John P. Gillis

John P. Gillis
Born	September 6, 1803 Wilmington, Delaware
Died	February 25, 1873 (aged 69) Wilmington, Delaware
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1825–1866
Rank	Commodore
Commands held	USS Monticello USS Seminole USS Ossipee
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War American Civil War

John P. Gillis (6 September 1803 – 25 February 1873) was an Commodore in the United States Navy, whose service extended from the mid-1820s through the end of the American Civil War.

Biography

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Gillis was appointed midshipman in 1825. He served with distinction in the Mexican-American War at the capture of Tuxpan. In 1853-54, he sailed with Commodore Matthew C. Perry's expedition to open Japan to the West. During the Civil War he commanded Monticello, Seminole and Ossipee in the Union blockade, and subsequently was on duty at New York until retiring in 1866.

Commodore Gillis died in the city of his birth.

Namesake

The destroyer USS Gillis (DD-260) was named for him and Rear Admiral James Henry Gillis.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.