Biography
Born in Ohio, McDougal was appointed as a midshipman on April 1, 1828. During the next three decades, he served in the Mediterranean, West Indian, and Home Squadrons as well as on the Great Lakes in Michigan. While serving in the USS Mississippi from 1846 to 1848, during the Mexican-American War, McDougal participated in Commodore Matthew C. Perry's Mosquito Fleet Campaign and the blockade and siege of Veracruz. He later commanded the sloop-of-war Warren from 1854 to 1856, the steam tug John Hancock in 1856, and the screw sloop Wyoming from 1862 to 1864, in which he cruised in the Far East protecting American merchant ships from pirates and Confederate raiders.
On July 16, 1863, in the Battle of Shimonoseki Straits, Wyoming boldly entered the Straits of Shimonoseki to engage shore batteries and three ships of Prince Mori, clan chieftain of the Chōshū. During an hour’s brisk action, McDougal sank two ships and heavily damaged another, then pounded enemy shore guns. On December 23, 1869, McDougal assumed command of the South Pacific Squadron.
He was placed on the retired list on September 27, 1871, and appointed rear admiral on August 24, 1873. He died at San Francisco, California, and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California.
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