Bowman Hendry McCalla was descended from John M'Calla who emigrated from Scotland in 1747, having received from the Crown a grant of land in Northumberland County, Pa. ; his grandfather, Auley M'Calla, commanded a regiment of New Jersey militia in the Revolution. Bowman was born in Camden, N. J. , the son of Auley and Mary Duffield (Hendry) McCalla. His parents died when he was a boy, and he was cared for by older sisters.
At thirteen he was placed in Nazareth Hall, the Moravian boarding school at Nazareth, Pa. On the breaking out of the Civil War he wanted to join the army, but being thwarted in this desire because of his youth, he turned his attention to the navy and entered the Naval Academy on November 30, 1861. Three years later he was graduated, fourth in a class of thirty-four.
His first assignment was to the steam sloop Susquehanna of the Brazil Squadron. Later orders sent him to various ships of the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and European Squadrons, and then to shore duty at the Naval Academy. Meanwhile he had been commissioned lieutenant, March 12, 1868, and lieutenant commander, March 26, 1869. McCalla was made commander on November 3, 1884. His first command was the Enterprise on the European Station (1887 - 90). At the end of the cruise several charges were brought against him. That of striking with the back of his sword an unruly sailor resulted in his being tried by court martial and convicted. The sentence was suspension for three years and loss of numbers. The next year (1891), however, the Secretary of the Navy returned him to duty; and a few years later, when he had been advanced seven numbers for heroic and distinguished services during the Spanish-American War, he fully recovered what he had lost. His conspicuous service in the navy began with the Spanish-American War. For nearly a year he had been commanding the cruiser Marblehead.
In this vessel he directed the gallant affair of cutting the cables off Cienfuegos, Cuba. Later he had charge of landing the first battalion of marines at Guantanamo, and led the forces that drove back the Spaniards. Continuing in command, he superintended the landing of great quantities of supplies, made an enviable reputation for sanitation, and also won the confidence of the Cubans. On August 10, 1898, he was promoted to the rank of captain. In the Philippine insurrection he took part in the restoration of order. He received the surrender of the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela, northern Luzon (December 1899), and turned them over to the army. He was then commanding officer of the Newark, and as such did important work the following year in China. When the American and other legations in Peking reported that they were threatened by the Boxers, McCalla in Tientsin took the initiative in urging the officers of the several powers to go to Peking and post additional guards. On their return, when train service was interrupted and the naval officers and consuls could agree on no plan of action, it was McCalla who proposed, even if the troops of other nations remained behind, to set out for Peking. An allied expedition was organized and made the attempt, but on reaching Lang-fang, forty miles from Peking, was obliged to turn back. In the fighting against heavy odds that followed, McCalla, commanding the American force, had the honor of leading the van and in course of the operations was wounded three times. For his efficient service and gallantry he was highly commended by Sir Edward Seymour, R. N. , commanding the expeditionary forces. McCalla's last command was the Mare Island Navy Yard. He had been promoted, October 11, 1903, to the rank of rear admiral, and was retired in 1906 for age. He died at Santa Barbara, Cal.
McCalla was an officer noted for his roles in the Spanish-American War and putting down the Boxer Rebellion. He was known for his "advanced ideas" on naval administration, but in sharp contrast with his later success he seems at this time not to have been happy in carrying out his policies. His last active service in the navy was as commandant of the naval training station at Mare Island, California. Two ships have been named USS McCalla for him.
McCalla's courage and leadership during his career often earned him great, and due, respect among his fellow officers.
On March 3, 1875, he was married to Elizabeth Hazard Sargent, daughter of Gen. Horace Binney Sargent of Boston.
1800 - 11 April 1856
1829 - 1 February 1913
1825 - 26 December 1877
1850 - 20 November 1920
23 February 1880 - 1964
1878 - 1965
1 March 1877 - 28 October 1959
