John Glendy Sproston (14 August 1828 – 8 June 1862) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Civil War. He was killed in action in a riverine action in Florida.
John G. Sproston was born in Maryland. He was the eldest son of George Saxon Sproston, a U.S. naval surgeon, and Jane Glendy, a daughter of the Rev John Glendy, former Chaplain of the United States Senate. [1] He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1846. He subsequently served with the Pacific Squadron during the war with Mexico. In 1854, Sproston voyaged to Japan with the Perry ( Matthew Calbraith Perry) Expedition.
During the Civil War, he served as commanding officer of Powhatan and as executive officer of Seneca. On 1 November 1861, during the Battle of Port Royal, Sproston personally fired many of the 11-inch guns on board Seneca as the crew was new and untrained. Lt. Sproston was killed on 8 June 1862, while on a boat expedition to destroy a Confederate privateer in the St. Johns River in Florida.
Both John Sproston and his father are buried in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. [2]
USS Sproston (DD-173) and USS Sproston (DD-577) were named for him.
John Glendy Sproston (14 August 1828 – 8 June 1862) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Civil War. He was killed in action in a riverine action in Florida.
John G. Sproston was born in Maryland. He was the eldest son of George Saxon Sproston, a U.S. naval surgeon, and Jane Glendy, a daughter of the Rev John Glendy, former Chaplain of the United States Senate. [1] He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1846. He subsequently served with the Pacific Squadron during the war with Mexico. In 1854, Sproston voyaged to Japan with the Perry ( Matthew Calbraith Perry) Expedition.
During the Civil War, he served as commanding officer of Powhatan and as executive officer of Seneca. On 1 November 1861, during the Battle of Port Royal, Sproston personally fired many of the 11-inch guns on board Seneca as the crew was new and untrained. Lt. Sproston was killed on 8 June 1862, while on a boat expedition to destroy a Confederate privateer in the St. Johns River in Florida.
Both John Sproston and his father are buried in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. [2]
USS Sproston (DD-173) and USS Sproston (DD-577) were named for him.