Commodore John Cassin (July 7, 1760March 24, 1822) was a United States Navy officer, who led the vital defense of

Gosport Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...

during the War of 1812 and served as its Commandant.Sharp, John G.M.,''Commodore John Cassin 1760 -1822'', accessed 13 September 2021, http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/shipyard/sharptoc/biocassin.html

Early life

Cassin, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 7, 1760, was the son of Joseph Cassin, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and came to Philadelphia in 1725.

Military service

During the American Revolutionary War, Cassin served in the Army and took part in the

Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American m ...

.Commodore John Cassin, U.S.N.” ''Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia'', vol. 22, no. 2, 1911, pp. 103–105. In 1803, Cassin was assigned as second officer at the Washington Navy Yard. During the War of 1812 he led the United States Navy in the Delaware for the defense of Philadelphia. He also commanded the

Norfolk Naval Shipyard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...

from 10 August 1812 until 1 June 1821. After that he was the commanding officer of the Southern Naval station, Charleston, South Carolina.

Family

In the early 1780s Cassin married Ann Wilcox (1754–1821) of Philadelphia. They had four children: Elizabeth Ann Cassin (married Captain

Joseph Tarbell Joseph Tarbell (16 September 1773 – 24 November 1815) was an officer in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. Early life Tarbell was born in Groton, Massachusetts on 16 September 1773.COMMODORE JOHN CASSIN ...

), Joseph Cassin (1784–1821), Stephen Cassin, and John Cassin (b.1791, died young). Joseph and Stephen were Navy officers.

Death

He died on March 24, 1822 in Charleston, South Carolina.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cassin, John 1760 births 1822 deaths United States Navy officers United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812 American revolutionaries 19th-century American naval officers Military personnel from Philadelphia People of colonial Pennsylvania Burials in South Carolina