CAPTAIN THOMAS MACDONOUGH.
For the biography and exploits of this brave officer, we are indebted to that valuable work entitled “The Portrait Gallery.”
“Thomas Macdonough was born in the county of Newcastle, in the state of Delaware, in December, 1783. His father was a physician, but inspired with a love of liberty, he entered the army of the revolution as a major; he did not, however, remain long in the service, but returned to private life and his professional pursuits, until the close of the war, when he was made a judge; in which office he remained until his death, which happened in 1795. He left three sons. His eldest son, James, was a midshipman with Commodore Truxton when he took the Insurgent.
“In that battle he was so severely wounded, that his leg was obliged to be amputated. He soon afterwards left the navy with the reputation of a brave officer. In 1798, the subject of this memoir obtained a warrant as a midshipman, and commenced his career as a naval officer.
“Those who were acquainted with his early life, spoke of Midshipman Macdonough as a young officer of great promise; but he had no opportunity of being made known to the public until the country had the misfortune to lose the frigate Philadelphia. When the gallant Decatur proposed to burn her, as she lay in possession of the enemy, he selected Macdonough as one of the young officers to accompany him on that hazardous expedition; and he reaped an early harvest of honor in that daring exploit, with his leader and others. The Mediterranean has been the birth-place of more naval reputations than all the waters of the world beside, and it was there, too, that our infant navy displayed some of those acts of valor and good conduct which were of importance in themselves, and were hailed as presages of future glory for our country. When Macdonough was first lieutenant of the Syren, under command of Captain Smith, a circumstance occurred in the harbor of Gibraltar sufficiently indicative of the firmness and decision of his character. An American merchant brig came to anchor near the United States vessel. Macdonough, in the absence of Captain Smith, who had gone on shore, saw a boat from a British frigate board the brig, and take from her a man. He instantly manned and armed his gig and pursued the British boat, which he overtook, just as it reached the frigate, and without ceremony took the impressed man into his own boat. The frigate’s boat was twice the force of his own; but the act was so bold as to astound the lieutenant who commanded the press-gang, and no resistance was offered.
When the affair was made known to the British captain he came on board the Syren in a great rage, and inquired how he dared to take a man from his boat. Macdonough replied that the man was an American seaman, and was under the protection of the flag of the United States, and that it was his duty to protect him. The captain, with a volley of oaths, swore he would bring his frigate along side the Syren and sink her. ‘This you may do,’ said Macdonough, ‘but while she swims the man you will not have.’ The English captain told Macdonough that he was a young hairbrained fellow, and would repent of his rashness. ‘Supposing sir,’ said he, ‘I had been in that boat, would you have dared to have committed such an act?’ ‘I should have made the attempt, sir, at all hazards,’ was the reply. ‘What, sir!’ said the English captain, ‘would you venture to interfere if I were to impress men from that brig?’ ‘You have only to try it, sir!’ was the pithy answer. The English officer returned to his ship, manned his boat, and made his way towards the brig. Macdonough did the same, but there the affair ended,—the English boat took a circuitous route and returned to the ship.
“There was such a calmness in the conduct of Lieutenant Macdonough, such a solemnity in his language, such a politeness in his manner, that the British officer saw that he had to deal with no ordinary man, and that it was not prudent to put him on his metal. In that garden of the world, the shores of the Mediterranean, where nations have grown up and decayed, and others have taken their places; where everything is marked with age, luxury, crime, and temptation, and where many a fine young officer has made shipwreck of his morals and his health, Macdonough exhibited the Spartan firmness with the Christian virtues. His bravery was never for one moment doubted, but he was so reserved, temperate, and circumspect, that the envious sometimes strove to bring him to their level, and often were snares set for him, but he was never caught. His character was fair and bright as the surface of a mirror, before it was brought to reflect any ray of glory upon himself and his country.
“There is generally a good share of sagacity in the common sailor; he sees through a character much clearer than we generally suppose. Before Macdonough had been promoted to a lieutenancy, he had the heart of every sailor who knew him. There are few so ignorant that they cannot distinguish moral worth, when connected with professional ability, and none so bad as not to approve of it. It has often been stated, and never questioned, that while in Syracuse, he was one night attacked by three assassins, with daggers.
“He drew his sword, and wounded two of them so severely as to fear nothing further from them; the other fled, but he pursued him to the roof of a building, and climbing it after the assassin, would have caught him, if he had not thrown himself from it with the loss of his life. At the declaration of war with England, in 1812, our navy was put into requisition, and every officer panted for distinction. The elder officers were mostly sent on the ocean; some of the high spirited juniors to the lakes. Among the latter, Lieutenant Macdonough was ordered to Lake Champlain, an important station; for through this lake a communication could most readily be had with the most powerful part of the Canadas.