Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-15
Monument to the American Naval Hero,
MacDonough, Completed at Plattsburg

at Champlain in the war with Eng
land.
The story of MacDonough's adven-
! lures in the Mediterranean would fill
volumes. The young midshipman
was in his fighting years. There were
stories of boardings, adventures by
sea and land, hand-tO-hand contests
with Turkish pirates, in all of which
| the young American midshipman
conducted himself SO as to win the
approval of his superiors and the con-
| fidence of the sailors.
| During the progress of this minor
| but active war the Tripolitans had
captured the frigate Philadelphia and
| had placed her, carefully guarded, UNI
der the guns of their forts. 1t was
decided to board and burn her in tho
Tripolitan harbor. The conduct of
the daredevil task was assigned to
| Stephen Decatur, a man whose name
still thrills the heart of the American
sailor whenever it is mentioned.
| Marlborough and Decatur had be-
come warm friends despite disparity
| in rank and age. Marlborough sought
participation in the desperate adven-
| ture, and his presence was welcomed
| by the commander. In the little
| ketch Intrepid they entered the har
| Dor at night, moved up against the
armed vessel, and before the pirates
knew what was happening the yelling
Americans were over the side. There
| was fierce struggle. the pirates were
| killed or driven overheard and, a few
minutes later, the harbor was lighted
with the flames of the burning vessel
| The Intrepid was a fair mark as
| she sailed out of the harbor, but,
| fortunately. escaped. Marlborough
won new honors in this encounter,
| and before the war was over had
| obtained his commission. Later on
| the service became less attractive and
Marlborough obtained a leave of abb
sence, using it to command sailing
vessel in commerce. When war was
declared with England he promptly
offered his services and, after a brief
period at Portland, was assigned to
| the difficult task of maintaining
American ascendancy on Lake Cham
plain. He had proved himself a fight
er; he was now to demonstrate his
capacity for organization.
| Two gunboats, built in 1908. cOnStl
tuted the only naval force on the
lake. 1t was this armament which
| Lieut.. MacDonOugh, % years of age
found when he received President
Madsons order TO take command.
His commission was dated September
| II. 1872.
There followed a series of enter
prises on shore and on land. Master
Comdt Marlborough the had been pro-
moted), striving to maintain American
water ascendancy, met with constant
misfortunes. However, a true sailor,
he found time to fall in love and be
married, an event that took place on
December -, 1912. Miss Lucy Ann
Shaler of Middletown. Conn, became
the sailors bride and took up her
residence at Burlington. Vt. where
she shared the anxieties of those
grueling days.
In 1913 Marlborough lost two of his
ships, the fleet having been increased.
Under command of Lieut.. Sydney
Smith, the sloops Grower and Eagle,
III guns each, pursuing the British.
allowed themselves to be inveigled
Into the tortuous channel of the
Richelieu River, without the orders
and against the advice of MacDon-
ough, and were captured. They were
to make up part of the British fleet
in the final battle.
This regrettable incident did not dis
courage Marlborough. He merely re-
doubled his energies. He hauled
stores and supplies overland from New
York and Portland. He obtained
sailors wherever he could find them,
He saw to it that the building Of a
feet should be advanced in every way
possible. The British were equally
busy, and when they ventured to at
tack him they were superior to Mac
Donough In material strength, but not
) in spirit ~0csi1- gepiuS~