Joseph Coghlan

Biography

Joseph Coghlan, born in 1844, entered the Navy as a young officer in the Civil War, serving on blockading vessels that curtailed Confederate trade and later commanding ships in the Pacific where he honed the reach of the American fleet.

He spent the remainder of his career mentoring sailors and overseeing shore installations before his 1908 burial at Arlington National Cemetery, leaving behind a reputation for steady leadership at sea and ashore.