Gideon Welles

Gideon Welles was the 24th U.S. Secretary of the Navy, serving from 1861 to 1869 under Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson during the Civil War. He was a journalist, politician, and author known for his diary of the Civil War period and his role in developing the Navy's blockade capabilities and constructing the ironclad USS Monitor. Welles was instrumental in the North's victory and helped establish the Navy's Medal of Honor.