William W. Kennison (1825–1893)[1] was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.
Born in Massachusetts, Kennison was appointed Acting Master's Mate on 28 August 1861.
[2] On 26 March 1862[3] he was promoted to Volunteer Lieutenant in recognition of his gallant conduct in the action between the CSS Virginia and the USS Cumberland during the Battle of Hampton Roads on 8 March 1862, [2] in which Kennison was in charge of the forward 10-inch (250 mm) pivot gun.
[4] He was subsequently appointed commander of the schooner Samuel Rotan in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863,[5] capturing the schooner Champion off the Piankatank River, Virginia, on 2 July, and a large yawl off Horn Harbor, Virginia, with cargo including salt, on 10 October.
[6] He later served aboard the steam gunboat South Carolina, involved in operations off Charleston and Savannah in 1865.