Gideon Welles

Gideon Welles
Welles c. 1855–1865
24th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office March 7, 1861 – March 4, 1869
President	Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson
Preceded by	Isaac Toucey
Succeeded by	Adolph E. Borie
Comptroller of Connecticut
In office 1842–1844
Governor	Chauncey Fitch Cleveland
Preceded by	Henry Kilbourn
Succeeded by	Abijah Carrington
In office 1835–1836
Governor	Henry W. Edwards
Preceded by	Roger Huntington
Succeeded by	William Field
Personal details
Born	(1802-07-01)July 1, 1802 Glastonbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	February 11, 1878(1878-02-11) (aged 75) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Cedar Hill Cemetery
Political party	Democratic (before 1848) Free Soil (1848–1854) Republican (1854–1878)
Spouse	Mary Jane Hale
Children	8
Education	Norwich 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.