caption serviceyears branch commands relations death_date death_place birth_place allegiance placeofburial_label battles birth_date placeofburial rank image article_title name
'' , 1867 -- 68 , oil on canvas , national samuel portrait gallery , washington , d.c. francis du pont '' by daniel huntington 1815 -- 1865 united states navy 1864 23px warren congress 1841 2 cyane 1837 2 minnesota 1855 2 south 1827 atlantic blockading squadron 2 grampus 1821 2 perry 1843 2 du pont family 23 june 1865 philadelphia bayonne , new jersey united states 1795 23px place of burial mexican -- american war american civil war 27 september 1803 greenville , delaware 35px rear admiral samuel francis du pont.jpg samuel francis du pont
 samuel francis du pont
samuel francis du pont

samuel francis du pont -lrb- september 27 , 1803 -- june 23 , 1865 -rrb- was a rear admiral in the united states navy , and a member of the prominent du pont family .
in the mexican -- american war , du pont captured san diego , and was made commander of the california naval blockade .
through the 1850s , he promoted engineering studies at the united states naval academy , to enable more mobile and aggressive operations .
in the american civil war , he played a major role in making the union blockade effective , but was controversially blamed for the failed attack on charleston , south carolina in april 1863 .
