James R. Soley

James Russell Soley (1 October 1850 – 11 September 1911) was a lawyer and naval historian, and served as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy for the United States military.

He was appointed Assistant Professor of Ethics and English at the United States Naval Academy on 1 October 1871.

In 1884, Commodore Stephen B. Luce appointed Soley instructor in International Law at the newly established United States Naval War College, thereby becoming that institution's first civilian faculty member.

On 18 July 1890 he resigned his commission to become an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, dealing with administration of labor in naval shore establishments.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History and Heritage Command.