William Penn McCann was born on May 4, 1830 in Paris, Kentucky. He was the son of James Harvey and Jane R. (Lowrey) McCann. From the latter's mother, Nancy Penn, he derived his middle name. The McCann family had come originally from near Wigtown in Scotland, where the name was spelled McKeand.
William graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in 1853. He entered the navy as a midshipman in 1848 and served on the Raritan both in the Gulf of Mexico and in the South Pacific. Then, after nine months of instruction at Annapolis, he went again to the Pacific for three years on the Independence.
McCann was promoted to passed midshipman, June 15, 1854, and to lieutenant, September 16, 1855. When the Civil War broke out, McCann, who had taken part in the Paraguay expedition on the Sabine, was at Vera Cruz on the same ship. He went in this vessel to the relief of Fort Pickens and to the Charleston blockade, where the Sabine rescued the crew of the Governor of the Port Royal expedition. He was made lieutenant commander, July 16, 1862, and during that year was on the York and James rivers in the thick of the Peninsular campaign as executive, and frequently as commander of the Maratanza. She fought at Malvern Hill and also captured the Teaser, on which were the Confederate plans for the defense of Richmond.
The next year McCann commanded the Hunchback in the attack on New Bern, N. C. , and Washington, N. C. In November 1863, he received command of the fast 5-gun propeller Kennebec and served thirteen months off Mobile. His assistance in the destruction of the Ivanhoe under the guns of Fort Morgan secured him the favorable notice of Farragut. In the battle of Mobile Bay the Kennebec was lashed to the Monongahela, and was at close quarters with the Tennessee, for the latter scraped across the Kennebec's bow, set her on fire with a shell, and otherwise severely punished her. After the Civil War McCann did duty at the Naval Academy, was promoted to commander, July 25, 1866, commanded the Tallapoosa, and held navy yard and inspection posts till he was made a captain, September 21, 1876, and was sent to command the Lackawanna in the North Pacific. On January 26, 1887, he attained the rank of commodore. He had charge of the naval forces in Chile in 1891 and secured the surrender of the Itata, a ship that attempted to bring arms from the United States to the insurgents. When the insurgents refused him the use of the American cable, McCann had it cut several miles off shore. He retired in 1892. His death occurred at his home in New Rochelle, N. Y. , and he was buried at Arlington.
Quotes from others about the person
Schley, who was on the Baltimore with him in Chile, refers to him as "much beloved for his sterling qualities of heart and head".
McCann was married in New York City, January 31, 1867, to Mary Elizabeth Vulte.
