For many mouths, he struggled with his disorder, indulging a hope of recovering till within ten days of his death. Finding that the inveteracy of his malady bid defiance to medical skill, he resolved on a water excursion as a last experiment. On Sunday the 9th of August, 1807, he went on board a packet and stood out to sea, but finding no relief, he returned on the Thursday following, sensible that the hour of his dissolution was approaching. In the view of this event he displayed that fortitude, which became his character, and his exit was in full correspondence with his life. He breathed his last on Tuesday the 25th of August, 1807, in the 46th year of his age. The inhabitants of Portland united in every mark of respect to his remains. On the day of his funeral, business was suspended, the colours were displayed at half mast from the shipping in the harbour, and he was interred with military honours and the ceremonies of religion and masonry.

On the intelligence of his death reaching Washington, the firing of minute guns and other marks of naval mourning were ordered in testimony of the honour due to the memory of a patriot and hero; and of the unfeigned sorrow produced by his death.

His

The person, air, and countenance of Commodore Preble answered to his character. features expressed strong passions along with manly and generous feelings. His attitude was erect, yet easy and natural, his step firm, and his whole appearance and port were noble and commanding. In the calm of domestic life and society of his equals he was placid and affectionate in the exercise of authority peremptory and rigid. But though he made himself feared, and might be thought sometimes imperious and severe, yet he

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retained a strong interest in the affections of his officers and men, who were convinced of the goodness of his disposition and the sincerity of his friendship.

COMMODORE

THOMAS TRUXTUN.

The father of Captain Truxtun was an eminent counsellor of the bar, in the then colony of NewYork, and resided on Long or Nassau Island, where the Commodore was born on the 17th of of February, 1755. Having lost his father at an carly age, he was placed under the care of John Troup, Esq. of Jamaica, Long Island, a gentleman well known in the annals of the war between France and England, preceding the American revolution. The sea was his favourite element. At twelve years.of age, he first embarked in his naval career, under a Captain Joseph Holmes, in the ship Pitt, bound for Bristol, England. The next year, he sailed under a Captain Chambers, in the London trade. While yet in his noviciate he was impressed on board of an English ship of war of sixty-four guns, during the dispute with Spain, about the Falkland Islands, from which ship he was afterwards released, through the influence of some friends in power. The Commander of His Britannic Majesty's ship, Prudent, from which he was discharged, used every persuasion to induce him to remain in the service of the crown, with the strongest assurances, that every exertion should be used for his speedy promotion, but without effect, as he immediately returned to the ship and service from which he had been impressed.

In the beginning of the revolutionary struggle he forthwith embarked in the cause of the colonies, against the unjust oppression of Great Britain, and early in 1775 had the command of an armed vessel, with which he cruised against the enemy with great success. In these cruises, the United States were much benefitted by the quantities of powder, which were found on board his prizes, of which article they were greatly in want. Towards the close of the same year, when on a voyage to St. Eustatia, a Dutch island in the West Indies, in a letter of marque, of which he was half owner, he was captured off the Island of St. Christopher's, his vessel condemned, and himself released under the provisions of the general restraining act, of the British Parliament. From St. Christopher's, he went to St. Eustatia, and thence to Philadelphia. His next cruise was in the capacity of first Lieutenant of the private armed ship, Congress, which was just equipping for sea. During the early part of the winter, of 1776, this vessel, in company with another private armed vessel, called the Chance, fitted out, at the same time, made several prizes off the Havanna, which were very valuable home pound Jamaica ships, going through the Gulph of Florida. He, as prize-master, brought one of them safe into the port of Bedford, Massachusetts. In June of the same year, while the harbour of New-York was blockaded by the British fleet, previous to its evacuation by the Americans, he made his way to sea, through the Long Island Sound, in a vessel called the Independence, fitted out by himself and Isaac Sears, Esq. and placed under his command. Off the Azores or Western Isles, he made several prizes, of which three were large and valuable ships, forming a part of

the windward island fleet, under convoy. One of these prizes carried more guns and men than his vessel. The proud Englishmen, notwithstanding their vaunted national prowess, were obliged to strike their colours to an inferior force. Truxtun next directed his course to the British channel, in the ship Mars, of twenty guns, where he made a number of prizes, several of which he sent into Quiberon bay. The French court from a desire to lessen the strength of a rival power, had for some time lent a secret aid to the revolting colonies, yet it had not manifested their hostile intentions so openly as to induce the recal of the British minister from Versailles. Hence, upon the reception of these prizes, into a French port, the British ambassador, Lord Stormont, made a strong remonstrance to the cabinet, protesting against the admission of American armed vessels and prizes into the ports of France, but without effect. Truxtun, after this cruise, domiciliated himself in Philadelphia, from which port he sailed during the remainder of the war, commanding vessels, of which he was in general part owner. His cruises were generally suc

cessful.

When commanding the St. James, of 20 guns, and one hundred men, on a voyage to France with Thomas Barclay, Esq. the Consul General from the revolted colonies to that country, a passenger on board, he fell in with a British private ship of war, mounting 32 guns and a proportionate number of men, consequently nearly double his force. After a severe and close engagement, the enemy was obliged to sheer off, and was afterwards towed into New-York in a very crippled state. The late Secretary of the navy, William Jones, Esq. acted as Captain Truxtun's third

Lieutenant, and conducted himself during the whole engagement with such distinguished bravery that he was shortly after promoted to a first Lieutenancy. In this vessel, Truxtun returned safe to Philadelphia with a most valuable cargo. He used every means in his power to harass the enemy on the ocean, during every period of the war, and constantly evinced the most consummate skill and undaunted courage; and his exertions were almost universally crowned with complete success. He likewise, in two instances, distinguished himself on land.

On the return of peace, he continued his professional pursuits between this country, Europe and Asia until 1794, when the lowering appearances of our affairs with Great Britain, in consequence of the conduct of her naval Commanders, under the celebrated Corn order of Council in 1798, induced the establishment of a navy, which they could then do, without infracting the treaty of Peace, which prohibited them from such an attempt for twelve years. The term of prohibition bad just expired. General Washington, then President, by advice and consent of the Senate, appointed him Captain of one of the six ships of war, which had been ordered to be built. But the building of these vessels was suspended, in conscquence of the treaty of 1795. On the abrogation of the consular convention with France in the year 1778, during the administration of Mr. John Adams Captain Truxtun was directed to superintend the building of the frigate Constellation at Baltimore, of which he was appointed Commander. This vessel was one of the first which put to sea in consequence of the hostile attitude assumed by the United States towards the French republic. His orders were to cruise in the West India seas