Ascribing these successive and painful losses to the unhealthy climate, which was considered peculiarly unfavorable to children, he was induced to send his only surviving son to New York, with a view to the preservation of his health, and to afford him an opportunity of acquiring an education. In the year 1790, Johnston was sent to that city and confided to the care of Mr. Hoope, a respectable merchant and very old friend of his father. After attentively pursuing his studies in New York, for five years, he returned to Wilmington, in order to complete his education at the university of Chapel Hill, in that state. Before Johnston had been one year in this institution he had the misfortune to lose his father, and was now without a single relative in this country, to whom he could look for advice, or protection, or assistance, which made it necessary for him to choose a guardian. In this choice, he was singularly fortunate in the selection of Mr. Jones, an eminent lawyer of Wilmington, who most tenderly and generously supplied the place of a father.
With occasional intermissions, he remained at college till the year 1799, when by some misfortune, he was deprived of the support derived from his father, and compelled to relinquish his studies at the university, as well as his intention of practising the law.
Having long had a predilection for a naval life, which, however, he had from his affection to his only parent, and with a self-denial worthy of imitation, concealed from him, he solicited, and through the friendly exertions of Mr. Jones, obtained a midshipman’s warrant, in the year 1800. Mr. Jones, in the interim, being anxious that his young ward should fulfil the wishes of his deceased parent, kindly offered to receive him as a member of his family, and afford him every facility in his power to complete his legal studies. Johnston, unwilling to accumulate obligations he might never be able to repay, and stimulated by a clear perception of the line of life he believed nature had marked out for him, declined this generous offer.
In every subsequent situation, he retained and demonstrated the most grateful recollection of the friendship of Mr. Jones, and to the end of his life acknowledged him as his benefactor.
The gentleman who kindly furnished materials for this biography writes thus: “As anything which illustrates the character of so much departed worth, especially when the qualities of the heart are so well calculated to excite our admiration, cannot but be interesting, I have furnished a few extracts from the letters of Captain Blakeley, written to me at various periods. Having been deprived of his father at an age when the desire of knowing something of his family was beginning to be felt, it was not in his power to gratify his inquiries on that subject in a satisfactory manner, until May, 1811, when I had the pleasure of opening a correspondence with him.” In his first letter, dated on board the United States brig Enterprise, May 9th, 1811, he manifested his anxiety to obtain the wished for information, relative to his connections, in the following manner.
“It would afford me great satisfaction to hear from you all the information you possess respecting my relations.
“This trouble your goodness will excuse, when I inform you, that for fourteen years I have not beheld one being to whom I was bound by any tie of consanguinity.”
In another letter, written soon after, he observes—
“The affection manifested by —— is truly grateful to my heart. Indeed, I begin already to feel for her a filial regard, and the more so, as it was my lot to lose my mother before I was sensible of a mother’s tenderness.”
In reply to a letter, in which the solicitude for his professional reputation was cordially expressed by the lady alluded to, he remarks—“Should I be fortunate enough to acquire any fame, my good old friend will make me debtor for more than half. With her prayers for my success can I doubt it? I hope the last Blakeley who exists, will lay down his life ere he tarnish the reputation of those who have gone before him. My blessed father’s memory is very dear to me, and I trust his son will never cast a reproach on it.” In another, he observes, “It is true, that in the war in which we are engaged, we have to contend under great disadvantages, but this should stimulate to greater exertions, and we have already seen that our enemy is not invincible.” In a letter, dated on board the Enterprise, the 29th of April, 1813, he observes—“Independent of personal feeling, I rejoice at the good fortune of the navy, believing it to be that description of force best adapted to the defence of this country. I confess the success of our sailors has been much greater than I had any reason to expect, taking into view the many difficulties they had to encounter. The charm which once seemed to have encircled the British navy, and rendered its very name formidable, appears to be fast dispelling.”