02/bobdunscomb.asp The intervention in Siberia also resembles the modern MOOTW in the way in which its story cannot be told strictly through the eyes of the U.S. Army. The U.S. Navy posted several ships to Vladivostok (Admiral Austin M. Knight served as supreme commander of coalition naval forces) and undertook extensive intelligence-gathering operations. U.S. Marines, detached from the ships, engaged in security patrols in the city. Naturally, U.S. Department of State personnel played vital roles in MOOTW operations, as did Roland Morris, the ambassador to Japan, and various consuls in Siberia. But, simply studying joint operations or adding diplomatic history to the mix in Siberia is not enough for a historian. He requires a broader survey and must take into account the activities of numerous other actors.

fmp.state.fl.us/wwi/cards/1249/03/038609-1249-03-DOC000396-P01.jpg N328-TMW Duty Assignments: To duty on Asiatic Station Name: Knight, Austin Melvin 4-4-17---12-7-18 Date of Birth: Dec. 16, 1854 Place of Birth: Wave, Mass. Appointed From: Florida Home Address: The Netherlands, Columbia Rd.,Wash.,D.C. Date Of Appointment: June 30, 1869 Final Disposition: Retired 12-16-18 Rank on Appointment: Midshipman Relieved of duty 11-8-19

                      Rear Admiral (Permanent) USN 1-29-11

                      Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for
                      meritorious service as Commander-in-Chief of
                      the Asiatic Fleet

                      GRAND CORDON OF THE RISING SUN awarded by the 
                      Japanese Government.

BIOGRAPHY: A National Register of the Society Sons of the American Revolution Compiled by Louis H. Cornish - New York December 31, 1901 Page 506 AUSTIN MELVIN KNIGHT, U. S. Navy (10224). Son of Charles Sanford and Cordelia (Cutter) Knight; grandson of Aziza and Jemima (Worden) Knight; great-grandson of Phineas Knight, private Conn. troops; great-grandson of John Worden, private Conn. troops. spy, pensioned.

Who's Who in New England Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis Second Edition, 1916 Chicago: A. N. Marquis & Company, Publishers Page 641 Knight, Austin Melvin, rear-admiral: b. Ware, Mass., Dec. 16, 1854; s. Charles Sanford and Cordelia (Cutter) Knight; grad. U.S. Naval Acad., 1873; m. Alice Phinney Tobey, of Milwaukee, 1878 (died 1879); m. 2d, Elizabeth Harwood Welsh, of Annapolis, Md., Apr. 29, 1886 (died 1911). Commd. Ensign, July 1874; promoted master, Oct., 1879; lt. Jr. grade, Mar., 1883; lt., Dec., 1885; lt.-comdr., Mar., 1899; comdr., June 16, 1902; capt., July 1, 1907; rear-admiral, Jan. 29, 1911. Served on board the Tuscarora, Pacific Station, 1873-4; Kearsarge, Palos. And Saco, Asiatic Station, 1874-5; Naval Academy, 1876-8; Quinnebaug, European Station, 1878-9; Galena European and South Atlantic stas., 1880-3; ordnance proving ground, Annapolis, Md., 1883-3; in charge same, 1885-9; Flagship Chicago, North Atlantic. European and South Atlantic stas., 1889-92; Naval Academy, 1892-5; Lancaster and Castine, South Atlantic sta., 1895-7; Puritan, North Atlantic sta., 1897-8, engaged in blockade of north coast of Cuba, and in Porto Rican expdn. During the Spanish-Am. War; head of dept. of seamanship, Naval Academy, 1898-1901; comd, Newport summer practice cruise, 1900; War College, summer, 1901; comd. Yankton, surveying on south coast of Cuba, 1901-3; comd. Castine, N. Atlantic Squadron, 1903-4; pres. special board on naval ordnance, and pres. joint army and navy board on smokeless powders, 1904-7, comd. Washington, Oct. 7, 1907, to May 1, 1909; pres. special board on naval ordnance and of joint army and navy board on smokeless powders, 1909; later comd, Narragansett Bay (R.I) Naval Sta.,; commandant same and pres. Naval War Coll., Dec., 1913. Author: Modern Seamanship, 1901. Home: Annapolis, Md. Address: Narragansett Bay, R.I.

The New York Times April 23, 1911 Acquits Capt. Knight For A Second Time Secretary Meyer Again Disaproves of the Findings, but Orders Him Back to Duty. Talk of Congress Inquiry Friends of Naval Officer Indignant No Evidence of Negligence in Sinking of the Puritan Found. Special to The New York Times. Washington. April 22. For the second time the findings in the trial of Capt. Austin M. Knight, President of the Special Board of Ordnance, for culpable negligence connect with the sinking of the monitor Puritan at Hampton Roads, following the test of the Isham explosive last November, have been disapproved. Although Capt. Knight was unanimously acquitted by the court that tried him, and in fact practically acquitted twice, the Secretary of the Navy has disapproved the findings and ordered Capt. Knight back to duty. The incident is said to be without a precedent in the annals of the navy, and the action of the Secretary has aroused great indignation among the friends of Capt. Knight, both in the service and out, and the affair is regarded as certain to call for an investigation at the hands of Congress. The court that tried the case was a general court-martial, and consisted of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, (retired,) Rear Admiral Edward C. Pendleton, (retired,) Rear Admiral John A. Rodgers (retired,) Rear Admiral Albert C. Dillingham, (retired,) Rear Admiral Charles E. Fox, commanding the Charleston Naval Station, and Rear Admiral Samuel P. Comly, commanding the Philadelphia Navy Yard, with Lieut. Commander Ridley McLean as Judge Advocate. The findings of the court lay on the Secretary's desk for a month when they were returned to the court with the directions that the court give the case reconsideration. Within less than a week the court has met and again acted on the evidence, and has found that the evidence did not justify a verdict of guilty. The action of the Secretary in disapproving the findings is based on the contention that the findings are not in accordance with the evidence which the Secretary of the Department holds proves the charge that Capt. Knight was culpably negligent in the manner in which he conducted the test on the Puritan. This is said to rest on the testimony of various officer who were present during the test that Capt. Knight did not examine the watertight compartments and bulkheads on the Puritan before the test and see to it that the vessel was in order in every respect for the shock that she was destined to undergo, and in consequence, when the detonation of the explosive occurred and she was badly injured, she sank before any means could be employed to save her. There was doubt at the time as to what officer was responsible for the sinking of the vessel, which it is estimated will eventually cost the Government $175,000 if it is to be raised and put in order, her machinery having been badly injured after lying so many months under water. It was charged at the time that Rear Admiral William A. Marshall, commanding the Norfolk Navy Yard, after being ordered to get the dry dock at the Norfolk Yard in order to receive the Puritan, had failed to obey the order, and the vessel sank on that account. There was a conflict of testimony on the point whether Capt. Knight or Admiral Marshall was actually responsible for the care of the ship after the test, and there has been expectation that Admiral Marshall would also be tried by court-martial. Secretary Meyer stated to-day that the final action in the trial of Capt. Knight closed the whole incident so far as the department was concerned, and no other officers would be tried for responsibility for the loss of the vessel. There has been much curiosity as to the Secretary's motive in dealing with the case in the way he has, and the general opinion is that he did not so much desire to fasten responsibility on Capt. Knight as to have the record secure in his own relation to it so that he could defend himself against critics in Congress, and especially from the attacks that are coming to him from members of the House Naval Committee. Mr. Padgett, the new Chairman of the committee, spent two hours at the department to-day informing himself in regard to the case, and made a protest to the Secretary against the manner in which Capt. Knight had been treated. The case is especially irritating to the friends of Capt. Knight, because Mrs. Knight was very ill during all the time that Capt. Knight was detained at Norfolk by the court-martial, and died while the court was in session. Capt. Knight himself has been at Annapolis under arrest since the trial, and is said to be sadly broken in health because of the misfortune which he has suffered. He is a studious and conscientious officer, much beloved by his brother officers, and many fear that he may suffer a physical breakdown. Capt. Knight is now the ranking Captain in the navy, and is due for promotion to the grade of Rear Admiral.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation Passenger Record First Name: Austin M Last Name: Knight Ethnicity: USA Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: Feb 27, 1913 Age at Arrival: 58y Gender: M Marital Status: M Ship of Travel: Cedric Port of Departure: Naples Manifest Line Number: 0024

CENSUS: 1880 United States Census Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Chas S. KNIGHT Self M Male W 50 MA Cordelia KNIGHT Wife M Female W 52 MA Keeping House Austin M. KNIGHT Son S Male W 25 MA U.S. Navy Chas.S. KNIGHT Son S Male W 17 MA Works In Wire Mill Stella E. KNIGHT Dau S Female W 28 MA Teacher Jessie L. KNIGHT Dau S Female W 13 MA At School Bertha E. KNIGHT Dau S Female W 11 MA At School Marilla CAMPBELL Other S Female W 52 NH Domestic Servant Source Information: Census Place Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts Family History Library Film 1254567 NA Film Number T9-0567 Page Number 62C

1900 United States Federal Census Name: Austin M Knight Home in 1900: Uss Newport, Anne Arundel, Maryland Age: 45 Estimated birth year: abt 1855 Birthplace: Massachusetts Relationship to head-of-house: Lt Comb Race: White Occupation: Household Members: Name Age William S Manmiller 21 James I Mahoney 22 Johes J Moonan 24 William Reade 24 Wayne L Tobias 19 Lane E Smith 23 Austin M Knight 45 Dewitt Coffman 45 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Uss Newport, Anne Arundel, Maryland; Roll: T623 605; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 14.

1910 United States Federal Census 1910 United States Federal Census Name: Austin M Knight Age in 1910: 50 [55] Estimated birth year: abt 1860 [abt 1855] Birthplace: Massachusetts Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Massachusetts Mother's Birth Place: Massachusetts Spouse's name: Elizabeth H Home in 1910: Annapolis Ward 1, Anne Arundel, Maryland Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Austin M Knight 50 Elizabeth H Knight 53 Catherine G Knight 15 Laura Welsh 81 Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Annapolis Ward 1, Anne Arundel, Maryland; Roll: T624_550; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 19; Image: 607.

Knight, Austin M

 Age: 64                     Year: 1920 
 Birthplace: Massachusetts   Roll:  T625_210 
 Race: White                 Page:  7B 
 State: District of Columbia ED:  176 
 County: Washington          Image:  75

MEDIA: D0442 - http://www.greatwhitefleet.org/brooklyn/04.htm Rowland Hill, nephew of the Adm. Knight sent this picture which was taken sometime around 1917-18. Rowland notes that his Uncle was "a member of the Marine guard on the Brooklyn during WW1 and kept a photographic record during his hitch." D0023 - Admiral Austin Melvin Knight

PASSPORT: U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 Name: Austin Melvin Knight Birth Date: 16 Dec 1854 Birth Place: Ware, Massachusetts Residence: Washington, DC Passport Issue Date: 9 Jan 1922 Father Name: Charles Sanford Knight Father's Birth Location: Ware, Massachusetts Father's Residence: Not Leving Passport Includes a Photo: Y Source: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925 (M1490) Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original

For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Austin M. Knight.

1.   Austin M. Knight, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.