Gideon Welles

Gideon Welles
Welles c. 1855–1865
24th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office
March 7, 1861 – March 4, 1869
PresidentAbraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
Preceded byIsaac Toucey
Succeeded byAdolph E. Borie
Comptroller of Connecticut
In office
1842–1844
GovernorChauncey Fitch Cleveland
Preceded byHenry Kilbourn
Succeeded byAbijah Carrington
In office
1835–1836
GovernorHenry W. Edwards
Preceded byRoger Huntington
Succeeded byWilliam Field
Personal details
Born(1802-07-01)July 1, 1802
Glastonbury, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedFebruary 11, 1878(1878-02-11) (aged 75)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting placeCedar Hill Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic (before 1848)
Free Soil (1848–1854)
Republican (1854–1878)
SpouseMary Jane Hale
Children8
EducationNorwich University (BA)
Signature

Gideon Welles (July 1, 1802 – February 11, 1878), nicknamed "Father Neptune", was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869, a cabinet post he was awarded after supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Although opposed to the Union blockade of Southern ports, he duly carried out his part of the Anaconda Plan, largely sealing off the Confederate coastline and preventing the exchange of cotton for war supplies. This is viewed as a major cause of Union victory in the Civil War, and his achievement in expanding the Navy almost tenfold was widely praised. Welles was also instrumental in the Navy's creation of the Medal of Honor.