Oliver S. Glisson

Oliver Spencer Glisson
Circa 1868-1870 by Frederick Gutekunst
Born	(1809-01-18)January 18, 1809 Mount Pleasant, Ohio
Died	November 20, 1890(1890-11-20) (aged 81) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Place of burial	The Woodlands Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1826-1871
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	USS Reefer USS Powhatan USS John P. Kennedy USS Ice Boat USS Mount Vernon USS Iroquois USS Mohican USS Santiago de Cuba European Squadron
Battles/wars	Mexican-American War American Civil War

USS Reefer
USS Powhatan
USS John P. Kennedy
USS Ice Boat
USS Mount Vernon
USS Iroquois
USS Mohican
USS Santiago de Cuba

Oliver Spencer Glisson (January 18, 1809 – November 20, 1890), was a rear admiral of the United States Navy. After commanding a schooner in the Mexican-American War, he was posted to the East India Squadron and took part in the Japan Expedition when the first treaty with the Japanese was signed by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853. Throughout the American Civil War, Glisson served in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, intercepting illegal trade across the Potomac, and patrolling the mouth of the Rappahannock. Early in the war, Glisson rescued a group of slaves who were being used by the Confederates as a human shield. Although this rescue contravened the Fugitive Slave Act, it was authorised by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on humanitarian grounds.

Glisson was born to Thomas Glisson [(1783-03-08)March 8, 1783 – October 17, 1849(1849-10-17) (aged 66)] and Rebecca Runyan Glisson [(1785-04-24)April 24, 1785 – October 21, 1843(1843-10-21) (aged 58)] near Mount Pleasant, Ohio, (Mount Healthy since 1850) in Hamilton County, the second of ten children.