Hampshire County MA Archives Biographies.....Hawley, John Mitchell 
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Author: J. R. Gilfillan and H. E. Riley

COMMANDER JOHN M. HAWLEY, U. S. N.

   Commander John Mitchell Hawley is a native of Northampton, a descendant of
one of the oldest and most prominent families of the town. He made his home here
until he was appointed to the Naval Academy, from which he was graduated in
1868, In 1869 he was made an ensign, in 1870 a master, and in 1874 a lieutenant,
and from the time of his graduation until 1887 he rendered valuable service in
several coast survey expeditions and in the hydrographic office. From 1887 to
1890 he was executive officer of the Nipsic, one of the United States fleet sent
to Apia, Samoan islands, during the uprisings in 1889. The American, British and
German fleets in the bay were overwhelmed by a fearful hurricane which swept the
islands in March, 1889, and the Nipsic was one of the two or three vessels that
escaped total destruction. Commander Hawley received a vote of thanks from the
Legislature of Massachusetts for rare courage and ability displayed during the
hurricane, and was commended to the Navy Department by Rear Admiral Kimberley,
"for zeal and energy in getting the Nipsic afloat after she was beached. He had
entire charge of this work, and to his efforts, in a large measure, is due the
fact that the Nipsic is now afloat without more serious injury." In 1894 he was
promoted to be lieutenant-commander and in 1896 was ordered to duty as assistant
to the chief of the Bureau of Navigation, having charge of enlisted men. During
the Spanish-American war, he was engaged in recruiting men from the west for the
navy, having charge of three parties who secured nearly two thousand men for the
service. He was promoted to commander March 3, 1899, and in May was ordered to
the command of the Hartford, Admiral Farragut's old flagship, which is to be
used as a practice-ship.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

NORTHAMPTON IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
BY
JAMES R. GILFILLAN
AND
HERBERT E. RILEY.

ILLUSTRATED.

PRESS OF
ENTERPRISE PRINTING COMPANY
EASTHAMPTON, MASS.
1899.

Copyright, 1899,
by J. R. Gilfillan and H. E. Riley.


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