Sylvanus William Godon
American naval officer
title: "Sylvanus William Godon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1809-births", "1879-deaths", "19th-century-american-naval-officers", "burials-at-laurel-hill-cemetery-(philadelphia)", "military-personnel-from-philadelphia", "people-of-pennsylvania-in-the-american-civil-war", "union-navy-officers", "united-states-navy-rear-admirals", "united-states-navy-personnel-of-the-mexican–american-war", "united-states-navy-personnel-who-were-court-martialed"] description: "American naval officer" topic_path: "people/1800s" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvanus_William_Godon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American naval officer ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox military person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Sylvanus William Godon |
| image | Sylvanus William Godon.png |
| birth_date | |
| death_date | |
| birth_place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| death_place | Blois, France |
| placeofburial | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| placeofburial_label | Place of burial |
| allegiance | |
| branch | United States Navy |
| serviceyears | 1819–1871 |
| rank | [[File:USN Rear Admiral rank insignia.jpg |
| commands | USS Vesuvius |
| USS Mohican | |
| USS Susquehanna | |
| Brazil Squadron | |
| Brooklyn Navy Yard | |
| battles | |
| :: |
|name= Sylvanus William Godon |image= Sylvanus William Godon.png |caption= |birth_date= |death_date= |birth_place=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |death_place=Blois, France |placeofburial= Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |placeofburial_label= Place of burial |nickname= |allegiance= |branch= United States Navy |serviceyears= 1819–1871 |rank= [[File:USN Rear Admiral rank insignia.jpg|35px]] Rear Admiral |unit= |commands=USS Vesuvius USS Mohican USS Susquehanna Brazil Squadron Brooklyn Navy Yard |battles=
- Mexican–American War
- American Civil War
- Battle of Port Royal
- First Battle of Fort Fisher
- Second Battle of Fort Fisher |awards= |relations= |laterwork= **Sylvanus William Godon ** (June 18, 1809 – May 17, 1879) was an American naval officer who served in the Mexican–American and American Civil War.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Godon entered the United States Navy in 1819 as a midshipman. He joined the Navy at an early age as a way to receive an education after his father, a noted French mineralogist, went insane and became destitute. He served at sea in various parts of the world and was promoted passed midshipman in 1827, and to lieutenant on December 17, 1836.
He served on the as flag lieutenant to Commodore Isaac Hull of the Mediterranean Squadron from 1839 to 1841. Godon was accused of insubordination by Hull and sent back to the Navy Department for reassignment. He was found guilty of disobedience of orders and neglect of duty and sentenced to two years suspension from duty but the conviction was reversed by the Secretary of the Navy and no punishment occurred. Godon served during the Mexican–American War and commanded the bomb vessel at the Siege of Veracruz in 1847.
He was made commander on September 14, 1855. He remained on station until sailing for home on August 13, 1861. Nathaniel Gordon would become the first and only slave trader to be tried, convicted, and executed under the Piracy Law of 1820, which made it a capital offense for Americans to actively participate in the slave trade.
Promoted to captain effective July 16, 1862, 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 on June 18, 1871. Godon died on May 17, 1879
Citations
References
- "Cruise of the United States Frigate Potomac". Penn Museum.
- (2011). "The Civil War Naval Encyclopedia, Volume 1". ABC-CLIO.
- (1986). "The Captain from Connecticut: The Life and Naval Times of Isaac Hull". Naval Institute Press.
- (1995). "Advocate for America: The Life of James Kirke Paulding". Health Communications, Inc..
- (1997). "Origins of the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps: A History of Legal Administration in the United States Navy, 1775 to 1967". U.S. Government Printing Office.
- (1887). "Appletons' Cyclopaedia of American Biography". D. Appleton and Company.
- (2006). "Hanging Captain Gordon: The Life and Trial of an American Slave Trader". Washington Square Press.
- "Navy Officers: 1798-1900 (G)". Naval History and Heritage Command.
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