Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Alfred T. Mahan, naval officer, was born in 1840. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859. He served as second president of the Naval War College, 1885-1886 and again in 1892-1893. His Influence of Seapower on History was published in 1890.

From the description of Notebook, ?-1880. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944229

From the description of Commission, February 19, 1862. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944191

From the description of Letter, March 29 [n.y.] (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 728651332

From the description of Commission, October 2, 1856. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17939616

From the description of Commission, April 13, 1911. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944203

From the description of Certificate, 1856. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 18421169

From the description of Certificate, 1855. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944372

From the description of Certificate, June 12, 1894. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17966417

Naval officer and historian.

From the description of Papers of A. T. Mahan, 1779-1970 (bulk 1890-1914). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71063495

Mahan was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1889, 1893-1894.

From the description of Letter, June 14, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707628898

From the description of Letter, June 8, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707636250

From the description of Letter, [June 1, 1905]. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707629062

From the description of Letter, June 10, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707630761

From the description of Letter, June 4, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707636778

From the description of Letter, June 8, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707631898

From the description of Letter, June 6, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707634728

From the description of Letter, June 16, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707627932

Alfred Thayer Mahan, Navy admiral and naval historian, was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1888, 1892-1893 and author of The Influence of Seapower on History.

From the description of Letter, October 29, 1911. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 739098465

From the description of Letter, December 22, [n.y.]. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46384159

Alfred Thayer Mahan, U.S. Naval Officer, was born in West Point, NY on September 27, 1840. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859 and served in the Navy until his retirement in 1896. Historian and author of numerous books, including the Influence of Seapower on History, he also served as Naval War College President, 1886-1888 and again in 1892-1893. He died on December 1, 1914 in Washington, DC.

From the description of Letter, March 11, 1907. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732621627

From the description of Letter, November 6, 1899 (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732622135

From the description of Letter, March 22, [n.y.] (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732621554

From the description of Note, [n.d.] (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 731677418

From the description of Letter, April 24, 1897. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732617741

From the description of Letter, April 25, 1901. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732618117

From the description of Letter, November 22, [n.y.] (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732617727

From the description of Letter, September 30, 1901 (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732621682

From the description of Letter, September 3, [1893]. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 731677670

From the description of Letter, October 10, 1906 (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732618162

From the description of Letter, December 11, 1911. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17913986

From the description of Note, June 20, 1895. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17913991

From the description of Letter, November 10, 1906. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17913966

From the description of Letter, October 2, 1875. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17913764

From the description of Letter, February 18, 1904. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 732621810

From the description of Papers, 1868-1914. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17820772

From the description of Letter, November 22, 1889. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17998081

Alfred Thayer Mahan, naval historian and naval officer, was born on September 27, 1940 and died on December 1, 1914. Mahan served as president of the Naval War College from 1886-1889 and again from 1892-1893. He is best known for his work entitled The Influence of Seapower on History.

From the description of Letter, October 17, 1914. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46829658

American naval historian.

From the description of Letter to "My dear Bessie" [manuscript], n.y. Friday. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647988776

Mahan was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1889, 1892-1894.

From the description of Letter, May 16, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707725635

From the description of Letter, November 29, 1913. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707619817

Alfred Thayer Mahan was a U.S. naval officer and historian. A Union naval officer in the Civil War, he later lectured on naval history and strategy at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., of which he was president (1886-89, 1892-93). Out of his lectures grew his two major works on the historical significance of sea power: THE INFLUENCE OF SEA POWER UPON HISTORY, 1660-1783 (1890) and THE INFLUENCE OF SEA POWER UPON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND EMPIRE, 1793-1812 (2 vols., 1892). In these he argued that naval power was the key to success in international politics; the nation that controlled the seas held the decisive factor in modern warfare. Theodore Roosevelt and other proponents of a big navy and overseas expansion were influenced by Mahan's writings. Among his many other works are biographies of David Farragut and Horatio Nelson and the autobiographical FROM SAIL TO STEAM (1907).

From the description of Alfred Thayer Mahan collection, 1883-1977 (bulk 1883-1913) (Princeton University Library). WorldCat record id: 179276368

Alfred Thayer Mahan, naval officer and naval historian, was born in 1840 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859. He was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1889, and 1892-93. Author of scholarly works on naval history, he was a proponent of sea power.

From the description of [Honorary Doctor of Laws degree] / Harvard College, June 26, 1895. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944517

From the description of [Honorary Doctor of Laws degree] / Yale University, 1897. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17944546

A.T. Mahan was an American naval officer and historian. He authored the highly influential book, The Influence of Seapower Upon History .

From the guide to the A. T. Mahan letter to Gen. James Wilson MS 182., 1893, (Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX)

Alfred Thayer Mahan, naval historian and naval officer, was born on September 27, 1840 and died on December 1, 1914. Mahan served as president of the Naval War College from 1886-1889 and again from 1892-1893.

From the description of Letter, April 29, 1914. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46770532

Naval officer and author.

From the description of A. T. Mahan papers, 1861-1913. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70979814

Alfred Thayer Mahan, naval officer and naval historian, was born in 1840 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859. He was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1889 and 1892-93. Author of many books on naval history, he was a proponent of sea power.

From the description of Letter, [n.d.]. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 733948968

Mahan was president of the Naval War College, 1886-1889, 1892-1893.

From the description of Letter, June 1, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707720320

From the description of Letter, January 13, 1893. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707728021

From the description of Letter, April 28, [1905]. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707720460

From the description of Letter, April 27, 1905. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 707727340

Alfred Thayer Mahan, U.S. Naval Officer, was born in West Point, NY on September 27, 1840. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859 and served in the Navy until his retirement in 1896. Historian and author of numerous books, including the Influence of Seapower on History, he also served as Naval War College President, 1886-1888 and again in 1892-1893. He died on December 1, 1914 in Washington, DC.

Lt. Chambers was a member of the College staff, 1892-1893.

From the description of Letter, July 27, 1892. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17913826

Biographical Note

• 1840, Sept. 27: Born, West Point, N.Y.
• 1859: Graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
• 1867 - 1868 : Duty in Iroquois (sloop of war), Asiatic Squadron
• 1872: Married Ellen Lyle Evans
• 1872 - 1875 : Commanded Wasp (steamer), South Atlantic Squadron
• 1876 - 1880 : Ordnance duty, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
• 1880 - 1883 : Duty in Navigation Department, United States Navy Yard, New York, N.Y.
• 1883: Published The Gulf and Inland Waters. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
• 1883 - 1885 : Commanded Wachusett (sloop of war), South Pacific Squadron
• 1886: President, Naval War College, Newport, R. I.
• 1890: Published The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783. Boston: Little, Brown
• 1892: Published The Influence of Sea Power Upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793-1812. Boston: Little, Brown. 2 vols.
• 1893 - 1895 : Commanded Chicago (cruiser), European Station
• 1894: Honorary degrees, Oxford University, Oxford, England, and Cambridge University, Cambridge, England
• 1896: Retired
• 1898: Appointed to Naval War Board
• 1899: Member, United States delegation to the International Peace Conference, Hague, Netherlands
• 1908: Member, Commission on Documentary Historical Publications of the United States Government
• 1914, Dec. 1: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the A T. Mahan Papers, 1779-1970, (bulk 1890-1914), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), American naval officer and historian, was born on September 27, 1840, in West Point, New York, to Dennis Hart (1802-1871), a United States Military Academy professor, and Mary Helen (Okill) Mahan. Mahan graduated second from his class at the United States Naval Academy in 1859 and went on to serve nearly forty years of active duty in the United States Navy. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant while fighting in the American Civil War (1861-1865), was named Captain in 1885, and retired from active service in November 1896. Thayer was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on June 29, 1906, by an act of Congress which promoted all retired captains who had served during the Civil War.

In October 1885, Mahan was invited by Stephen Luce (1827-1917), president of the newly established Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, to serve as a lecturer on naval history and tactics. Mahan was later appointed president of the Naval War College in June 1886 to January 1889 and again from July 1892 to May 1893. The lectures Mahan gave at the college became the basis for the Influence of sea power upon history, 1660-1783, published in 1890, the first of twenty books and twenty-three essays written by Mahan on this broad subject. Mahan’s works on naval history and strategies greatly influenced the buildup of naval forces among the major world powers in the years prior to World War I. Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan died on December 1, 1914, in Quogue, New York.

From the guide to the A. T. Mahan letters, Mahan (A. T.) letters, 1894 and undated, (Redwood Library and Athenaeum)