▁Philipp ine – American ▁War , ▁and ▁was ▁briefly ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁A si atic ▁Fle et . ▁He ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁as ▁a ▁rear ▁adm iral . ▁ ▁Naval ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁ ▁Fol ger ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Mass illon , ▁Ohio , ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁May ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Robert ▁H . ▁Fol ger , ▁grand son ▁of ▁the ▁f amed ▁wh aling ▁captain ▁May hew ▁Fol ger , ▁and ▁desc endant ▁of ▁Peter ▁F oul ger ▁and ▁Mary ▁Mor r ill ▁F oul ger . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁mid ship man ▁from ▁Ohio ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁He ▁entered ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy , ▁which ▁moved ▁from ▁Ann apolis , ▁Maryland , ▁to ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁for ▁the ▁duration ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁He ▁graduated ▁early ▁from ▁the ▁Academy , ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁pressing ▁need ▁for ▁officers ▁in ▁the ▁greatly ▁expanded ▁w art ime ▁U . S . ▁Navy , ▁and ▁reported ▁for ▁duty ▁on ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁receiving ▁ship ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Navy ▁Y ard