Background
John G. Sproston was born in Maryland. He was the eldest son of George Saxon Sproston, a United States. naval surgeon, and Jane Glendy, a daughter of the Rev John Glendy, former Chaplain of the United States Senate.
John G. Sproston was born in Maryland. He was the eldest son of George Saxon Sproston, a United States. naval surgeon, and Jane Glendy, a daughter of the Rev John Glendy, former Chaplain of the United States Senate.
He was killed in action in a riverine action in Florida. He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1846. He subsequently served with the Pacific Squadron during the war with Mexico.
In 1854, Sproston voyaged to Japan with the Perry (Matthew Calbraith Perry) Expedition.
During the Civil War, he served as commanding officer of Powhatan and as executive officer of Seneca. On 1 November 1861, during the Battle of Portuguese Royal, Sproston personally fired many of the 11-inch guns on board Seneca as the crew was new and untrained.
Lieutenant Sproston was killed on 8 June 1862, while on a boat expedition to destroy a Confederate privateer in the Saint Johns River in Florida.
Both John Sproston and his father are buried in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. United States Ship Sproston (Doctor of Divinity-173) and United States Ship Sproston (Doctor of Divinity-577) were named for him.