Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-12-13
From The .Nt.c York COmmeycial.4dre,tissr.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF COMMODORE
MACDONOU.iH
captain Thomas Macdunough was the son of an
eminent physician OF the same name, who resided
III the county Of New Castle, in the State of DcIn-
ware. lie was appointed major in the revolution
airy army III lfT5 but retired early from the service
After the peace he held several responsible Offices
and died in 1896. He had several childlen, among
whom three The eldest, James, was
midshipmau unde Commodore Truxun, when he
took the lnsurgent, in whcn action he was so Sc
verely wounded be Obliged have a leg am
putated, and leave the service. After the death of
his father, the lamentPn subject of this article ob
tanned midshipmau warrant, aud commenced his
career with many other gallant young men, all
IDENTITY desiring opportunity To Distinguish them
selves. He accompanied our little feet to the Me
diterrancan, and was frequently engaged in the
ics which tested the relative prowess Of Christians
and Mahometans in Il rripoiian war. Though at
this time grave, reserved, and CircumspPct in
markabe deg,cs, we told 10y the Anaetic Ma
gazine) he then remarkable for daring impe-
tuOSity, iuvmcibie chivaIrous sort of perseyc-
rance in every sort Of adventure.
! In 1906 he first Lieutenant tho Siren, then
lying in the mouth of Gibraltar under the late Cant
John Smith. While here, young Macdonough sig
naliZed himself in the absence of the Captain vino
was shore, by ressuing American seaman
| who was impressed from OF merchantmen,
| lying near tire Siren Marlborough, hearing the fact,
ordered his gig to be manned aud armed, pursued
the boat of the press gang, and rescued the
when alongside of the British rigate. Tie captain
OF the frgale went on board the Siren, in a great
! rage, to demand how he dared to take man from
one Of his majesty ; boats? And he even threatened
TO haul the lrgate alongside of the Siren, and re-
take the manb by force. To this Macdonovgh replied
che supposed his ship could sink the Siren, hut a.
| long as she could swim, ne would keep the man.
The Baton IN great passion, aud after lea
lug the Siren, made demonstration though he
would board the American merchantmen, aud Sc izC
the seaman; but the prompt preparations Of Macdo-
uough induced him to reliuquish the object.
] In the interval between the Tripolit4n war anC
the late war with Great Britain. which commenced
IN 1872 there were no opportunities for our M va
commanders to signalize themselves and the lie o.
Marlborough, like those OF his companions in arms
furnished no incident of sufficient public importance
to be interesting to the reader. 1t was during
these years of repose, that he settled in Middle
town, Connecticut, formed an acquaintance with
! Miss ShagT and married her Soon afer the de.
claratiou Of the war Of 1919, however. a small nava
force was created Oh Lake Champlain, for the pur
pose ofaitordng protection to our frontier and fac
Iitating our military operations in that quarter. Tn,
British also placed naval force upon the lake
both nations continued augment their forces from
year to year, until 1914, when each bad four vessels
of war; the Americans had ten ga!lies. mourning K
guns in all, aud the British thirteen gallies mount
ing 8 guns. The largest American ship, the Saratp
~, mounted % guns. The ConGauce, the larsrs
English ship, mounted IS guns. The total nUpbe
OF American guns was I6 the total number Of Br
tsi, %. The American squadron carried two thou
sand aud twenty three pounds weight Of metal. an,
eight hundred and twenty met; that ofthc British
nineteen hundred and ffty weight Of metal. aud on
Thousand and fifty men. Lieutenant Macdonougl
commanded the American squadron, and Captlil
Dowuic, the British.
This was the dai kesi period of that memorable
contest. Perry it is true, had been gorousy victo
riou5 upon Erie, aud Cbluncey kept the powerful
naval force ofthc enemy upon Lake Ontario, at bay
But 10 other respects, our plans along the whole
Cauasiau frou'iar- czccpfiug at the single point o
Niagara, bad failed. Buffalo anil Washington wer
in ruins tho storm Of war howled along our sea
} coast New YORK was threatened by powerful fleet
= and Wcllinsions Tnviucbles were preparing for
descent upon New-Orleans. Such sthe momer
! seized upon by Six George Preyost, at the head