John Lee Davis
| John Lee Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 3, 1825 Carlisle, Indiana |
| Died | March 12, 1889 (aged 63) Washington D.C. |
| Place of burial | Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington D.C. |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1841–1886 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held |
Wissahickon Montauk Sassacus Asiatic Squadron |
| Battles/wars |
American Civil War • Battle of the Head of Passes • Second Battle of Fort Sumter • First Battle of Fort Fisher • Second Battle of Fort Fisher |
| Relations | John Wesley Davis (father) |
John Lee Davis (September 3, 1825 – March 12, 1889) was a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, who served during the American Civil War, and later commanded the Asiatic Squadron.
Davis was born in Carlisle, Indiana, one of seven children born to John Wesley Davis (1799–1859), a doctor and politician, and Ann Hoover (1801–1859).
Davis entered the Navy as a midshipman on 9 January 1841, and was warranted passed midshipman on 10 August 1847.
While serving as acting lieutenant aboard the sloop Preble of the East India Squadron, he commanded one of the boats that boarded a piratical Chinese junk off Macao in November 1849, with another officer and sixteen men, and captured the vessel and crew.
He was commissioned lieutenant on 15 September 1855, and was attached to the Gulf Blockading Squadron in 1861. As executive officer of the gunboat Water Witch he took part in engagements with the Confederate ram Manassas at the battle of the Head of Passes on 12 October 1861.
He was commissioned lieutenant commander on 16 July 1862, and in command of the gunboat Wissahickon, attacked Fort McAllister on 19 November. His ship was pierced by a solid shot below water. The leak was stopped temporarily, and after the action the vessel was taken on shore and patched at the falling of the tide. He attacked the fort again on 27 January and 1 February 1863, and on 28 February when the privateer Rattlesnake was destroyed. On 19 March he sank the blockade-runner Georgiana when she attempted to enter Charleston harbor. He was then given command of the ironclad monitor Montauk and took part in the engagements with Forts Sumter, Gregg, Moultrie, and Battery Bee, at the beginning of September 1863, and in the attacks on Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie in November 1863.
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