Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-11-29

Secretary of the Navy determined TO
have six schooners built and sent to New
Oeleans for the suppression of pirates
and smagglers about The island
Leaving, besides fine train oil artille-
ry, afull magazine Of powder, and plenty
Of cannon and grape-shot, he returned 10
Washington by land, andremained there
until the 18th OF Jane, 1914, 10 order to
settle some accounts. Thence he pro-
ceeded to New London and assumed the
command of the lriga,e United States,
which, with the friga,e Macedonian and
soop Hornet, continued 10 be closely
blockaded by the enemy, until the ter
mination of the war. When released,
she was ordered to Boston, to be fitted
out for the Mediterranean. In 1915.
Captain Shaw joined, in her, the Anerl-
can squadron at Malaga. The peace
signed with Aigiers caused the return OF
part of the squadron OF the United
States. The forces remaining, as well
as the Instructions of the government,
were then transferred to Captain Shaw
by his predecessor, Commodore Balm
bridge. In this charge he was earnestly
employed, until he was relieved, in 1916
by Commodore Chauncey; but the fri
gate United States remained on the sta
ton, under his command, as late as Mo-
vember, 1917. The Constellation be-
ing ordered home for repairs, and there
being no prospect OF any particular ac-
tive service iG the Mediterranean, he
returned in her, and anchored in Hamp
ton Roads on the Goth December, 1917.
He soon afterwards obtained permission
to visit his family in Philadelphia, from
which he had been absent, on duty, up
wards of four years .-Unhappily his
constitution was SO much impaired as to
require, for several months, the unre-
miued care of an eminent physician, and
to compel him TO spend IA months III
travelling for the recovery of bis health
In Novem5er, 1919, he took the com
mand ahoat Of the Boston station, and re-
tanned it until he was suspended from
duty, tor SIX months, in. April, 1922
This suspension was caused by an un-
fortunate controversy with Captain Hall,
the commandant Of the Navy-Yard a.
Charles,own, who preferred against him
before Court-M ariial, various charge
of contemptuous and hostile treatment
The Court adjudged that he was gully
of unofficer-like conduct" but no
guilty Of ungentleman-like conduct"
In fact, the conduct pronounced to be
unofiicer-hke, consisted only in mea
sures which he deemed of self-defence,
and necessary for the honor OF the navy
and the interests ofthe national treasury.
The record of his trial detracts nothing
from his character; and his appointment
10 the cons1-..d Of the naval station at
Charleston, soon alter the expiration of
the sentence OF suspension, proves t!tst
he ffered not at all in the estimation of
the government. But his career was
about to be closed by the hand of death.
In the beginning Of the summer of 1928
be had again to seek medica aid in Pnia-
delphia, and appeared to be recovering
under skiful treatment, when he was
seized with dysentary, which terminal
ed his exis,encein little more than week,
on the l7th Of September. He was fifty
years Of age at The time of his decease.
lie left widow and two children, the
cldcstof whom is married to Lieut. F. H.
Gregory, of the United States Navy.
The funeral of Commodore Shaw took
place in Philadelphia, from the house OF
his particular friend, Robert Kid, Esq.
in which he had been nurscd for scve-
vol Nh, 81 l., InD 4
attention. The colors of the shipping
in the harbor were lowered half-mast on
the occasion, and his remains we're in
tered with martial honors. The cor
poration ofthe city, number of officers
Of the navy, army, and militia, and a
large body OF citizens, attended to testi-
fly their respect for ais memory. The
pall-bearers were Captains Nicholson,
Is own, d ,'las, Read, Deacon, and Gen.
Cahwallader.
The foregoing simple detail Of the most
prominent incidents of the life of Com
modore Shaw, is sufficien, to produce a
Just impression of his services and value
as a naval commander to his adopted
country. H. was fearless, alert, and dis
for seamanship and profess
sional sagaeity. His letters, written
from NewOrleans, before the last war,
prove shat he foresaw the dangers to
which that great mart would be exposed, |
and indicated the means by which il
could be rendered secure. Generosity.
candor, probi,y were leading traits in his
disposition-his de neanor was ALWAYS
frank and manly. He acquired the es-
TEEN and affection Of all who knew him
we'll. His family and intimate friends