 He served aboard the torpedo boat "Foote" during the Spanish–American War, followed by duty aboard the torpedo boat "Gwin" and three years with the gunboat "Nashville".In 1903 he returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor in the Department of English and Law, concluding his tour in 1905 by commanding the protected cruiser "Atlanta" during midshipman training missions.He was navigator of the armored cruiser "Colorado" from 1905 to 1907 and executive officer from 1907 to 1908.