Dudley Saltonstall

Dudley Saltonstall
BornSeptember 8, 1738
New London, Connecticut
Died1796 (aged 5758)
West Indies
AllegianceUnited States
BranchContinental Navy
Years of service1775–1779
RankCommodore
CommandsUSS Alfred
USS Trumbull
USS Warren
Battles / wars
RelationsRichard Saltonstall, John Winthrop
Other workNaval officer, privateer, merchant and slave trader

Commodore Dudley Saltonstall (September 8, 1738 – 1796) was an American naval officer, privateer, merchant and slave trader who served in the American Revolutionary War. He is best known as the commander of the naval forces of the 1779 Penobscot Expedition, which ended in complete disaster, with all ships lost. Norton (2003) argues the Penobscot Expedition was a total failure due to poor planning, inadequate training, and timid leadership on the part of Saltonstall.