Born in 1844, Bowman Hendry McCalla (1884–1910) was quickly ready for action. When the Civil War began in 1861, the teenage McCalla enlisted into the Army. However, he was not accepted. He therefore pivoted to enter the U.S. Naval Academy. He was admitted in November of 1861 and graduated in November of 1864.
Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Brazil Squadron aboard the USS Susquehanna. McCalla proved a brave and smart seaman, quickly rising through the naval ranks. He was promoted to master in December of 1866, lieutenant in March 1868, and lieutenant commander a brief one year later. On Nov. 3, 1884, he was promoted to commander. It was from this point on that the U.S. Navy—and, therefore, he—witnessed plenty of action.
The Panama Crisis
A few years before McCalla was promoted to commander, the French began work on the Panama Canal, which completely altered geophysical history. Eventually, the canal proved a task too tall for the French, giving way to the Americans.Before construction of the canal came under American control, though, there was the Panama Crisis of 1885. Panama, then part of Colombia, was a revolutionary hotbed. When revolutionaries erupted in insurrection, their activities came in direct conflict with American interests and trade rights.
President Grover Cleveland ordered the U.S. Navy to send an expeditionary force to secure American interests in the area by restoring order and securing the nearly 50-mile long isthmus railroad. The expedition fell to McCalla, who was part of the North Atlantic Squadron at the time. He requested more Marines for the task, and was provided with more than 500.
Court-Martialed
McCalla was known as a strict disciplinarian and when he was given command of his first ship, USS Enterprise, he maintained tight control. In one instance in 1890, he confronted a “mutinous sailor” by striking him with the back of his sword. McCalla was charged with overly harsh treatment of his crew, brought before a court martial, and convicted. In May 1890, he was suspended with pay for three years.
The court martial momentarily derailed his career, but with more conflict approaching, he was soon back on track. He was placed back on duty by the end of the following year.
Cuban revolutionaries erupted in revolt against Spanish rule in 1895. The Americans were indeed interested in the Spanish being ousted from the Western Hemisphere, something that would be in keeping with the Monroe Doctrine. When the USS Maine exploded in the Havana harbor in February 1898, it helped the Americans declare war on Spain.
When war was declared in April, McCalla, in command of the cruiser, USS Marblehead, played a crucial role in both sea and land operations. The USS Marblehead was part of the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba. To further blockade the island and Spanish troops, McCalla decided in May to sever the submarine communication cables. This cut off the Spanish troops stationed at Cienfuegos from Spain or anyone else outside of the island. A month later on June 10, he landed 20 Marines at Guantanamo Bay. The Marines, along with 40 other Marines from the battleship Oregon, were the first American land forces in Cuba.
The Marines, now on land, requested munitions from aboard the USS Panther, commanded by George Reiter. He refused the request stating that the ammunition was necessary for the ship’s ballast. Exasperated by the refusal, Lt. Col. Robert Huntington contacted McCalla, who quickly sent word to Reiter.
The ammunition was sent to the Marines, who quickly made their assault. Their advance took place so rapidly that the Spanish stationed at Guantanamo fled, leaving behind clothes, money, and artillery. The Marines raised the American flag and named the conquered location McCalla Hill. McCalla’s actions helped lead to his promotion to captain in September.
Another Rebellion
The end of the Spanish-American War left the Philippines as an American possession. It placed the U.S. Navy in a strategic position and proved vital during the outbreak of violence in China in 1899 known as the Boxer Rebellion. This rebellion, however, was not against the government, but in support of it. The rebels, who called themselves Boxers, were determined to eliminate foreign influence—political, commercial, and religious.The U.S. minister to China in Peking (now Beijing), Edwin Hurd Conger, requested naval support to help Americans escape. Numerous American ships joined several European navies at the port city of Dagu in May 1900. McCalla arrived aboard the USS Newark—the U.S. Navy’s first modern cruiser. He had actually sailed Newark the year before to the Philippines to assist in quelling a rebellion there.
His statement solidified the plan. Originating in Tianjin, the relief effort boarded five trains on June 10. There was a few hours delay due to McCalla insisting the Americans take the lead train, but the hope was that the expedition would arrive in Peking on June 11. Early on, there was no Boxer resistance, but that was short-lived. The Boxers had pulled up the train tracks in numerous spots, requiring the troops, along with some Chinese workers, to relay the tracks. On June 11, while relaying tracks, a group of Boxers attacked, armed with knives, swords, and a belief that their martial arts would make them impervious to bullets. McCalla quickly ordered his men to form a line. The attacking Boxers were shot in short order.
McCalla was awarded medals by several countries, including a U.S. Congressional medal.
In 1902, he was stationed in San Francisco, eventually taking command of the Mare Island Navy Yard on July 12, 1903. Three months later, on Oct. 11, he was commissioned rear admiral. Before retiring in June 1906, he was instrumental in the rescue efforts during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
Nine years after his death in 1910, Destroyer No. 253, named USS McCalla, was commissioned.
