Information AboutJames Lawrence |
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James Lawrence ( October 1 , 1781 – June 4 , 1813 ) was an American Naval hero. During the War Of 1812 , he commanded the USS ''Chesapeake'' in a Single-ship Action against the HMS ''Shannon'' (commanded by Philip Broke ). He is probably best known today for his Dying Command "Don't give up the ship!", which is still a popular naval Battle Cry . Lawrence was born in Burlington, New Jersey , the son of John and Martha (Tallman) Lawrence. His mother died when he was an infant and his Loyalist father fled to Canada during the American Revolution , leaving his half-sister to care for him. Though he studied law, he entered the United States Navy as a Midshipman in 1798 . During the Quasi-War with France , he served in the ship USS ''Ganges'' and Frigate USS ''Adams'' in the Caribbean . He was commissioned a Lieutenant on April 6 , 1802 and served aboard USS ''Enterprise'' in the Mediterranean , taking part in a successful attack on enemy craft on 2 June 1803 . In February 1804, he was second in command during the expedition to destroy the captured frigate USS ''Philadelphia'' . Later in the conflict he commanded ''Enterprise'' and a gunboat in battles with the Tripolitans . He was also First Lieutenant of the frigate ''Adams'' and, in 1805, commanded the small Gunboat Number 6 during a voyage across the Atlantic to Italy. Subsequently, Lieutenant Lawrence commanded the warships USS ''Vixen'' , USS ''Wasp'' and USS ''Argus'' . In 1810, he also took part in trials of an experimental Spar Torpedo . Promoted to the rank of Master Commandant in November 1810, he took command of the Sloop Of War USS ''Hornet'' a year later and sailed her to Europe on a diplomatic mission. From the beginning of the War Of 1812 , Lawrence and ''Hornet'' cruised actively, capturing the Privateer ''Dolphin'' in July 1812 . Later in the year ''Hornet'' blockaded the British sloop HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'' at Bahia, Brazil , and on 24 February 1813 captured HMS ''Peacock'' . Upon his return to the United States in March, Lawrence learned of his promotion to Captain . Two months later he took command of the frigate USS ''Chesapeake'' , then preparing for sea at Boston, Massachusetts . She left port on 1 June 1813 and immediately engaged the Blockading Royal Navy frigate HMS ''Shannon'' in a fierce battle. Although slightly smaller, accurate gunfire from the British ship disabled ''Chesapeake'' within a first few minutes. Captain Lawrence, mortally wounded by small arms fire, ordered "Don't give up the ship" as he was carried below. However, his crew was overwhelmed by a British Boarding Party shortly afterwards. James Lawrence died of his wounds on 4 June 1813 , while ''Chesapeake'' was being taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia , by her captors. He was buried with military honors in Halifax, Nova Scotia but reinterred at Trinity Church in New York City . He left behind a wife and daughter. LEGACY Several places are named for Captain Lawrence, notably Lawrence County, Missouri , Lawrence County, Ohio , Lawrence County, Alabama , Lawrence County, Tennessee and Lawrenceville, Georgia ; both Lawrence Township, New Jersey and its Lawrenceville neighborhood are named for Lawrence, and there is a Captain James Lawrence Elementary School in his birthplace of Burlington, New Jersey . In addition, the U.S. Navy has named five ships USS ''Lawrence'' . REFERENCES
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