Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

DAR Theme Hails Heroics Of Commodore Thomas Macdonough

Editor's note: Each year the Benjamin Culp Chapter of the NSDAR sponsor an American history essay. The following essay, written by Cody Ray Thompson, a sixth grader, is the second in a series. This year's theme is A Naval Hero of the Early American Republic, 1789-1815.'

Commodore Thomas Macdonough

At the turn of the 19th century the United States of America was a fledgling, a new comer to the world maritime power structure. Another newcomer to naval warfare was a sixteen-year-old boy by the name of Thomas Macdonough.

Thomas Macdonough, born McDonough, but for unknown reasons was changed before he entered the United States Navy. He was born in December 1783 to Thomas Sr., and Mary Vance McDonough. At age twelve his father, a respected physician and Revolutionary War veteran, died. As a teenager young Thomas worked as a store clerk until requesting appointment to the United States Navy. With the help of U.S. Senator Latimar sixteen-year-old Thomas became a midshipman in the navy on February 16, 1800.

With the flexing of United State naval muscle, Thomas Macdonough soon found himself in the West Indies fighting the French aboard the U.S. ship Granges, a 24-gun corvette. The Granges crew captured three French ships that were sent back to the United States.

Thomas Macdonough was then reassigned to the Constellation on October 20, 1801, for its Mediterranean cruise. During the cruise they fought against Tripoli gunboats. Later in 1803 he was reassigned to the new 38-gun frigate, Philadelphia. The Philadelphia was soon captured, and taken to Tripoli, luckily while Macdonough was on shore leave.

The Enterprise, a 12-gun schooner, was his next assignment. The Enterprise and the Constitution were sent to Tripoli to either retake or destroy the Philadelphia to prevent the Philadelphia being used against the United States. Feeling an attack was too risky, volunteers, including Thomas Macdonough, tricked Tripoli sailors into thinking they were a merchant ship in distress. After being granted permission to tie up along side the Philadelphia, set her afire and hastily retreated. The mission was a success. This was Macdonough's last action against the navy of Triploi.

In 1805 or 1806 Thomas Macdonough was promoted to lieutenant aboard the Enterprise. At this time he also was impressed'; (forced into military service), into England's navy. He was able to escape but swore that One day he would make the English remember the day they impressed an American soldier' and that he did. England's actions helped bring the United States into the War of 1812.

On June 18, 1912, the United States declared war on Great Britain and on June 265, Thomas Macdonough wrote for his orders of service. In August, Thomas received his orders to command a leaking and unseaworthy division of gunboats at Burlington, Vermont. After repairs were made he took his patched up warships down Lake Champlain to Plattsburgh, New York, for patrols.

Losing two ships to the British due to bad judgement of Macdonough's lieutenant and sailing master they needed more time and repairs to be ready for battle. The new Secretary of the Navy, William Jones, authorized Macdonough to purchase two new sloops, one of which was built within forty days. Macdonough was ready.

Now a Master Commandant, Commodore Macdonough, with knowledge of the physical characteristics of Lake Champlain cunningly placed his ships so that the enemy would have to tack into the wind. When this happened Macdonough opened fire and the Battle of Plattsburgh had begun.

When cannons ceased firing the British had surrendered. Commodore Macdonough was victorious. The victory blocked the invasion and conquest of New York, changing the outcome of the war and also labeled Macdonough a hero at the age of thirty.

On November 10, 1825, Commodore Thomas Macdonough, the hero of Lake Champlain, died at the age of forty-one of tuberculosis.