Charles F. Shoemaker

Charles Frederick Shoemaker (March 27, 1841 - July 11, 1913) was a captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service and was appointed in 1895 by Secretary of the Treasury John G. Carlisle to be Chief of the Revenue Marine Division of the Department of the Treasury. Although he was never formally known as Commandant, he is recognized today as the second Commandant of the Coast Guard.^[1]

Early career

Shoemaker was born in Glendale, Iowa on March 27, 1841 to William Rawle Shoemaker and Julia Hepburn. He received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1858, but resigned his position to accept a commission as a third lieutenant in the Revenue Cutter Service in November 1860. His first assignment was aboard the USRC Lewis Cass stationed at Mobile, Alabama. In the days leading up to the American Civil War his commanding officer turned the cutter over to Alabama state authorities and left Shoemaker to lead his officers and men back to Union territory. He served on several revenue cutters until April 1864 when he resigned his commission. He was reappointed a lieutenant in June 1868 and served at various stations until 1875 when he was assigned the duties of assistant inspector of the New York City office. In 1876 he was appointed assistant inspector of the Third Life Saving District of the US Life-Saving Service. In 1880, Shoemaker was assigned to investigate the sinking of the British barque M & S Henderson near the Pea Island Life-Saving Station. After taking statements from the station crew and survivors of the shipwreck, Shoemaker concluded that the surfman on watch had been negligent as a lookout and that the station's keeper had lied under oath. Both were dismissed and Shoemaker appointed Richard Etheridge, a black surfman as the new keeper. Etheridge was permitted to have an all black crew on the recommendation of Shoemaker; a situation that lasted until 1947 when the staion was disestablished.^[2] After several transfers he returned to the USRCS to become executive officer the USRC Seward in 1882. In 1885 he returned to the USLSS as chief inspector and served in that position until 1891 when he was assigned as commanding officer of the USRC Washington. In 1893 he assumed command of the USRC Hudson.

Chief of Revenue Cutter Service

On March 19, 1895, Secretary of the Treasury John Griffin Carlisle appointed Shoemaker to replace Leonard G. Shepard as Chief of the Revenue Cutter Division. During his service as chief of the division, he pushed for improvements in the officer retirement system and better equipment. He oversaw the acquisition of new steel hulled cutters and increased the number of cutters in service. Upon reaching the statutory retirement age of 64, Shoemaker was placed the Retired List on March 27, 1905. He was succeeded by Captain Worth G. Ross

Retirement and death

On May 8, 1908, Shoemaker was promoted to the rank of Captain-Commandant on the Retired List by Act of Congress. He died at his home in Woodstock, Virginia on July 11, 1913.

Notes

References

• Traditions of the United States Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
• Charles F. Shoemaker Biography U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
• Johnson, Robert Erwin, Guardians of the Sea, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1987, ISBN 0-87021-720-8
• King, Irving H., The Coast Guard Expands 1865-1915: New Roles, New Frontiers, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1996, ISBN 1-55750-458-X
• Strobridge, Truman R. and Dennis L. Noble, Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, 1867-1915, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1999, ISBN 1-55750-845-3

External links

• Historian's Office U.S. Coast Guard Official website