Office of the Commandant/General Records: Press Copies of Orders, 1876-1905 : Finding Aid

History of the Office of the Commandant of Midshipmen

Although not specifically provided for in the original plan for the Naval School at Fort Severn, the Office of the Commandant actually dates from the opening days of the school when Lieutenant James H. Ward served as executive officer and instructor in gunnery and steam. Under the provisions of the reorganization plan of 1850, an experienced lieutenant or commander, known as the commandant of midshipmen, served as executive officer to the Superintendent and instructor in naval tactics and practical seamanship. Between 1882 and 1902, regulations referred to the executive officer as the commandant of cadets. The office of the commandant also included responsibility for insuring the "preservation of discipline" and "general security" at the Academy. The Navy Department detailed line officer assistants to the commandant as the responsibilities of the office increased with the growth of the school. The commandant also typically commanded the annual summer practice cruises and maintained the trip’s records under the instruction of the superintendent. For most years from 1851 to 1909, the commandant served as commander of the cruise.

Description of Contents

This entry consists of press copies of orders addressed to midshipmen, officers, and others by the commandant concerning attendance at recitations, appropriate dress, care of rooms, discipline, duties of cadet officers, battalion organization, drills and formations, instructions to be followed at the Army-Navy games, schedules for embarking on summer practice cruise ships, and other subjects. A small number of letters sent are copied into some of the volumes. A vast majority of the orders issued between 1876 and 1877 pertain to cadet misconduct. Volumes 320, 135, 136, and 332 also contain notices. Volume 332 contains copies of memoranda to the officer in charge of ships, heads of departments, and other academy personnel.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically. Volumes 316a, 320, 329, 135, 136, 331, 333 and 332 contain subject indices. Volume 317 contains a name index.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

Generally, materials produced by Federal agencies are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. Any non-government publications held herein may still be subject to copyright. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

Other Finding Aid(s)

National Archives Catalog entry available electronically at: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/3128945.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Custodial History

RG 405 Records of the United States Naval Academy is the property of the National Archives and Records Administration. The materials are housed at the United States Naval Academy, William W. Jeffries Memorial Archives, an affiliated archive, as per a Memorandum of Agreement between the National Archives and Records Administration and the United States Naval Academy.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Orders for the periods June 1875-March 1876 and January-May 1881 are duplicated in entry 152: “Orders, 1875-1876, 1881” (NAID: 3123922). Later orders issued by the commandant are found in entry 154: “Orders and Notices Issued by the Superintendent, 1905-1909” (NAID: 3128969); entry 155: “Orders, Letters Received, and Memoranda Granting Midshipmen Leave, Special Privileges, and Liberty,” (NAID: 3128972); entry 156: “Orders, Memorandums and Notices Relating to Athletics at the Academy, 1905-1907” (NAID: 3128981); entry 157: “Orders, Memorandums and Notices Relating to the Course of Instruction and Examinations for Midshipmen Classes, 1905-1907” (NAID: 3129063); entry 158: “Orders and Notices Issued to the Brigade of Midshipmen and Memorandums Sent and Received, 1905-1911” (NAID: 3129065); and entry 159: Orders and Notices Issued to the Brigade of Midshipmen, 1906-1909” (NAID: 3129088). Letters, memoranda, and other correspondence sent by the commandant immediately preceding and proceeding this entry are found in entry 147: “Press Copies of Letters Sent, 1861-1863, 1884-1887, 1888-1890, 1902-1905” (NAID: 3108978). Later correspondence may be found in entry 148: “Letters Sent, Endorsements, and Memoranda, 1906-1911” (NAID: 3117465); entry 149: “Letters Sent to the Superintendent Relating to Midshipmen’s Deficiencies in Conduct, 1905-1906” (NAID: 3118891); entry 150: “Memoranda Sent to Academy Officers and Heads of Departments, 1911-1912” (NAID: 3121144); and entry 151: “Memoranda Sent to the Officer in Charge Relating to Midshipmen Deprived of Privileges, 1912-1914” (NAID: 3123921).

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Office of the Commandant/General Records: Orders, RG 405.3.1 Entry 153

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Samuel Limneos in September 2022. Finding aid written by Samuel Limneos in September 2022. Historical Sketch and Scope and Content Note adapted in part from Inventory of Records Group 405 by Geraldine N. Phillips and Aloha South, 1975.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Naval education -- United States
• United States Naval Academy
• United States Naval Academy -- History -- 19th century
• United States Naval Academy -- History -- 20th century
• United States Naval Academy. Commandant of Midshipmen

Genre Terms

• Orders (military records)