=McGowan, Rear Admiral John=, U. S. N. (retired), 1739 N. Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. (Life member of the Society.) He was born at Port Penn, Del., August 4, 1843. He is a son of John and Catherine (Caldwell) McGowan. He was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, Pa., 1848–’53, and in private schools in Elizabeth, N. J., 1854–’59. Entering the navy, he was appointed acting master’s mate, March 8, 1862; was promoted to acting master May 8, 1862, and ordered to command the U. S. S. _Wyandank_ in the Potomac flotilla. He served on the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers until February, 1863, when he was detached from the _Wyandank_ and ordered to the _Florida_ as navigator. He served on the _Florida_ in the blockade off Wilmington, N. C., until October, 1864, when the ship went to New York for repairs. In November, of the same year, he was detached from the _Florida_ and ordered to the U. S. S. _State of Georgia_ as navigator; arrived off Wilmington, N. C., the day after the capture of Fort Fisher, his ship being then ordered to reinforce the fleet off Charleston, S. C. While there he took part in the Bulls Bay Expedition, which was one of the causes of the evacuation of Charleston by the Confederates. Soon after the evacuation, the _State of Georgia_ was ordered to Aspinwall (Colon) to protect American interests on the Isthmus of Panama. Before sailing for Aspinwall, McGowan succeeded Lieutenant Manly as executive officer of the ship. In November, 1865, he was ordered to the U. S. S. _Monongahela_ as watch and division officer; served on the _Monongahela_ in the West Indies until January, 1867, when he was detached and, a few days later, joined the U. S. S. _Tacony_, Commander Roe, fitting out for duty in the Gulf Squadron. He was at Vera Cruz nearly all the summer of 1867, which witnessed the fall of Maximilian’s empire. After the death of Maximilian, and the surrender of Vera Cruz to the Liberals, the _Tacony_ returned to Pensacola, Fla., but yellow fever breaking out aboard the ship, went to Portsmouth, N. H., where, after undergoing quarantine, the officers were detached and ordered to their homes the latter part of September, 1867. In October of the same year, McGowan was ordered to duty on board the receiving ship at the Philadelphia navy yard. He commanded the U. S. S. _Constellation_ there, and was afterward executive officer of the frigate _Potomac_, also a receiving ship, at Philadelphia. In March, 1868, while on the _Potomac_, he received a commission as master in the regular navy, and in October, 1868, was ordered to duty with the Asiatic fleet. On reporting to the admiral, he was ordered to duty as executive officer of the U. S. S. _Unadilla_; succeeded to the command of the _Unadilla_ in June,