Winslow, John Ancrum

Related Category: U.S. History: Biographies

1811–73, American naval officer, b. Wilmington, N.C. Appointed a midshipman in 1827, he served in the Mexican War and was commissioned commander in 1855. In the Civil War, Winslow first served with the Union flotilla operating on the upper Mississippi River. Promoted to captain in 1862, he commanded the Kearsarge (1863–64) in pursuit of Confederate cruisers in European waters. On June 19, 1864, in one of the outstanding naval engagements of the war, the Kearsarge sank the celebrated raider Alabama off Cherbourg. For his victory Winslow was promoted to the rank of commodore and received the thanks of Congress. He commanded the Gulf squadron (1866–67), was made a rear admiral (1870), and was commander of the Pacific squadron (1870–72).