Gilbert Cornwall Wiltse (November 26, 1838 – April 26, 1893) was an American naval officer. He was known for his command of USS ''Boston'' during the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Early life

Gilbert Cornwall Wiltse was born on November 26, 1838, in

Binghamton, New York Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...

, to Gilbert Wiltse. Wiltse was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from New York and graduated on September 20, 1855.

Career

Wiltse became a midshipman on June 9, 1859, and was ordered on the frigate USS ''Congress''. He cruised on the Brazilian Station from 1859 to 1861. Wiltse was made lieutenant on August 31, 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War, the USS ''Congress'' was recalled and Wiltse joined the USS ''St. Lawrence''. Wiltse was present at the

Battle of Hampton Roads The Battle of Hampton Roads, also referred to as the Battle of the ''Monitor'' and ''Virginia'' (rebuilt and renamed from the USS ''Merrimack'') or the Battle of Ironclads, was a naval battle during the American Civil War. It was fought over t ...

on March 8–9, 1862, between the USS ''Monitor'' and the CSS ''Merrimac''. He was also in the engagement at

Sewell's Point Sewells Point is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, located at the mouth of the salt-water port of Hampton Roads. Sewells Point is bordered by water on three sides, with Willoughby Bay to th ...

in May 1862. Wiltse served on the steamboat USS ''Dacotah'' of the West India Squadron between 1862 and 1863 and was part of the Atlantic Blockading Squadron between 1863 and 1864. He was present at the Second Battle of Fort Sumter and the engagement at Fort Moultrie in 1863. Wiltse was commissioned as a lieutenant commander on March 3, 1865. Wiltse served on the steamer USS ''Agawam'' from 1866 to 1867. He served on the apprentice ship USS ''Saline'' from 1867 to 1868. Wiltse served in the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...

from 1868 to 1869. He served on the monitor USS ''Saugus'' of the North Atlantic Fleet from 1869 to 1870 and the

Pensacola Navy Yard Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...

from 1870 to 1872. On November 8, 1873, Wiltse was made commander of the USS ''Sawmut'' of the North Atlantic Squadron. He worked on the shore of the New York Navy Yard from 1878 to 1881. He was assigned command of the USS ''Swatara'' from 1884 to 1885. Wiltse was promoted to captain on January 20, 1887, and was placed in command of the receiving ship USS ''Franklin'' and later took command of steam ship USS ''Minnesota''. In 1891, Wiltse was placed in command of the USS ''Boston''. He was under command of the ''Boston'' during the Baltimore crisis in Chile. He was also under command of the ''Boston'' during the 1893 occupation of Honolulu during the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Wiltse had a stroke prior to arriving in Hawaii from Rio de Janeiro. There were reports of mental illness and hallucinations following his stroke. After Honolulu, Wiltse moved back to Washington, D.C., and then back to his family in New York City.

Personal life

Wiltse married Sarah "Sallie" Steele of Minneapolis on April 27, 1872. They had two sons and two daughters. Wiltse died on April 26, 1893, following brain congestion at his home on 42 East 53rd Street in New York City. Wiltse was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wiltse, Gilbert C. 1838 births 1893 deaths People from Binghamton, New York United States Naval Academy alumni Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) People of New York (state) in the American Civil War People associated with the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom