After commanding a schooner in the Mexican–American War, he was posted to the East India Squadron and took part in the Japan Expedition when the first treaty with the Japanese was signed by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853.

Throughout the American Civil War, Glisson served in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, intercepting illegal trade across the Potomac, and patrolling the mouth of the Rappahannock.

Although this rescue contravened the Fugitive Slave Act, it was authorised by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on humanitarian grounds.

After Glisson entered the U.S. Navy, his family moved back to Hamilton County on a farm located in Colerain Township around 1828.

[4]: 3 [5]: 56 Promoted to passed midshipman on June 4, 1832, Glisson was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron 1832–35 aboard the ship of the line USS Delaware.

Launching from Hampton Roads on July 30, 1833, the first port of call was New York Harbor to pick up Edward Livingston, minister plenipotentiary to France.

At the end of naval fighting in June 1847, Reefer and her sister ships settled down to blockade duty and maintained both water lines of supply and communication for the Army.

On April 23, 1861, he took charge of the borrowed USS Ice Boat, monitoring the Aquia Creek vicinity to intercept trade across the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland.

Next, Glisson received command of the steamer USS Mount Vernon to patrol the Atlantic coast in and off the Rappahannock River.

Welles responded July 22 "It is not the policy of the Government to invite or encourage this class of desertions, and yet, under the circumstances, no other course than that pursued by Commander Glisson could be adopted without violating every principle of humanity.

"[15]: 7–10 [16]: 7–8 Under the cover of night on December 31, 1861, Glisson approached an unmanned light-boat, which had previously been stationed as a beacon off of Frying Pan Shoals.

A detachment of volunteers from the crew set the light-boat afire and suffered no casualties despite heavy gunfire from the fort during their withdrawal.

[17]: 249–250 [18]: 175 The transport USS Mississippi, which was bound for the offensive to capture New Orleans with General Benjamin Butler's expedition of 1,500 men, was run up onto the Frying Pan Shoals the morning of February 26, 1862.

[14]: 80 [22]: 58–60 Arriving at Flushing, Netherlands with his wife, Glisson relieved his predecessor, Rear Admiral William Radford and hoisted his pennant above his flagship, the steam frigate USS Franklin.

The bride was the Princess Dona Maria Isabella Francoise de Bourbon, granddaughter of King Charles IV of Spain and exiled in Portugal.

Most of the 146 page book is devoted to Glisson's Civil War engagements via contemporary first-hand newspaper accounts written by A.F.

[28]: 384 A storm near Smithfield, Virginia, in 1884 caused the roof of the Old Brick Church to fall, collapsing a portion of the eastern wall also.