Cameron Winslow, Sr. was born on July 29, 1854, in Washington, D. C. , the son of Francis Winslow, Sr. and Mary Sophia Nelson, and a descendant of John Winslow, who was a brother of Edward Winslow. He was also a descendant of Edward Winslow.
After attending school in Roxbury, Massachusetts, his home after his father's death, he entered the United States Naval Academy on a presidential appointment, September 20, 1870, and was graduated, June 21, 1875.
His early service included duty in the Tennessee on the Asiatic and North Atlantic stations, in the coast survey, and in the Kearsarge of the European Squadron, 1885 - 1887. He was made full lieutenant in 1888, and after two years at the torpedo station at Newport, Rhode Island, he commanded the torpedo boat Cushing, 1890 - 1893.
During the Spanish-American War he was in the cruiser Nashville, and, May 11, 1898, commanded four ship's launches in a cable-cutting operation at Cienfuegos, Cuba. Sections were cut from two cables, despite a heavy rifle fire from the shore in which two men were killed and eleven wounded. Winslow, who received a wound in the hand, was commended by the executive officer of the Nashville for "excellent judgment and consummate coolness, " and was advanced five numbers. In an article which he wrote for the Century Magazine, March 1899, Winslow somewhat piously ascribed his remarkable success in this highly dangerous undertaking to "the protection which God gives to those who fight in a righteous cause".
He served in 1899 on Rear Admiral W. T. Sampson's staff in the cruiser New York, and in 1900 - 1901 in charge of the New York branch of the Hydrographic Office. He was then for a year flag lieutenant of Rear Admiral F. J. Higginson in the North Atlantic Squadron and in 1902 - 1905 at the Bureau of Navigation and an aide to President Roosevelt. During the Russo-Japanese peace negotiations of 1905 he commanded the yacht Mayflower when the president received the peace commissioners on board, August 5, at Oyster Bay, and was senior officer of the vessels which conveyed them thence to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
After commanding the Charleston in 1905 - 1907, and the battleship New Hampshire in 1908 - 1909, and serving as naval supervisor of New York harbor, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral, September 14, 1911, and in 1911 - 1913 he commanded successively the 2nd, 3rd, and 16t divisions of the Atlantic Fleet. Three months at the Naval War College, Newport, were followed by command of the Special Service Squadron, April - September 1914, during friction with Mexico. His flagship, the New York, was stationed with the main fleet at Vera Cruz.
After a year at the War College he commanded the Pacific Fleet from September 1915 to July 1916. Though then of age for retirement, he was retained in active duty during the World War period, and served from September 1917 to October 1919 as inspector of naval districts on the Atlantic coast.
After his final retirement he lived chiefly in Newport. His death occurred on January 2, 1932, in Boston, and his burial was in the Winslow family plot at Dunbarton Center, New Hampshire.
Cameron McRae Winslow, Sr. was a famous military, who served in the United States Navy in borth the Spanish – American War and World War I and held the rank of Admiral. Cameron Winslow, Sr. was also awarded the Military Order of Foreign Wars and the Naval Order of the United States. The ship Winslow (DD-359) was named in his honor. Admiral Winslow's full dress uniform is on display at the Artillery Company of Newport armory and museum in Newport, Rhode Island.
As indicated by his frequent selection for staff duty, Cameron Winslow, Sr. was of strong personality and outstanding ability, particularly in the field of navigation and ship handling.
On September 18, 1899, Cameron Winslow, Sr. married Theodora Havemeyer, they had three daughters and three sons.
