View source for Thomas Truxtun

{{Short description|United States Navy officer (1755–1822)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Thomas Truxtun
| image         = Thomas Truxtun.jpg
| caption       = Portrait of Truxtun by [[Bass Otis]], 1817
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1755|2|17}} 
| birth_place   = [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead]], [[Province of New York|New York]], [[British America]]
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1822|5|5|1755|2|17}} 
| death_place   = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| placeofburial = [[Christ Church Burial Ground]]<br>[[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| placeofburial_label = 
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname      =
| birth_name    =
| allegiance    = {{Flag|United States of America|1777}}
| branch        = {{flag|United States Navy}}
| serviceyears  = 1794–1801 
| rank          = [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore (USN)]]
| servicenumber =
| unit          =
| commands      = {{USS|Constellation|1797|6}}<br>{{USS|President|1800|6}}
| battles       = [[American Revolutionary War]]<br>[[Quasi-War]]
| battles_label =
| awards        =
| relations     =
| laterwork     =
| signature     =
}}

[[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] '''Thomas Truxtun''' (February 17, 1755 – May 5, 1822) was a [[United States Navy]] officer and politician. During the [[American Revolutionary War]], he served as a [[privateer]]. Truxtun eventually rose to the rank of [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] in the late eighteenth century and later served in the [[Quasi-War]] with France. He was one of the first six commanders appointed to the new U.S. Navy by President [[George Washington]]. During his naval career he commanded a number of famous U.S. naval ships, including {{USS|Constellation|1797|6}} and {{USS|President|1800|6}}. Later in civilian life he became involved with politics and was also elected as a [[sheriff]]. [[USS Truxtun|Six U.S. Navy warships]] have been named for Truxtun since 1842.

==Early life and education==
Truxtun was born near [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead]], [[Province of New York]] on [[Long Island]], the only son of an English-born lawyer.<ref name=toll120>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], p. 120.</ref>  He lost his father at a young age and was taken to [[Jamaica, Queens|Jamaica]] on Long Island with relatives and placed under the care of a close friend, John Troup.<ref>[[#McBride|McBride, 1815]], p. 27.</ref> Having little chance for a formal education, he joined the crew of the British merchant ship ''Pitt'' at the age of 12,<ref>[[#McBride|McBride, 1815]], pp. 26–27.</ref> against his father's previous wishes for him to pursue a career in politics.<ref>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], pp. 120–121.</ref><ref>[[#Seawell|Seawell, 1898]], p. 43.</ref>

==Naval service==

Because of his skills, by the time he was twenty, Truxtun had garnered command of his own vessel, ''Andrew Caldwell''. Before the outbreak of the [[American Revolutionary War]] he was [[Impressment|impressed]] into a [[Royal Navy]] ship and was offered a [[midshipman]]'s commission, which he turned down.<ref name=toll120/>

After being wounded in action against an American privateer, he decided never to fight against his countrymen again. He then operated as a U.S. [[privateer]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]], commanding several ships: ''Congress'', ''Independence'', ''Mars'', and ''St. James''. Truxtun captured several British ships during the conflict, and was never once defeated himself.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

After the war he returned to the merchant marine, with a high reputation as a seaman. He was the author of a treatise on longitude and latitude, of a "System of masting a 44-gun frigate," and was an advocate for the foundation of a national navy.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}  He remained in the marine for 12 years. In 1786 he commanded ''Canton'', operating from [[Philadelphia]], one of the first American ships to engage in trade with [[China]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} When the [[United States Navy]] was reconstituted in 1798 he was one of the original corps of six captains.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

==Quasi-War==
In 1794 and the war with [[France]] looming, Truxtun was one of the first six captains appointed by President [[George Washington|Washington]] in the newly formed [[United States Navy|US Navy]].<ref>[[#Frost|Frost, 1845]], p. 177.</ref> During the [[Quasi-War]] with France, Truxtun commanded {{USS|Constellation|1797|6}}. For his first assignment he had previously{{when |date=December 2012}} overseen her construction in [[Baltimore]], Maryland, with [[Silas Talbot]]. After a rank dispute with captains [[Richard Dale|Dale]] and Talbot, Truxtun was placed in charge of the ship by President Washington. He commanded her with considerable success.<ref>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], pp. 156–159.</ref><ref>[[#McBride|McBride, 1815]], p. 30.</ref>

===''Constellation'' engages ''L'Insurgente''===
{{main|USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente}}
In the early years of the new nation, American commerce suffered much interference from other seafaring nations, and it was during this period that Truxtun gave celebrated service to the navy.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} First,
because of constant French privateering attacks against American vessels, an American squadron commanded by Truxtun was sent to the [[West Indies]] to patrol the waters between [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Saint Kitts]] with orders to engage any French forces they found in the area. Also on board was the young and later famous [[John Rodgers (1772–1838)|John Rodgers]], acting 1st Lieutenant.<ref>[[#Guttridge|Guttridge, 2005]], pp. 32–33.</ref> On 9 February 1799, while sailing independently of his squadron in his flagship ''Constellation'', Truxtun encountered and engaged the French frigate [[USS Insurgent|''L{{'}}Insurgente'']], a larger and more heavily armed vessel commanded by Captaine Barreau. After chasing the French ship through a storm, ''Constellation'' was able to force ''L{{'}}Insurgente'' into an engagement that lasted an hour and fourteen minutes. Barreau did not strike his colors until his ship was almost a complete wreck. French losses were 29 killed and 44 wounded, while Truxtun's crew only suffered one killed and two wounded.<ref>[[#McBride|McBride, 1815]], p. 31.</ref><ref>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], pp. 115–117.</ref> It was the first battle engagement since the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] that an American ship had encountered an enemy ship.<ref>[[#Harrison|Harrison, 1858]], p. 157.</ref>

===''Constellation'' engages ''La Vengeance''===
{{main|USS Constellation vs La Vengeance}}
On 31 January 1800, ''Constellation'' engaged ''[[HMS Vengeance (1800)|La Vengeance]]'', a larger vessel with a broadside of {{convert|559|lb}} compared to ''Constellation''{{'}}s {{convert|372|lb}}.<ref>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], p. 135.</ref>{{#tag:ref|The French naval historian [[Onésime-Joachim Troude]] reports ''La Vengeances'' armament as twenty-six {{convert|18|pdr}}, ten {{convert|6|pdr}}, and four {{convert|36|pdr|adj=on}} carronades, a {{convert|336|lb|adj=on}} broadside, compared to ''Constellation''{{'}}s twenty-eight {{convert|18|pdr}}, ten {{convert|12|pdr}}, and one {{convert|32|pdr|adj=on}} carronade, a {{convert|472|lb|adj=on}} broadside.{{clarify |reason=HMS Vengeance or L'Vengeance? See §Constellation engages Vengeance |date=December 2012}}<ref>''Batailles navales de la France'', 1857.</ref> |group="note"}} ''Constellation'' had sailed under Truxtun from [[Saint Kitts]] on 30 January, and encountered ''La Vengeance'' the following day. ''La Vengeance'' was bound for France under Capitaine de Vaisseau François Pitot carrying passengers and specie, and initially attempted to outrun ''Constellation''. During the battle ''Constellation'' was partially dismasted and was forced to make her way to [[Jamaica]]. Thirty six hours after the engagement with ''La Vengeance'', while passing the eastern end of [[Puerto Rico]], ''Enterprise'', commanded by Lieutenant Commander Shaw, arrived and fell in with Truxtun. After a short fall in{{clarify |reason=What's a short fall in? |date=December 2012}} Truxtun sent ''Enterprise'' to Philadelphia with important dispatches.<ref>[[#Cooper46|Cooper, 1846]], p. 129.</ref>{{clarify |reason=HMS Vengeance, Vengeance, and L'Vengeance.  All same ship?  Three difference ships? |date=December 2012}}

Truxtun's victory against La Vengeance made him a hero of the time; when he arrived home he was awarded a [[Congressional Gold Medal]] on 29 March 1800, becoming the eighth recipient of that body's "highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions."<ref name=loubat129>[[#Loubat|Loubat, 1881]], p. 129.</ref><ref>[[#Seawell|Seawell, 1898]], p. 51.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://history.house.gov/Institution/Gold-Medal/Gold-Medal-Recipients/ |title=Congressional Gold Medal Recipients |website=history.house.gov|accessdate=2015-09-14}}</ref>

==Command of USS ''President''==

{{multiple image
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| image1    =Thomas Truxtun Congressional Gold Medal (front).jpg
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| image2    =Thomas Truxtun Congressional Gold Medal (reverse).jpg
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| caption2  = Etching of Truxtun's [[Congressional Gold Medal]]
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{{USS|President|1800|6}} was launched on 10 April 1800 and, at the time, was considered America's fastest sailing ship.<ref>[[#Toll|Toll, 2006]], p. 15.</ref> She was the last of the [[Original six frigates of the United States Navy|original six frigates]] launched. After the vessel was fitted out for sea duty, she set sail for [[Guadeloupe]] on 5 August with Captain Truxtun in command, relieving [[Stephen Decatur]]. She conducted routine patrols during the latter part of the Quasi-War and recaptured several American merchant ships; however, her overall service in this period was uneventful. She returned to the United States in March after a peace treaty with France was ratified on 3 February 1801.<ref>[[#Allen'09|Allen, 1909]], pp. 217–221.</ref>

During this period, Truxtun was involved in a dispute over rank with [[Richard Dale]].{{clarify |reason=Again? See §Quasi War; |date=December 2012}} Truxtun took command of ''President'' for a few months in 1800. On 15 April, 1801 he wrote the Acting Secretary of the Navy proposing increased work assignments for Marines stationed on ships, and more control by ship's Captains over assignment of Marine Officers to their ships, or the abolishment of the [[United States Marine Corps]] if greater authority couldn't be granted. The proposal was rejected in a 28 June, 1801 letter sent to Capt. [[Silas Talbot]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_quasiwar_v07.pdf |title=Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France |volume=VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801 |pages=195 and 264 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |via=Ibiblio |access-date=26 September 2024}}</ref>  He retired from the Navy and located first in [[Perth Amboy, New Jersey]], and later in [[Philadelphia]]. He was ordered to take command of [[USS Chesapeake (1799)| USS Chesapeake]] on 12 January, 1802 by the Secretary of the Navy.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_barbarywars_v02p01.pdf |title=Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 1 of 3 January 1802 through August 1803 |pages=19 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |via=Ibiblio |access-date=27 October 2024}}</ref> He proposed that he should be squadron commander of the new squadron leaving for the Mediterranean, or he should leave the service, in a letter to Secretary of the Navy dated 3 March, 1802.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_barbarywars_v02p01.pdf |title=Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 1 of 3 January 1802 through August 1803 |pages=76 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |via=Ibiblio |access-date=27 October 2024}}</ref> Secretary of the Navy ordered Capt. Richard V. Morris to take command of Chesapeake in a letter dated 11 March, 1802.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_barbarywars_v02p01.pdf |title=Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 1 of 3 January 1802 through August 1803 |pages=82 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |via=Ibiblio |access-date=27 October 2024}}</ref> He was relieved of command by the Navy Secretary in a letter dated 13 March with Lt. William Smith taking temporary command of USS Chesapeake.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_barbarywars_v02p01.pdf |title=Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 1 of 3 January 1802 through August 1803 |pages=83 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |via=Ibiblio |access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref>

==Writer==
Truxtun had a thorough understanding of the art of [[celestial navigation]] and was one among few men of his day who possessed such intimate knowledge of this navigational art. He also designed the original Navy signal manual and wrote the predecessor to the ''Navy Regulations'' in use today.<ref>[[#Hattendorf|Hattendorf, 2011]], p. 127.</ref>

==Later civilian life==
Truxtun ran an unsuccessful campaign for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 1810. In 1816 he was elected sheriff of [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia County]], serving until 1819.<ref name=loubat129/> He also published several books, well known at the time, covering [[navigation]], and [[naval tactics]].

Truxtun died in Philadelphia on 5 May 1822 and is buried at [[Christ Church Burial Ground]].<ref name=loubat129/> He was the grandfather of American historian [[Mary Henderson Eastman]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mary Henderson Eastman {{!}} American author|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Henderson-Eastman|access-date=2020-08-01|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> as well as naval officer [[Edward Fitzgerald Beale|Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale]], who became a national figure in the 19th century as an explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, and close friend of Kit Carson and President Ulysses S. Grant.

==Legacy and honors==
*Six U.S. Navy ships have been [[USS Truxtun|named in Truxtun's honor]].
*The town of [[Truxton, New York]], was named for him.
*Truxton Street in [[Brooklyn, New York]].
*The village of [[Truxton, Missouri]], was named after Thomas Truxtun.
*[[Washington, D.C.]] once had a [[traffic circle]], Truxton Circle, named after him.  Even after its demolition, the [[Truxton Circle|nearby neighborhood]] has retained his name.
*Truxtun, in [[Portsmouth, Virginia]], one of the first federally funded [[planned community|planned communities]] in America, was named for him. It was built shortly after [[World War I]] for [[African-American]] workers at [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]].
*[https://www.usmma.edu/about/campus-map Truxtun Arcade] at the [[United States Merchant Marine Academy]] is named in honor of the American Merchant Mariner turned Naval Hero Thomas Truxtun.

==See also==
*[[List of sea captains]]
*[[List of ships captured in the 19th century]]
*[[Bibliography of early American naval history]]
*[[Truxton Bowl]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|23em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last=Allen |first=Gardner Weld |title=Our naval war with France |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_n2kSAAAAYAAJ |ref=Allen'09 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin & Co |location=Boston, New York and Chicago |year=1909}}
*{{cite book |last=Canney |first=Donald L. |title=Sailing warships of the US Navy |ref=Canney |year=2001 |publisher=Chatham Publishing / [[Naval Institute Press]] |isbn=1-55750-990-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JEkV5RyAIKMC&pg=PP1}}
*{{cite book |last=Cooper |first=James Fenimore |ref=Cooper46 |title=Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers |volume=1 |author-link=James Fenimore Cooper |publisher=Carey and Hart |location=Philadelphia |year=1846 |oclc=620356 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K_nNlzPZlbUC&pg=PP13}}
*{{cite book |last=Frost |first=John |title=The pictorial book of the commodores: comprising lives of distinguished commanders in the navy of the United States  |isbn=1-55750-839-9 |ref=Frost |publisher=Nafis and Cornish |location=New York |year=1845 |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_7O8tAAAAYAAJ}}
* {{cite book |last=Guttridge |first=Leonard F. |title=Our Country, Right Or Wrong: The Life of Stephen Decatur |ref=Guttridge |publisher=Tom Doherty Associates, LLC |location=New York, NY |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7653-0702-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbtcWe9ELqYC&pg=PP1}}
*{{cite book |last=Hattendorf |first=John B. |chapter=XII The Formation and Roles of the Continental Navy, 1775–1785 |title=Talking About Naval History: A Collection of Essays  |ref=Hattendorf |author-link=John Hattendorf |publisher=Naval War College Press |location=Newport |year=2011 |isbn=9781884733741 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p84uvTqrM_cC&pg=PA185}}
*{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Henry William |title=Battlefields and naval exploits of the United States: ... |ref=Harrison |publisher=H. C. Peck & Theo. Bliss, Philadelphia |year=1858 |page=448 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tWIUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1}}
*{{cite book |last=Loubat |first=Joseph Florimond |title=The medallic history of the United States of America, 1776–1876 |volume=1  |ref=Loubat |author-link=Joseph Florimond Loubat |publisher=Author/Loubat, New York |year=1881 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uU8MAQAAMAAJ&pg=PP1}}
*{{cite book |last=McBride |first=James |title=Naval biography consisting of memoirs of the most distinguished officers of the American navy; to which is annexed the life of General Pike |ref=McBride |publisher=Morgan, Williams & Co., Cincinnati |year=1815 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=471CAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR4}}
*{{cite book |last=Roosevelt |first=Theodore |title=The naval war of 1812  |ref=Roosevelt |year=1883 |author-link=Theodore Roosevelt |publisher=G.P. Putnam's sons |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Fb1CAAAAYAAJ}}
*{{cite book |last=Seawell |first=Molly Elliot |title=Twelve naval captains: being a record of certain Americans who made themselves immortal |author-link=Molly Elliot Seawell  |ref=Seawell |publisher=Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trubner, & Co. Ltd |location=London |year=1898 |url=https://archive.org/details/twelvenavalcapt01seawgoog}}
*{{cite book |last=Toll |first=Ian W. |title=Six frigates: the epic history of the founding of the U.S. Navy |ref=Toll |year=2006 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |location=New York |isbn=978-0-393-05847-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/sixfrigatesepich00toll }}

===Further reading===
*{{EB1911|wstitle=Truxtun, Thomas|volume=27|page=339}}
*{{cite book |last=Ferguson |first=Eugene S. |title=Truxtun of the Constellation:The Life of Commodore Thomas Truxtun, U.S. Navy, 1755–1822 |ref=Ferguson |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |year=1956 |isbn=0801865972}}{{spaced ndash}} Dated, but still the best biography of Truxtun in print.
*{{cite book |last=Fowler |first=William M. |year=1900 |title=Silas Talbot: Captain of Old Ironsides |publisher=Mystic Seaport Museum |page=[https://archive.org/details/silastalbotcapta0000fowl/page/231 231] |isbn=9780913372739 |url=https://archive.org/details/silastalbotcapta0000fowl/page/231 |url-access=registration }}
*{{cite book |last=Grant |first=Bruce |title=Captain of the Constellation: Commodore Thomas Truxtun |ref=Grant60 |publisher=Putnam |location=New York |year=1930}}
*{{cite book |last=Statham |first=Edward Phillips  |year=1910 |title=Privateers and privateering. With eight illustrations |publisher=Hutchinson & Co. / James Pott & Co. |location=New York |page=382 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p5kVAQAAIAAJ}}
*{{cite book |last=Truxtun |first=Thomas |title=Biographical Memoirs of Thomas Truxtun, ESQ. from the Port Folio |ref=Truxtun'09 |publisher=Bradford & Inskeep |year=1809}}
*{{cite book |last=Tuckerman |first=Henry |year=2009 |title=The Life of Silas Talbot |publisher=Applewood Books |location=Bedford, Mass. |page=148 |isbn=9781429021593 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ct4R0aoRoQcC}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Thomas Truxtun}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/library/anh/found1a.htm Excerpt from Truxtun's signal book] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030426204717/http://www.history.navy.mil/library/anh/found1a.htm |date=2003-04-26 }}
*[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/People/Thomas_Truxtun/FERTOC/home.html Eugene S. Ferguson, ''Truxtun of the Constellation''] (322pp, 1956)
*{{Find a Grave|7743451}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Truxtun, Thomas}}
[[Category:1755 births]]
[[Category:1822 deaths]]
[[Category:18th-century American naval officers]]
[[Category:19th-century American naval officers]]
[[Category:United States Navy commodores]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:American military personnel of the Quasi-War]]
[[Category:People from Hempstead (village), New York]]
[[Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the American Revolution]]
[[Category:Sheriffs of Philadelphia]]
[[Category:People from the Province of New York]]
[[Category:Burials at Christ Church, Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Royal Navy sailors]]