Oliver Spencer Glisson | |
|---|---|
 Circa 1868–1870 by Frederick Gutekunst | |
| Born | January 18, 1809 Mount Pleasant, Ohio |
| Died | November 20, 1890 (aged 81) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1826–1871 |
| Rank |  Rear admiral |
| Commands | USS Reefer USS Powhatan |
| Battles / wars | Mexican–American War American Civil War |
Oliver Spencer Glisson (January 18, 1809 – November 20, 1890), was a rear admiral of the United States Navy. After commanding a schooner in the Mexican–American War, he was posted to the East India Squadron and took part in the Japan Expedition when the first treaty with the Japanese was signed by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853. Throughout the American Civil War, Glisson served in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, intercepting illegal trade across the Potomac, and patrolling the mouth of the Rappahannock. Early in the war, Glisson rescued a group of slaves who were being used by the Confederates as a human shield. Although this rescue contravened the Fugitive Slave Act, it was authorised by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on humanitarian grounds.