Naval officer; born in
Camden, N. J.. June 19, 1844; was appointed a midshipman in the navy, Nov. 30, 1861; was at the Naval Academy
in 1861-64; promoted ensign, Nov. 1, 1866; master, Dec. 1 following; lieutenant, March 12, 1868;
lieutenant-commander, March 26, 1869; commander, Nov. 3,
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7]
1884; and captain, March 3, 1899.
In 1890, while commander of the
Enterprise, he was tried by court-martial on five charges, found guilty, and sentenced to suspension for three years and to retain his number on the list of commanders during suspension.
During the war with
Spain he was in command of the
Marblehead, and so distinguished himself, especially by his services in
Guantanamo Bay, that the
President cancelled the court-martial's sentence of suspension at the request of the
Secretary of the Navy, and the written petition of all his classmates.
After his promotion to captain he was given command of the protected cruiser
Newark, with orders to prepare her for the run to the Philippines.
For the speed with which he accomplished this duty he was officially complimented by the Navy Department.
When the
Boxer troubles in
China called for foreign intervention,
Captain McCalla was ordered to
Taku, and there was placed in command of the first American detachment ordered on shore duty.
On the march headed by
Admiral Seymour, of the
British navy, planned for the relief of the foreign legations in
Peking, it was
Captain McCalla's tactical skill that enabled the small force to get back to
Tientsin, after the failure of the attempt.
Concerning this movement
Admiral Seymour said: “That my command pulled out in safety is due to
Captain McCalla.
The credit is his, not mine, and I shall recommend the
Queen that he and his men be recommended by her to the
President of the
United States,” and in his official report he said: “I must refer specially to
Commander McCalla, of the American cruiser
Newark, whose services were of the greatest value to me and all concerned.
He was slightly wounded in three places, and well merits recognition.”
On Sept. 22, 1900, the
Secretary of the Navy officially commended him for his services in the operations in
China, and on March 16, 1901, he was further honored by being assigned to the command of the new battle-ship
Kearsarge, considered one of the most enviable commands in the navy.
