John Randolph Tucker (January 31, 1812 – June 12, 1883), an American naval officer who served in the navies of three nations. He was a commander in the United States Navy, captain in the Confederate States Navy, and rear admiral in the Peruvian Navy. As president of the Peruvian Hydrographic Commission of the Amazon, he contributed to the exploration and mapping of the upper Amazon Basin. Early life He was born in Alexandria, Virginia to merchant captain John Tucker, originally from Bermuda, and Susan Douglas, daughter of Dr. Charles Douglas, an English physician. United States Navy Tucker became a United States Navy Midshipman on June 1, 1826, at age fourteen, and had service afloat in the Mediterranean and Brazil Squadrons prior to his promotion to Lieutenant on December 20, 1837. During the Mexican–American War, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Gulf of Mexico, commanding USS Stromboli until illness forced him to return north. From 1849 until 1855, he was assigned to the Home Squadron (1849–1852) and Mediterranean Squadron (1852–1855) flagships. Tucker received his commission as Commander on September 14, 1855, when he became commanding officer of USS Pennsylvania. He later served as Ordnance Officer at the Norfolk Navy Yard. Confederate States Navy service Commander Tucker resigned from the U.S. Navy when Virginia seceded from the Union on April 18, 1861, becoming a Commander in the Virginia Navy and, in June, the Confederate States Navy. In 1861–62, he was the commanding officer of CSS Patrick Henry, armed with 10 guns and manned by 150 officers and sailors, participating with her in several combat actions, including supporting the ironclad in the Battle of Hampton Roads. In April 1862 he took command of the James River Squadron, which included the Patrick Henry and Virginia. During the Federal Navy's attack on the Drewry's Bluff fortifications in May 1862, he commanded one of the defending batteries in the Battle of Drewry's Bluff. In July 1862, Tucker was ordered to Charleston, South Carolina, where he took command of the ironclad CSS Chicora. The following January 31, he led his ship in a successful attack on Union warships off that port engaging several Federal ships, including the USS Keystone State, in a gun battle. He became commander of the Confederate warships at Charleston in March 1863, remaining in that post until the city fell in February 1865. During that time, he was promoted to Captain