Samuel Francis Du Pont

Loyalty:  Union

Born Date:  September 27, 1803

Born Place:  Bayonne, NJ

Died Date:  June 23, 1865

Died Place:  Philadelphia, PA

Service:  He then served aboard the frigate Congress in the West Indies and off the coast of Brazil. Though still not yet a commissioned officer, he was promoted to sailing master during his service aboard the 74-gun North Carolina in 1825, which sailed on a mission to display American influence and power in the Mediterranean. Du Pont was given command of the sloop Cyane in 1846 and quickly showed his skill as a naval combat commander, taking or destroying thirty enemy ships and clearing the Gulf of California in the process. Du Pont transported Major John Fremont's troops to San Diego, where they captured the city.

On February 15, 1848, Du Pont successfully led an amphibious assault on San José del Cabo. After his impressive naval victories, Du Pont was given command of the entire California naval blockade. Just before the end of the Mexican American War, Du Pont was relieved of duty and returned home. Between the Civil War and Mexican American War, Du Pont was largely in charge of modernizing the United States Navy. He was appointed superintendent of the United States Naval Academy and established new curricula emphasizing mathematics and engineering. In 1855, Du Pont became a part of the Naval Efficiency Board, which resulted in the removal of 201 officers.

As commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in the Civil War, Du Pont directed (Nov., 1861) the successful naval attack against Port Royal, S.C., for which he won a rear admiral's commission. He secured further footholds for the Union on the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The blockade Du Pont organized was generally successful, except at Charleston. Against Du Pont's advice the Dept. of the Navy ordered him to attack Charleston with ironclad monitors. When the attack failed (Apr. 7, 1863), Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles blamed Du Pont and, at Du Pont's request, relieved him of his command (July, 1863). A congressional investigation followed, but its findings were inconclusive.