Born in Kinderhook, Columbia County, New York,[1] Philip was appointed midshipman on 20 September 1856 and graduated from the Naval Academy on 1 June 1861.

During the Civil War, he served on the Santee, Marion and Sonoma until September 1862 when he was ordered to Chippewa, attached to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

[2][3] However this expedition did not go ahead due to difficulties obtaining a suitable ship [4] and Philip then took command of the Tuscarora to survey the West coast of Mexico.

During the Spanish–American War, his ship, with the cruiser Marblehead, led the attack and silenced the fort on Cayo del Toro, Guantanamo Bay, on 15 June 1898.

From 3 September 1898 until 28 December 1898, he served as Commander of the 2nd Squadron, North Atlantic Fleet, flying his broad pennant in the armored cruiser New York.