The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-16

liant defense, and if his metal had been
heavier it might have been Barre
aut's Victory" instead of "Truxton's
Victory"
TruXtOn's TrouIe with Paul Jones.
Thomas Truxtun was born in New
York in 1860, but losing his father
early, he was taken to Jamaica by a
relative and brought up. He had but
little chance Of a school education, and
Went 10 sea early. He was but 20
years old when the Revolution broke
out, and was then in command of a
merchant vessel. Unfortunately it
cannot be recounted that Truxtun
entered the American navy then. In
stead he chose serving in a privateer.
But it must be remembered that the
whole naval force of the colonies was
very feeble, and SO slight was the
expectation that it could prevail
against the mighty fleets of England,
that only a few small ships were pro-
there was no more foom for would-be
officers. TruXtun, however, did ex-
ceIlent service in privateers, usually
not very honorable ships in them
selves, as they prey only On the COM
merce OF an enemy; yet in the Revolu-
tlon many privateerS boldly engaged
with armed ships. Naturally the
naval men held privateers in contempt.
and a letter of the great Paul Jones
IS extant which shows Chat he and
young Captain TruXtun a a sharp
quarrel over the rights of privateers.
Congress had passed an act forbidding
q privateer to hoist a pennant in the
presence of a naval ship, without first
getting the consent of the naval ships
commander. Truxtun, an impetuous
young man of %, in command of the
snip independence from philadelphia,
arrived at LhOrient in France in 1880.
AT the same time the Ariel, under
command OF Paul Jones. was lying in
the port. What followed Paul Jones
himself describes in a letter addressed
10 MIR. Thomas TruXtun, master. of
the ship Independence"
You passed, some time ago, with the
merchant ship called the Independence
belonging to, Philadelphia, close under
the stern of the continental ship Ariel
under my command in the Road of
Groix; and you then showed no mark
of respect to the continental flag of
commission, but went on with a Ions
Pendant flying, n without lowering
II sail or color, or crew showing any
mark of politeness. In the port of
LOrient you were not satisfied with a
long Pendant, but you hoisted a kind
OF broad one; and until yesterday you
have worn it at your moorings in pres
ence of the Continental ship Ariel.
Thls was flying III the face of a posi-
tive resolution of Congress. When your
vessel was yesterday under sail, she
was steered in my presence very near
the Ariel in passing down to Port
Louis. / then sent a boat with an
officer to request yourself or your
representative to take down the PEN
dant. The officer returned and reported
to me tina my boats crew a been
menaced by your people and that your
mate said he had your orders to treat
with contempt and disobey any order
or request to haul down the Pendant.
When l found this, / sent Lieutenant
Dale back with two boats armed, and
with another polite message, and such
orders as l will answer for having
given. The Pendant was then hauled
down as he approached. I cannot an
your letter of this date more par
ticularly, a there are in it several
words that L do not understand and
find in the dictionary. 1 shall
receive no more letters from you on
the subject. 1t is not me you have Of
o have offended the United
States of America. I am, sir, your most
servant,
J. PAUL JONES.
By this it will be seen that Truxtun
was and always remained a better
fighter thar writer. His after achieve
make it a source of keen regret
such a man should have been en-
gagged in such a ealing as privateering,
when he might have assisted his coun-
much better on a regular ship of
war, like Paul Jones and Richard
Dale.
TruxtOn's FamOu FFigate.
Truxtul had an adventurous time of
1t during the revolution, and made a
name for himself as q man of enter
prise and a splendid seaman. He re-
in the merchant service after
he war was over; but when the Uni
ted States began to create a nav in
l794, Truxtun was given a captains
commission. Trouble had been brew
with France for some time, and in
1897 the government determined to
build several fine frigates in case of
war, and this yea saw the launching
IF the two noble ships, the Constitution
md the Constellation, which were
both destined to win immortal fame.
Truxtun was appointed to command
The Constellation, and also to super
intend the building. She was laid
at Baltimore in the summer of
1877, and few ships ever took the wa
ter more quickly than the glorious
Constellation. She had a very re-
markable launch, on the 9TH of Sep
1897. Nearly all her gun and
stores were IN board, nj eve days
after she kissed the water she was