| Scope and content |
Correspondence is largely concerned with controversies surrounding Kirkland in 1894 and 1895. Kirkland complains of President Cleveland's decision to replace him in the Pacific Station by an assignment to South America, but he is granted a request for command of the European Station. Kirkland is reprimanded for a note sent congratulating the new President of France, M. Faure, and for published statements on missionary activity in the Near East. There is also a short letter (1898) from Theodore Roosevelt concerning the number of vice-admirals needed. Other materials include: commendation, memorandum, orders, miscellaneous correspondence of a more personal nature, newspaper clippings, photographs, articles and a toast to the city of Glasgow and a poem written by Kirkland in conjunction with a request for active service after the disaster of the "Maine." There are also several items pertaining to W.A. Kirkland, the admiral's son: a letter of recommendation, an award certificate, and a congratulatory letter written by James Forrestal, along with two letters written by W.A. Kirkland that follow the movements of the Kirkland family upon arrival in America and provides brief biographies of various relatives. |
| Access restriction | No access restrictions. |
| Cite as |
William Alexander Kirkland Papers (#270), Special Collections Department, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA. |
| Terms of use | Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Gift of Mrs. John Corbus. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Gift of Ms. Jean Bradley Anderson. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Gift of John A. Fatherley. |
| Biographical note | William Alexander Kirkland was born in Hillsborough, N.C., on July 3, 1836. He entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1850. Kirkland served on the JAMESTOWN and the WYOMING in the East Indian Squadron before returning to the United States in 1864. Kirkland commanded several ships throughout his career: the gunboat OWASCO, the WINNEBAGO during the Civil War, the WASP, the SHENANDOAH, receiving ships COLORADO and VERMONT. He also served as commander of the Norfolk Navy Yard, New York Navy Yard, Harbor of New York League Island Navy Yard, as governor of the Naval Home in Philadelphia, commander of the South Atlantic Squadron, and the European Squadron. From 1896 until his death, Kirkland commanded the Mare Island Navy Yard in California. He died on August 12, 1898, and was buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery at Annapolis. |
