Existing comment:
Gideon Welles, 1802-1878:
For Gideon Welles, the job of secretary of the navy was daunting from the start because the United States had almost no effective navy to speak of, and what vessels were in existence were mostly old and scattered around the globe. Moreover, many senior officers resigned during the secession crisis. In spite of these difficulties, Welles succeeded in building a navy that played a vital role in winning the war. His implementation of the Union's blockade of the Confederate coast was typical of the challenges he faced with a makeshift fleet. Yet in time, this grand strategy eventually proved effective. Welles's endorsement of ironclad vessels was also ambitious for its day and had many influential detractors, but it anticipated the direction of the modern navy.
This photograph by Mathew Brady's studio is perhaps the best existing view of Welles's ill-fitting wig, which received ample notice in his day. |