  gustavus vasa fox (june 13, 1821 â october 29, 1883) was an officer of the united states navy, who served during the mexican-american war, and as assistant secretary of the navy during the civil war. ==life and career== fox was born at saugus, massachusetts, and studied at phillips academy, andover, massachusetts (1835). on january 12, 1838, fox was appointed midshipman. during the mexican-american war, he served in the brig  in the squadron of commodore matthew perry, and took part in the capture of tabasco, mexico, on january 14â16, 1847. he later commanded several mail steamers. he resigned from the navy on july 30, 1856, and engaged in the manufacture of woolen materials. at the start of the american civil war he volunteered for service. president abraham lincoln gave him a temporary appointment in the navy and sent him in the steamer baltic to the relief of fort sumter. fox could not relieve the fort before confederate bombardment forced its surrender, but afterwards he brought away the garrison. thumb|left|120px|gustavus v. fox on august 1, 1861, lincoln appointed him assistant secretary of the navy, an office which he held until the close of the civil war. in 1866, he was sent on a special mission to russia; he conveyed the congratulations of the president to tsar alexander ii upon his escape from assassination. his voyage was made in the monitor , which was the first vessel of this class to cross the atlantic. they were accompanied by . in 1882 he published a paper suggesting that samana cay in the bahamas was guanahani, or san salvador, the first island christopher columbus reached in his discovery of the 
1821_births 1883_deaths People_from_Lowell,_Massachusetts People_from_Saugus,_Massachusetts People_of_Massachusetts_in_the_American_Civil_War Phillips_Academy_alumni Union_Navy_officers United_States_Navy_officers