Born in Upper Chichester Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Crosby is a descendant of John Morton, signer of the U.S.

He reached the rank of Lieutenant in September 1853 after a decade and a half in ships of the Home and Mediterranean Squadrons, plus coast survey duty.

In Pinola, assisted by Itasca, he broke the chain barrier across the Mississippi to make possible the passage upriver of Flag Officer David Farragut's squadron, and the capture of New Orleans.

He finished the war in the Gulf, commanding the gunboat Metacomet, and took part in clearing mines from Mobile Bay.

Admiral Peirce Crosby died at Washington, D.C., on June 15, 1899, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.