In short with a tremendous responsibility thrust suddenly upon them, these two young men did so well, each in his own circumstances, that their actions have ever since been held up for the admiration as well as instruction of the officers that have come after them.
The Battles of Lake Erie and Champlain were fought when the nation’s navy was young and ambitious, but let not even the most optimistic patriot abate one jot of his confidence in the men who now stand erect and uncover their heads whenever they see the old flag hoisted to the peak. For in every class that graduates at Annapolis there are Macdonoughs and Perrys and Hulls and Bainbridges and Porters and Nicholas Biddles and John Paul Joneses.
One history of the War of 1812 says that Macdonough hoisted, just as the British squadron appeared, a signal reading, “Impressed seamen call on every man to do his duty.” Whether this was done or not, the adventure of Macdonough in protecting an American seaman from impressment at Gibraltar, in 1806, must be told to show still further the character of the man.
Macdonough was first lieutenant (though but twenty years old) of the Yankee brig Siren. One day while the Siren’s captain was on shore, a Yankee merchantman came into the port and anchored near the Siren. Scarcely was her anchor down when a boat put off from a British frigate near by, went directly to the Yankee merchantman, and in a few minutes pulled away again, having one more man in it than when it left the frigate. Macdonough noted this fact, and sent Lieutenant Page to the merchantman to see what had happened. Page returned with the information that the British had impressed one of the crew of the Yankee merchantman.
On hearing that Macdonough instantly ordered the Siren’s gig away, manned with armed men, and getting into it himself, he pulled after the frigate’s boat, overtook it right alongside the frigate, and although the frigate’s boat had eight oars to Macdonough’s four, he took out of it by force the impressed seaman and carried him to the Siren.
A little later the captain of the frigate came on board the Siren in a great rage. He had plainly tried to impress the Yankee, not because one man would be of any consequence as an addition to his crew, but to show his contempt for the little Yankee war-ship, and to be baulked so was a terrible affront. He wanted to know how Macdonough “dared to take a man from one of His Majesty’s boats.” Macdonough, in no way flustrated, invited the captain into the Siren’s cabin: The Captain refused to go and “with abundance of threats” repeated his question. He was determined, he said, that he would haul his frigate alongside the Siren and take the man by force. To this Macdonough replied:
“I suppose your ship can sink the Siren, but as long as she can swim I shall keep the man.”
“You are a very young man and a very indiscreet young man,” said the bully. “Suppose I had been in the boat—what would you have done?”
“I would have taken the man or lost my life,” replied Macdonough.
“What, sir! Would you attempt to stop me if I were now to try to impress men from that brig?” thundered the captain.