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BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN JAMES LAWRENCE.

THE recent annals of our navy have presented so unbroken a succession of brilliant victories, achieved with comparatively trifling loss, as to excite throughout the country a pure and almost unmingled sentiment of triumph and congratulation. But there is in human affairs no security against accident or misfortune, and we have been, therefore, at last, summoned to the melancholy office of mourning the loss of one of those distinguished seamen, whose gallantry was but 'yesterday the boast of us all. The glory which he created for himself and for his country will, however, long survive the disaster which closed his existence; and we deem it a national duty, as well as a grateful return, for the proud satisfaction with which our hearts once swelled at his successes, to contribute our efforts to extend and perpetuate his fame.

CAPTAIN JAMES LAWRENCE was born on the 1st of October, 1781, at Burlington, in New Jersey, and was the youngest son of John Lawrence, ésq. counsellor at law of that place. Soon after his birth he had the misfortune to lose his mother, and the care of his early years devolved on his two sisters, who seem to have cultivated the moral qualities of his heart with singular success. At the age of twelve, he evinced a strong partiality Hh

VOL. II.

for the sea; but his father disapproving of that plan of life, and wishing him to pursue the profession of law, young Lawrence acquiesced, and passed with reputation through the grammar school at Burlington, when finding that the pecuniary situation of his father would not furnish him the means of completing his education at any college or university, he commenced the study of law with his brother, the late John Lawrence, esq. at Woodbury. He was now only thirteen years of age, a period of life when the grave pursuits of jurisprudence can scarcely be presumed to have many attractions for a young and ardent fancy, already inflamed with the love of wandering. He continued, however, a reluctant student for about two years, when the death of his father leaving him more at liberty to pursue his favourite inclination, he prevailed on his brother to place him under the care of Mr. Griscomb, at Burlington, for the purpose of studying navigation. He here remained for three months, at the expiration of which time, on application to the navy department he received a warrant as midshipman, on the 4th of September, 1798.

His first voyage was in the ship Ganges, captain Tingey, on a cruise to the West Indies. He afterwards sailed in different vessels for upwards of two years, and was then made an acting lieutenant on board the frigate Adams, captain Robinson, where he continued till the reduction of the navy; in consequence of which his appointment was not confirmed, and he remained in the rank of midshipman.

On the commencement of the war with Tripoli, in 1801, he was promoted to a lieutenancy, and sailed to the Mediterranean as first lieutenant of the schooner Enterprise, in 1803.

While in this situation, he bore a conspicuous part in an adventure of singular boldness, the destruction of the frigate Philadelphia. Lieutenant (now commodore) Decatur, who then commanded the Enterprise, selected, chiefly from his own crew, seventy volunteers, and taking Lawrence as his second in command, embarked on board the ketch Intrepid, and sailed from Syracuse on the 3d February, 1804, accompanied by the United States' brig Syren, lieutenant Stewart, who was to aid with his boats and to receive the crew of the ketch, in case it should be found expedient to use her as a fireship.

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