by Rev. Canon Dr. Robert Girard Carroon, PCinC
A naval officer who gained a national reputation for his conduct during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, Louis Kempff became Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion on the death of Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Hamlin Hubbard on May 19, 1915. A native of Belleville, Illinois, Louis was the son of Friedrich and Henrietta Kempff. He was born on October 11, 1841, and after education in local schools successfully passed the entrance examinations and entered the United States Naval Academy in 1857. In company with a number of his classmates, he was detached from the Academy and ordered to active service in May 1861 with the rank of Midshipman. Cadet Kempff was first assigned to the U.S.S. Vandalia, which was part of the Charleston blockade.
He was commissioned Acting Master on October 25, 1861, and assigned to the U.S.S. Wabash, participating in the fight at Port Royal on November 7 of that year and at Port Royal Ferry on January 1, 1862. He was present at the capture of Fort Clinch at Fernandina, Florida, and also at St. Mary’s, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida. Assigned to the U.S.S. Susquehanna, he was present at the bombardment of the Confederate batteries at Sewall’s Point and the occupation of Norfolk, which resulted in the destruction of the ironclad C.S.S. Virginia. He was commissioned Lieutenant on August 1, 1862, and assigned to the U.S.S. Connecticut on duty with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The close of the War of the Rebellion found Lieutenant Kempff on duty on the Pacific Station serving aboard the U.S.S. Sewanee.
Louis Kempff’s service during the remainder of his naval career was largely spent in the Pacific theater of operations. His assignment aboard the U.S.S. Sewanee covered the years 1864 to 1867, and during that period, on July 25, 1866, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Over the next thirty years he served aboard such vessels as the U.S.S. Portsmouth, U.S.S. Independence, U.S.S. Mohican, U.S.S. Saranac, and the U.S.S. California. He also served several tours at Mare Island Navy Yard and later aboard the U.S.S. Alert of the Asiatic Squadron. On March 7, 1876, he was promoted to Commander, and while serving on the Naval Inspection Board he was promoted to Captain on March 19, 1891. On March 3, 1899, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and took command of the Asiatic Fleet, which he led from 1900 to 1902.
The outbreak in China generally known as the Boxer Rebellion found Rear Admiral Kempff as the senior American naval officer off Taku, where an international fleet had assembled to protect foreigners in northern China. When other foreign ships and forces attacked the Chinese forts at Taku, Rear Admiral Kempff refused to take part, pointing out that the policy of the United States was not to engage in combat with the Imperial Chinese troops, as the United States was not at war with the government of the Dowager Empress. Kempff did cooperate in later efforts to relieve the foreign legations at Peking, but he was highly commended for following the instructions of his government in not attacking the Taku Forts. Upon his return to the United States he received the thanks of the Chinese community in San Francisco at a complimentary banquet. Rear Admiral Kempff concluded his naval career as Commandant of the Pacific Naval District, retiring on October 11, 1903.
Upon retirement Rear Admiral Louis Kempff became very active in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion. He joined as a Companion of the First Class of the California Commandery on May 10, 1884, with Insignia #3236. He served as Senior Vice-Commander of the California Commandery from 1904 to 1905. On October 15, 1913, he was elected Senior Vice-Commander-in-Chief, and upon the death of Brigadier General Hubbard he became Commander-in-Chief. Louis Kempff served as Commander-in-Chief until October 20, 1915. Lieutenant General Samuel B. M. Young succeeded Rear Admiral Kempff as Commander-in-Chief.
After his retirement from the Navy, Rear Admiral Kempff lived in Santa Barbara, California, where he died on July 29, 1920. He was interred in Oakland at Mountain View Cemetery. In 1873, at Fair Oaks, California, he married Cornelia Reese. Their son was Captain Clarence S. Kempff, USN, an hereditary Companion of the Loyal Legion with Insignia #12441.