serviceyears branch death_place death_date birth_place placeofburial_label battles birth_date placeofburial rank article_title name
1819 -- 1871 united states navy blois , france 10 may 1879 philadelphia , pennsylvania place of burial mexican -- american war american civil war 18 june 1809 laurel hill cemetery , philadelphia , pennsylvania 35px rear admiral sylvanus william godon
 sylvanus william godon
sylvanus william godon

sylvanus william godon -lrb- june 18 , 1809 -- may 10 , 1879 -rrb- was an american naval officer who served in the mexican -- american and american civil wars .
born in philadelphia , pennsylvania , godon entered the navy in 1819 as a midshipman , and , after serving at sea in various parts of the world , was promoted passed midshipman in 1827 , and to lieutenant in 1836 .
he served in the , flagship of commodore isaac hull 's mediterranean squadron from 1839 to 1841 .
godon was actively employed during the mexican -- american war , in command of the bomb vessel at the reduction of veracruz in 1847 .
he was made commander in 1855 .
in 1860 godon , in command of the steam sloop of war , was assigned to the africa squadron .
on august 8 , 1860 , he captured the slaver `` erie '' , commanded by nathaniel gordon , off the congo and forced that ship to unload its captive cargo at monrovia , liberia .
he remained on station until sailing for home on august 13 , 1861 .
promoted to captain he took part in the attack on port royal by the fleet under admiral samuel francis du pont .
he placed in position to secure an enfilading fire on the fort on hilton head , and materially assisted in silencing the batteries of the enemy .
in 1863 he was promoted to commodore ; and commanded the 4th division of admiral david dixon porter 's fleet at the first and second battles of fort fisher , north carolina , in december 1864 and january 1865 .
in the report of the latter action he was specially commended for the support rendered the commander-in-chief , and for the good discipline and accurate firing of his ship , the .
at the close of the war he was made rear admiral , and commanded the south atlantic or brazil squadron in 1866-1867 .
his last active employment was as commandant of the brooklyn navy yard from may 1 , 1868 until october 15 , 1870 .
he retired from the navy in 1871 .
godon died in blois , france .
he was buried in laurel hill cemetery , philadelphia .
