Sigsbee, Charles Dwight

born at Albany, N. Y., Jany. 16, 1849, appointed to naval academy September, 1859, from which he graduated, 1863. He was promoted to be ensign October, 1863, and served in the West Coast Squadron, being present at the battle of Mobile Bay, and also participated in the two attacks on Fort Fisher. Ie held various appointments until April, 1897, when he was given command of the second-cla battleship ‘‘ Maine,”’ and held that position at the time that ve el was treacherously destroyed in Havana harbor, February 15, 1898. When war was declared against Spain, Captain Sigsbee was a igned to command of the auxiliary cruiser ‘“ St. Paul,’ and after conclusion of the war he was placed in command of the ‘‘ Texas,”’ a sister ship of the ill-fated ‘‘Maine.’’ Captain Sigsbee is a recognized authority on deepsea soundings and dredging, instruments of his devising being now in general use for measuring great depths of the ocean.