One of John Downes' Sons Was a Naval Officer in the Civil War: John A. Downes

From Find-A-Grave.

JOHN A. DOWNES 

BIRTH:  25 August 1822, Massachusetts

DEATH:  21 September 1865 (aged 43), New Orleans, Louisiana.

BURIAL:  Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts

United States Navy officer, Civil War.  Entered naval service September 4, 1837.  Lieutenant in 1851 and commander in 1862.

Commnder of ironclad USS Nahant in attacks on Fort McAllister in March 3, 1863 and Fort Sumter on April 7,  1863, as well as assisting in the capture of the ironclad CSS Atlanta on June 10, 1863.

On July 1, 1965, he took command of the Gulf Squadron at New Orleans and was killed while in service.

--Brock-Perry