P R E F A C F

D UR I N G th e latter part of th e life-ti m e of th e late Commodore

J acob J n es h e e en ex esse es e his bod o , fr qu tly pr d a d ir that y might

fi nall e se en e th e s h i s n e S e w s e h e y r po b ath oil of ativ tat , for hich tat

w s n h i s e en ee n es e th e s n es re had al ay , duri g v tful car r , ma if t d tro g t

n gard and d eep est attachm e t .

W en e e e th e n e en e hi s e een e e e h , th r for , i t llig c of d ath had b r c iv d

i n th e \V i 1mi n ton th e z en s e e e e n e city of g , citi imm diat ly d t rmi d to

adopt such m easures as wou ld enabl e th e m to comply w ith hi s often e x es se w s an d w would th e s e e es en e w pr d i h , hich at am tim pr t th m ith a n opportu n ity to exhibit that r esp ect a n d gratitud e for him which

a long life of brillian t a nd m eritorious servic es i n th e d efen se of hi s

c n so e nen en e . I n s n e s i n ou try , had mi tly titl d him pur ua c of thi

e n n n was e L e . J P . G ss U . S . t tio , applicatio mad through i ut illi ,

N th e th e e ea se e th e e ns avy , to family of d c d , to p rmit mortal r mai of

th e illu s trious Commodo r e to b e r emoved to th e S tate of D elaware th e \V i lmi ngto n a n d B ran dy wi ne Cemetery Company havi n g v ol

u n tari ly an d gen erou sly offered a lot i n th eir c e m etery grou n d s

for th e fin al r esti ng plac e of th e r emai ns of thi s di sti ngui sh ed

office r.

T h e n e es e i n th e e n family havi g r adily acqui c d r moval , accordi gly

2 th O e 1 850 th e as sad a n d s e n o e o n th e 6 day of ctob r , , l t ol m c r mo

e a e a n d n s n i es wer e perform d with ppropriat civic military ho or .

A s a co n nected biography of th e late Commodore J acob J o nes

een s e n or et hi s e s 'n own h as n ot b publi h d , y much of privat hi tory

n h i s e s n a nd en s t he H on . J n M . exc ept a mo g p r o al particular fri d , oh 3 4

n Wh o n se es e s een hi s w an d d e Clayto , for a lo g ri of y ar had b arm

e en an d e s e n s u th ers was w vot d fri d , , p rhap mor tha mo t , familiar ith hi s e an d e was e es e e e i n th e privat public lif , r qu t d to d liv r city of

W n n e on th e e e an d se es ilmi gto a ulogium lif , charact r , public rvic of

Commodore J acob J ones .

M r . n e e s e es an d on th e 1 7th Clayto promptly acc d d to thi r qu t ,

De e e 1 850 i n th e s n th e Odd F e ws H al' day of c mb r , , aloo of llo

e e sse e th e zens Del w e on n e b for a large a mblag of citi of a ar , pr ou c d ” i n the ess n n e h e w n es addr co tai d t foll o i g pag . C OM MODOR E JA C OB JOH E S .

C ON S C I OUS as I am of my inability to do full j ustice to J acob w h o h as refle c te d the memory of Commodore Jones ,

n a f so much ho or upon his country , yet I h ve not elt at liberty to decline the dutyas signed to me by those w h o have had the superintendence of the sad rites connected with the interment of his remains in the bosom of his ’ be i m native State . 1 have felt th at duty to the more

erati ve e I a. p upon me , becaus had the honor of long had personal acquaintan ce with the deceased , which ripened into a friendship that terminated only with his life . The memory of the virtues of that gallant officer is engraved deeply on the hearts of those who enjoyed th e of pleasure of knowing him . But much of the history

' hi s earl l y ife is lost, or only to be restored by the remi n i scen ces w m a of of ancient men , who ere the co p nions

m n his youth , very few of who still survive to recou t the H e was w incidents of that period . born near the to n of i n K Smyrna , the county of ent , in Delaware , i n the o f 1 76 8 e of h i s month March , ; so that at the tim death ,

3d o f t w as on Saturday , the August las , he in the eighty third year of his age . Those who associated with him

f n i n a in the bloom of manhood , have o te my he ring delighted to eulogize his character and relate events co n 5 6

n w ected with his early history . His father as an inde pendent farmer of exemplary moral and religious

an d character , his mother was of a family greatly

d a respecte . She died while he was an infant , his f ther w of soon follo ed her to the grave , an d at four years age a he was an orphan . But he received a liberal and cl ssi an d cal education in his youth , afterwards studied medi cine for four years under the direction of Dr . J ames and Sykes , of Dover , whose fame as a physician surgeon w H e as widely spread throughout the country . closed h is professional studies in th e University of P en n syl

as vania , and returning to Delaware practiced a phy

i i hi m H e s c an i n the county which gave birth . was there distinguished an d beloved for the benevolence ,

n i ntegrity and frankness of his character , and he e j oyed corffiden ee first of the entire , not only of the citizens , but

i n . H e w as the highest authorities this , his native State appointed b y Governor J oshu a Clayton Clerk of the old H Supreme Court of Delaware . e married the daughter of the distinguished gentleman under whose direction

e he commenced the study of his prof ssion , an d continued his residence in Kent until the death of that l adv to w n hom he was most devotedly attached . I the thirty t l 's v i t year of his age , he relinquished the pursuits of ci il a n d f N of professional li e, and entered the avy the United

was s States , of which he de tined to become one of the b rightest ornaments .

A t for that period , there was indeed strong inducement t s pirit as daring and patriotic as that of Jon es to abandon t he t ra n u i li tv o f a an d a q priv te life , gather l urels in the s e rvice o f his country ' and the ocean see med to present t he most approli r i ate theatre for one whose bosom glowed w o f f a was ith the love me , and whose character marked e by a contempt of danger . The aggressions of Franc and England o n the commercial marine of this coun tr y f h ad swept. n early ev e ryAmerican merchant ship rom the seas . of 1 800 It is said that prior to the Convention , France alone , under various pretexts , had captured and destroyed about t wo thousand American vessels . The sea swarmed with letters of marque under the tricolored flag of the n e w R epublic , empowered by the French Government , i n d efia n ce 1 7 7 8 of the treaties of , to seize every neutral ’ r ole d e u i a e vessel which could be foun d without a g p g , o r containing the most trivial article to J us ti fy a s uspi cion that a n y part of her cargo w as designed for a Brit A t ish market . the same time , the aggressions upon our

u commerce committed by Great Britain , for the p rpose Of crippli n g France by stopping the supplies of food from this country , were scarcely less atrocious . Our national flag was every where dishonored by these powerful belligerents , who , while engaged in a war of the fierces t and most vindicti ve character against each

o f other , seemed to concur onl y in the single purpose w i m plundering our com merce . Our country as pov eri sh ed a was , the national tre sury exhausted and the Government could rely no longer for its repletion upon import duties , the most available means of supply de i n s g ate d by the Constitution . But amidst all this dis

’ S e fiectu all tress , the pirit of the n ation had been y

first d. roused , and the Government looke to the chief aggressor for redress . Negotiations had failed . French promises had resulted only in fresher and more aggra v ated spoliations upon our commerce , and measures of

as . retaliation were directed by Congress , well to prev ent further aggressions as to compel France to make com 8

en sati n w e h ad ff p o for the inj uries su ered . The condi

w as s tion of public affairs indeed strange an d anomalou . It was not acknowledged to be a state of w ar by either Yet - party . our dock yards resounded with the ham mers of wor'men equipping men - of- war for battle against French cruisers ; an d the ocean blazed with naval co n fli cts between the ships of the two contending

R epublics . A t that period man y patriotic bosoms bur n ed with de sire to aven ge the wrongs of our country ; a n d Truxton shed n e w an d unfadi n g lustre on the glory of th e

A a merican name . Can we f il at this day to pay the j ust tribute of our gratitude to th e memory of the

n brave , who , while the ation was yet in its infancy , sprang forwar d to defend it against one of the most f power ul nations of Europe . Our Navy , upon which ’ we ar m now depen d as the right of the nation s defense ,

five then consisted of but frigates , nineteen sloops of

fe w r war , and a ships of an infe ior class ; and a contest w ith the well - equipped frigates an d heavy ships of the

a line of the ggressor , seemed to promise little besides disaster and defeat .

- Fifty one years have rolled away since the country , prostrate and bleeding under the blo ws of the great

re belligerents of Europe , appealed to her children for

Yet n t an d an fo . o c dress she has forgotten , never rget ,

e . w as those who obey d her call It then that Jones , who enj oy e d th e friendship and glori e d i n the fame o f T r n x

' f s a of a f ton , or ook the p ths priv te li e , abandoned all the

s a n d a n d e en pur uits studies scen s , which had become d e a red to him by th e recollections of youth and ea rly

d a e o f a manhoo ; and , though past the g thirty , ccepted ’ I m i ds h i ma i i s a p warr nt , that he might do battle for his 9

fir a ffi r inj ured country . His s t commission as a nav l o ce

on 1 0 th A 1 7 99 . i n telli bears date the day of pril , The

- nn gence of the capture of the French forty g frigate , ’ Z I n su r en te o g , by Truxt n in the Constellation , an Ameri can - frigate of thirty eight , had j ust reached our shores , h an d within t irty days after that victory , which revived the drooping spirits of our countrymen and incited the

a an d n a J was gall n t daring to the rescue , the me of ones f enrolled on the list of the defen ders o his country .

s he It has often been remarked of Jacob Jone , that always enj oyed in an eminent degree the con fide n ce and

er B be esteem of his brother offi c s . y their aid he soon came distinguished in his new profession ; an d it w as

' of refl ecti on ever a subj ect pleasant with him , that he d won by his goo conduct the approval , support and frien dship of the vetera n s in the American Navy . Bearing the character of one of the bra vest of the

an d brave , the insolent the arrogant were awed into

e w . a decency in ev ry association ith him The h ughty , who might have desired to trample on one so mild and ff uno ending in his deportment , avoided unnecessary con fl i cts with a man universally known to be as lion - hearted as n he was gentle in his ma ners . His course in early life had eminently fitted him for hard service ; for h e

to field had been addicted from youth the sports of the ,

e excelled in manly exercises , an d had ever been t mpe rate and abstemious in his habits . His old and intimate companions , when he entered the service , it is said , pre

h e bee n dicted that , who had always foremost in the fox chase , would soon become the best sailor on the deck ; and c on fiden tly foretold his rapid rise in a profession which called into exercise th e peculiar qualities which

e distinguished him . The reputation which he sp edil y gained i n his n ew profession seemed to vi n dicate their

. Ou 22d F 1 80 1 sagacity the of ebruary , , he rose to On 20 th 1 8 1 0 the rank of Lieutenant . the of April , , he was made a Master Commandant ; and on the 3d of 1 81 8 March , , he was again promoted and rated as a

- Post Captain in the Navy of the United States . H e ne ver sought to avoid the discharge of any duty H e merely because it was unpleasant or laborious . loved his n e w profession because it enabled hi m most

ff ‘ e ectually to serve his country . His life , during the 1 81 5 stormy struggle which ended with the peace of , an d for a long period after that , was one of continued r ha dshi p ; for he actually served at sea , at various

i twen t - tw o periods after he entered the n avy , y years and h and nine months . His last cruise of t ree years and two months in the P aci fic terminated in the m onth of 1 829 - October , , when he was in the sixty second year of his age . H e w as a fterwards honored with the most important N Y commands in the service on shore , at the avy ards at Y N Baltimore and New ork , and the aval Asylum near H fift Philadelphia . e remained in the Navy nearly y t wo officers years , and he was regarded by his brother , to whom the kindness of his nature prompted hi m to offer every instruction , when applied to , which could d d inure to their goo , or the goo of the service , as pos s s w h s e sing a fund of experience , skill an d kno ledge of i profession unsurpassed by any of the nautical men whom our country has produced .

H e firs t made his cruise under Commodore Barry , then regarded as the father of our Navy , served i n the

i n f frigate United States , in the Ganges , and the rigate

e a w s Philad l phi , in hich la t he was captured before Tri 1 1

H ’ poli . e endured twenty months severe captivity

n f among the barbarous Tripolita s , but his power ul con s ti tu ti n o remained unimpaired . After the Tripolitan

war , he served on the Orleans Station , and commanded

was the brig Argus , which ordered to protect our south r ern ma itime frontier . In every station he conducted

himself to the satisfaction of his Government . To those who are unacquainted with the private Virtues and peculiar characteristics of the lamented

f r dead , th e topic of chie interest in his histo y is the ” h m an - of' r ol i c glorious action wit the British war F ,

1 8th 1 81 2 . on the day of October , The Victory of

Jones was the more splendid , as th e British ship was

e n superior in force to his own . In our other naval

a men ts we g ge with British ships during the war, were th e s a met , according to British account gener ll y , by

vessels of inferior power . The salve for the pride of our haughty foe in every defeat was to be found in the

ff i n etal of di erence of , the number of men , or of width

beam , or of the condition of the ships , or of some acci

dental circumstance , without which , it was always con n t te ded , Vic ory would have followed , as its necessary ” fl a . destiny , the meteor g of England B ut it has generally been acknowledged that the

F roli c to . was superior in force the Wasp She was ,

- in fact, superior by four twelve pounders ; and though

i n company with four other British armed vessels , e und r her convoy , mounting from twelve to eighteen

guns , when the Wasp bore down upon her, Captain

Wh i n ates n e y , her commander , ma if sted no wish to avoid the combat or to avail himself of the assistance of any others ; but desiring to enj oy the exclusive honor of

capturing the American ship , h e directed the other u he vessels nder his control to pass ahead , while alone prepared for action . The con fiden ce thus evinced by the

o wn British commander i n his superiority , is a circum stance not to be overlooked i n r ating the relative strength of the combatants . His readiness to enter the action without the additional force un der his command , has furnished all fair men on both sides of the water with the answer to the British apology for the result , roli c that the F had met with an accident , an d had her W mainyard on deck hen she engaged . The Wasp had lost her jibboom and two men in a heavy gale , two days before the action ; and her maintopmast was shot away between four and five minutes from the commencement “ ” firi n offici al of the g, and falling says Jones , i n his

i n ai n to sai l th e account together with the p yard , across larboard and fore and foretopsail braces , rendered our ’ 'the Wasp s'h eadyar ds un man ageable the remainder

. of the action In three minutes more , as he adds , the gaff and mizzen -topgallant m ast came down ; and at t h e twenty minutes from the begin ning of action , every ” of brace an d most the rigging were shot away . Yet the ship th us crippled in her rigging proved to be the Victor in the str uggle ; a fact which shows the British excuse of crippled rigging could n ot account for the

a i t w result of a battle fought , during a great p rt of , hile th e ships were nearly in actual contact . The loss on board the A merican ship was fi ve m en

five w VVhi n ates killed and wounded ; hile Captain y , in

ffi ci al his o report , states not twenty of the crew of the

Frolic escaped unhurt, thus showing the number of ’ killed and wounded i n the enemy s vesse l to have been

re from eighty to one hund d , or more than eight to one , h as compared with t e loss o f the American ship . 1 3

a The hull of the Wasp sustained but little dam ge , while the Frol i c had b e en hulled at almost every dis

a n d charge , was Virtually a wreck when taken possession ” c f of by the Americans . The ombat lasted but orty three minutes . It terminated i n boarding the Frolic ,

a n d whose decks were strewed with killed wounded , every seaman having gone below except the man at the wheel .

It ought not to be forgotten , in relating the history of this action , as a fact redounding to the credit of the con

u erors of q , that notwithstanding the excitement such a scene , and all the excesses into which both seamen and soldiers are so naturally led when storming an enemy ’s post or boarding his deck , not a single Englishman was

m f officers inj ured by an A erican hand , a ter the on deck threw do wn their swords in token of submission . N o fact could more clearly indicate the i n fl uen ce of Jones i over his crew . The hero whose voice a the hour of . battle rang in the ears of a true sailor , like the notes of - w as cf a war trumpet , in the hour Victory mild and gentle ; and his heart overfl owed with kindness to a e brave but vanquished foe . His own gen rous nature had prompted him , and he had taught his companions

' to be in battle the lion but the battle once ended , in ” m . f mercy , the la b How di ferent was the scene of mer ci l ess massacre presented on the decks of the unfortunate

e Chesapeake , when she was boarded and captur d by the

r 1 A s c ew of the Shannon an American citizen , I would rather have the honor , and at this day I have no doubt every intelligent Englishman would prefer the honor , of claiming these conqu e rors as countrymen who in the fiercest e of their wrath remember d mercy , rather than those who , however splendid their triumph , lost their 1 4

humanity in the hour of battle , an d blotted their fame with the blood of the vanquished . l While contemp ating this picture , bright and glorious as it j ustly appears on our side , we can an d should do full j ustice to the enemy who gallantly fought until four fifth s of their crew were wounded or slain . The solitary w n British sailor at the heel of the Frolic , whose ame is

w far h as unkno n , whose memory , so as I have learned ,

r never been p eserved , but who , according to the account

o m n of our naval historians , when fr the stem to the ster of that noble vessel , besides himself, only two or three “ officers sti ll mai n tai n ed bleeding were left stan ding , i t h s p os wi th the spi ri t of a tru e sea man to the very last. Death in its most terri fic forms was before him and around

a i t him ; and it seemed to hi m th t he touched , and still

. TV h en it did not appal him the hull became a wreck ,

f s an d an d the alling pars sails covered up the dead , and

s d crushed the limb of the wounde , who were shrieking

e a s all an d in th ir gony ; when the mast fell , our boarders w s ept the deck , with their steel pikes bristling before him ; when the hopes of reward had vanished ; when t h e a victory was gone , an d the defeat cert in ; yet still that single seai n an stood at his post an d w ru n g from his

generous enemies the applause due to one who , under

any circumstances , dared to discharge his duty . Amidst the trying vicissitudes to which this n ation may be sub jec te d i n ages to come ; amidst the dangers to which th e

n m a be Unio y exposed in future times , may every

e m a n d American r solve as this did , un er all discourage

e a to ments and disast rs , come life or de th , be true to the duty an d faith ful in th e station assig n e d to him by his

country . Of the S piri t which animated the Americans in this 1 5

a battle , I shall h ve further occasion to speak before I have done . Of the consequences of this victory one of our naval historians says “ of s They who understood the power ship , and ex ami n ed e th e details with a real d sire to learn truth , dis covered that a new era had occurred in naval warfare . While these critics perceived and admitted the supe ri ori t a a y of the Americ n frigates , in the two ctions that had previously occurred , they could not but see that it was not in proportion to the execution they had done ;

tw o u and in the combat between the vessels , that has j st been recorded 'the Wasp an d the Frolic', the important ’ fact w as not overlooked that the enemy s vessel had s u f fered as severe a loss i n m en as it was usual for the

n heaviest vessels to sustai in general actions . Hitherto , English ships had been compelled to seek close contests with their foes ; but n ow they had only to back their topsails to be certain of being en gaged at the ni u zzles of f ff their guns . There was no alling o in British spirit no vessel was unworthily given up an d it was necessary to search for the cause of this sudden and great change in the character of the new adversary . The most cavil ling detractors o f the rising reputation of the American marine were reluctantly obliged to admit that naval combats were no longer what they had been ; an d the discreet among the enemy saw the necessity of greater caution , more labored preparations and of renewed f ” 5‘ e forts . Jones had b e en directed to ta ke the command of the

1 8 1 1 e Wasp in , and b fore the war broke out had been sent to Engl an d and France with des patch es from our

f h i s e Government . War was declared a ter departur , but

’ C oo r s i s o r f th av O f th e Un i ed S a s vo l . 2 e h . v . pe H t y o e N y t t te , , 1 6

’ s re he returned safely through all the enemy s cruiser , fitte d his vessel im mediately and sailed on a cruise from f Philadelphia , j ust six days be ore his action with the

roli c . offici al F His despatch , gi ving an account of the

of th e P oi cti ers action and of the capture both ships by , 74 a , on the same day , is regarded as model report , on account of the direct , lucid , unostentatious and con den sed character of its composition . It inspired , not w only our Government , but our whole country , ith a perfect conviction , that ship to ship , and man to man , N was we were a full match for the foe . 0 action fought during that war , which tended more than this to elevate Of the character American seamen , both at home and abroad . The success of Jones in this action has always been j ustly ascribed , not less to his own superior skill and seamanship than to the bravery and discipline of his officers n and crew . His plan was to close with the e emy , b drive her men from the decks y bags of buckshot , which he had put into his guns for the purpose , and

n n Whi n ates the carry her by boarding . Captai y is said afterwards to h ave complained of the havoc made ’ ” a w - mong his men by hat he called Jones goose shot , w and I ell remember to have heard a gentleman , who went with a fl ag of truce from the Governor of Dela w P oi cti e rs off are , on board the , while she was lying r Cape Henlopen and blockading the bay , elate that , while dining on that occasion with Commodore Beres f e ord , the latt r complained of these buckshot 'to which he te o f e attribu d the result the battl ', as not having the ju s ti fication o f s u ffic i e n t pr e c edent i n naval warfa re to s s us e f e th e s of u tain the o th m . For purpo e showing “ a f me , s id my in ormant , how the battle was won , the

1 8

h fi H t em to gh t against th eir country . e made the

' quarrel his own ; h e did not consider it merely the quarrel of the nation ; an d he fought with an energy and a desperate courage unsurpassed in the history of T h f the seas . V en he suf ered it was in a cause of his ’ heart s approving ; and not a few who perished died with ’ a cheer for sailors rights upon their lips . The blood t u shed by these gallan men , in a str ggle against a cruel O ppression , was not shed i n vain ; for although Great

Britain refused , at the time of negotiating the Treaty of

n u Ghe t, to relinq ish or limit her claim to impress , yet in fact she h as never since attempted the practical e xer cise of the right then asserted by her , well knowing as

n ow the ministers of the Crown had long known , an d

i know , that the impressment of an Amer can citizen , na tive or naturalized , would be followed by i mmediate war .

i n It may be interesting this connection , and it is but

Govern m en t j ustice , to observe that the claim of the of Great Britain never did extend beyond the impressment of British seamen in private merchant vessels . But they denied the privileges of citizenshi p to such as had been naturalized under our laws , having been previously British subjects ; and the abuse by the subordinate otficers of the Crown in the exercise of their claim extended not only to foreign seamen i n the American service , but to native Americans also , and to ships of war as wel l as merchant vessels . While the government

s . di claimed these abuses , and proffered redress still the

h e n M r . K was abuses w ere continued . TV ing minister in England , he prevailed on the British Government to

s w disavow the right to impres American citizens , hether

o n hi h sea s native or naturalized , the g ; and an arrange ment of th e whole question had progressed s o far that 1 9

an d be articles were prepared for signature , about to

a S t . V u signed , on this b sis , when Lord incent broke p the whole negotiations bv insisting on an excepti on of the ” w narro seas , which our Government held to be utterly i nadmissible . It is probable that had the agre ement of Lord Hawkes bury to renounce the British principle of fl a s in favor the rights of our g, and to prohibit impres

a e ment on the high se s , been then embodi d i n a treaty between the two countries , the foundation would then h ave been laid for an amicable adj ustment of all the other difficulties . The continued refusal of England to disavow or relinquish her unj ust pretensions in thi s regard aggrav ated the sense of wrong suffered from her paper blockades , and her orders in council , and at length produced a singular result , from which a useful moral may be drawn by every government which deli b

eratel . A t a y seeks to practice inj ustice this day , Gre t

Britain , although we have no treaty with her on the th e subj ect , dare not exercise preten ded right to impress any American seaman , or to search any American ship for the purpose of impressing her own seamen and were she now to offer to r enounce all her former pretensions in this respect , pretensions which cost her a bloody and expensive war , and which caused a most unhappy alien 0 1 ation between the pe p e of the two countries , there is not an American statesman to be foun d that would not h disdain to treat wit her on such a topic . His a n swer would be that he could not even nomi n ally th e recognize the existence of such a claim , that right to the free navigation of th e seas by his countrymen should

b e m w e. never ade to depend upon any treaty , and that would answer an y attempt to Violate that right at the ’ cannon s mouth . 20

When Jones returned to the United States , after his was action with the Frolic , he received with applause by his Government , and with gratitude and admiration by his countrymen . The usual thanks and rewards of v ictory were unanimously voted by Congress , an d he was everywhere greeted as a champion who had fully maintained and vindicated the naval character an d the honor of the nation . But he enj oyed nothing so much beyond the consciousness of having done his duty , not all the brilliant entertainments an d medals he received , as the heartfelt j oy of his old friends , an d the triumph a a H e of his reputation in his n tive St te . was honored with a public festival at her capital . Her legislature appointed a committee to wait upon him and express the pride and pleasure they felt ; they heaped praises and

. congratulations upon him , and voted him an elegant

t a service of pla e with appropri te engravings . His por trait has ever since adorned one of her legislative cham bers , and his best monument will ever be found in the hearts of her people . No higher testimonial of the estimate in which he was held by the Government , could have been bestowed upon

Jones . than that which after his victory , was speedily conferred on him by the President , in his appointmen t to the command of the frigate Macedoni an . This ship

th e an d had then recently been captured from British ,

s had not hared the fate of other British frigates , which

i n had been burnt or sunk their capture , but had been brought safely to an American port by Decatur . It w as at once foreseen that her recapture would be eagerly s for t s h e w ought by the enemy , and hat ould probably becom e a n object of the most d e sperate struggle on both s s c a w ide , in se they could overtake her ith another heavy 2 1

frigate . The honor of this critical comman d was assigned

J . fin e to ones The ship to which he was thus advanced ,

W s n ith the frigate United State , beari g the broad pen

m l e nant of Com odore Decatur , was shortly after b ockad d

B r tti sh w at New Lon don , by the squadron , of hich the

- R 7 4 fl a . amilies , , was the g ship During that blockade ,

w as a proposition , it is said on good authority , made by the American officers to engage a British blockading

a frigate , of equal force , with either of the Americ n r th e frigates , bar ing the i nterference of other vessels , but i commander of the British squadron declined t . During the whole war Jones was constantly in ser vice . Indeed , during the whole remainder of his life he th e ubli c l was engaged in p emp oyment , either on sea or land . A writer, well acquainted with his character , j ustly ran ks among the noble qualities for which he was dis ti n ui sh ed m g , his love of exact truth and uncompro ising “ H e a s a firm n ess hatred of inj ustice . dd , that cour ge , and sincerity were parts of his nature his entire , calm ” self- possession never left him u nder any circumsta nces ; “ h e that was a man of great intelligence , being a gene

an d ral reader , wrote tersely with few words , having a

a . natural faculty of condens tion In neither speaking ,

an h i s nor writing , nor in y occupation or event of life , O w did he hesitate to express his full pinion , which al ays ” r a . coincided with what was ight , honorable and p triotic - h His perfect self command , w en duty to his country

h i s urged him to control temper , which was quick as

i n an ec lightning to resent an insult , is illustrated the dote regarding a combat betw een a number of his ship ’s V a C I LOZOS crew , when ashore at lparaiso , with the , or la

a . borers of the mixed c ste , in the town In the midst of 22

t the ba tle Jones arrived , an d perceiving the inj ury which our commerce might suffer and the controversy into be which our country might drawn , he succeeded in off separating the combatants by drawing his men , who reluctantly submitted to be driven by hi m to the land

. cholos t i n terfe ing The , who owed their safe y to his rence , poured upon him , as he retired , a shower of stones , one of which struck him and w ounded him severely in the face . It would hav e been an easy matter to avenge a the outrage in blood , by permitting his s ilors to charge

r ufli ans back upon the ; but he coolly wiped his face , “ only remarking that t'was w on d erfu l wi th wha t p reci ” si on those ellows cou ld throw a n d f f , without su fering himself to be for one moment r utfl ed by such an ignoble i f brawl , urged his men safely on board his ship , as he

v were incapable , not only of re enge , but even of anger , against such low and degenerate antagonists . Yet the same man , on another occasion , when an American civil i a n i n , a foreign port, had been insulted by a foreign

office r military , who refused all reparation , because the u American was not a military man , took the matter p, ff for the honor of his country and his o icers , having at

fa e his instigation resolved to compel satis ction , proff red himself ready to begin with the General commanding at

a the st tion . The result was that the offender was dis g ra c ed a n d it is said that American citizens have ever sin c e bee n effe ctuall y protected from s uch dishonora ble

r b ofli cers i n t eatment y military that, as in other civil i ze d c n ou tries . It w ould fa r e xceed the limits assigned to me to a t

e h i s H e e a n d t mpt entire biography . was thrice marri d , w a i a t e s h a ppy n e ch matrimonial connection . In h year

1 82 1 h e es a o f r , poused a l dy eminent wo th , who sur 2 3

i v ved him . After having enj oyed during a long life the

s o f happiness of the domestic circle , the ociety a large number of devoted friends and the respect and esteem of w w his countrymen , he descended to the grave , cro ned ith

s f a fame , which not even per onal malice , or envy itsel , t wou ld dare a tempt to tarnish . Delaware gave the nation two naval heroes in the w ar

1 8 1 2 n ot a war of , whose exploits were surp ssed in that

N 0 can other State , however large or populous , exhibit more brilliant naval triumphs than those won by Jones

M cDon ou h . on the ocean , an d g on the lake The con

er r a q u o of Champlain w s a native of this county .

l w was Bush , who fel in the action ith the Guerriere , also a native of Delaware , and the State still fully sustains her high reputation by the standing of her sons in the

N ffi i al avy . The o c report shows that at this time she furnishes it with more seamen than some States with ten t times her population . She may turn also with pride o

w as . n the land , as ell the ocean Gibso , who carried a

British battery at the sortie of Fort Erie , and fell in the

t son arms of vic ory , was the of a mechanic of Delaware , and was born at South Milford , i n the county of Sus s ex . wh o Haslett , was killed at the head of the Dela

R i n ware egiment , the battle of Princeton , was a citizen

' . V of Sussex aughan , the Lieutenant Colonel , another wh o f native of Sussex , , a ter the death of Haslett , led that regiment in the battles of Brandywine , German

' to wn th e f war of , Cowpens and Camden , a ter the the R evolution ended and he was released from captivity ,

a nd lived died a poor man , on the banks of the Nauti colce e , where , it is said , not a ston is to be found to indi

- cate his las t resting place . Patten , the Major , a native of K e ent , who fought with the r giment in every battle 24

r t f om Long Island to Camden , shared the cap ivity of V re aughan after the disastrous defeat of Gates . which d ed uc the old Blues to a battalion . When the war was K ended , he returned to his home in ent , and represented his State i n the Congress of the United States with the same fideli ty and patriotism which had distinguished all as his military life . w a native of this county , having fought through more than thirty battles

f an d h of Independence, at last fell by the ri le toma awk of the . savage , and sleeps without a monument on the ’ field S t. a . a u ett fatal of Clair s defe t J q , who was with K h irkwood throug the whole war , and Ben nett, and

Caldwell , and Pope , and Stockton were citizens of Dela ware . m In his me oirs of the Southern War , Lee , who often th fought by their side , speaking of the troops of is “ ' State , says They were soldiers , than whom better or A t m w braver never existed . Ca den , they fought ith the D eKalb wh o bayonet over the body of the wounded , led them with the Maryland brigade i n that action and

e though overpowered at last by numbers , th y j ointly shared with t heir fellow -soldiers of that brigade the honor of that proud testimonial , bestowed by him upon ’ ' G their common valor I glory , said the dying eneral , to have fallen figh ti ng at the head of such brave More than the third of a century has el aps ed since the termination of the last war between Grea t Britain

us e and the United States . Let hope that the s ntiments

e e of hostility between the two nations , gen rat d by that

a n d a i t a f be war , by the causes th t led to , may here ter

i n buried oblivion .

' ’ ’ S e e L e e s Me mo i rs O f the S o u the rn Wa r .