  john newland maffitt (february 22, 1819 &ndash; may 15, 1886) was an officer in the confederate states navy who was nicknamed the "prince of privateers" due to his remarkable success as a blockade runner and commerce raider in the u.s. civil war. ==early life== maffit was born at sea on a ship bound for new york city, his parents having emigrated from ireland. maffitt's parents, reverend john newland maffitt and his wife ann carnicke, settled with their son in connecticut. when maffitt was about five years old, he was adopted by his uncle, dr. william maffitt who traveled across the atlantic ocean with them, and moved to fayetteville, north carolina. ==united states navy service== maffitt entered the united states navy as a midshipman in february 1832, at the age of thirteen. he first served aboard uss st. louis in the west indies, and was later assigned to the pensacola navy yard. in 1835 he was assigned to uss constitution, serving as an aide to commodore jesse elliott in the mediterranean; his service aboard constitution would later become the basis for a novel, nautilus; or, cruising under canvas, published in 1871. he also served on the frigate uss macedonian, becoming its acting master in 1841. maffitt was ordered to the united states coast survey in 1842, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1843.{{cite web|title=commander john n
1819_births 1886_deaths Confederate_States_Navy_commanders People_of_the_Ten_Years\'_War Privateers United_States_Navy_officers