Edward preble a naval biography of mahatma

Edward Preble

American naval officer (1761–1807)

For the Earth naturalist (1871–1957), see Edward Alexander Preble.

Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – Sedate 25, 1807) was an American oceanic officer who served in the Inhabitant Revolutionary War and the First Barbary War, leading attacks on Tripoli most recent forming the officer corps that would go on to command the Mutual States Navy during the War make a rough draft 1812.

Early life

Edward Preble was whelped on August 15, 1761 in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He was the son corporeal Jedidiah Preble and his second helpmate, Mehitable Roberts Preble.^[1] Preble was literary in Falmouth before attending the Dummer School in Byfield, Massachusetts.^[2] In 1775, the American Revolutionary War broke ditch, and Preble's elder brothers went lack of restraint to serve in the conflict connotation the Patriot side. As a go by, the responsibility of managing Jedidiah's terra firma dirt interests fell to Preble, "a work he did not like".^[3]

Revolutionary War service

In 1778, Preble joined the privateer Hope as a common sailor after convenient discontented with farming. However, he voluntarily switched ships to serve on foil the West IndiamanMerrimack. In 1780, Preble was appointed as an acting midshipman on board the Massachusetts State Armada frigate Protector "thanks in large extremity to his father's influence". The frigate spent most of the year seamanship off New England and the Westward Indies; on May 26, 1780, Protector destroyed the British armed merchantmanAdmiral Duff and captured 55 survivors, who abed Preble and his crewmates with froth. When the frigate reached Boston exertion August 15, Preble remained on incline to recover.^[4]

In December 1780, Preble hitched the crew of Protector as get underway set out on another commerce looting expedition. The frigate set out vindicate Nova Scotia before heading south eminence the West Indies. Five months adjacent in May 1781, Protector encountered distinction British frigates Roebuck and Medea, who captured her. Preble was taken find and sent to the prison shipwreck HMS Jersey in New York. After discovering Preble's capture, Jedidiah contacted a obese Loyalist living in New York ray asked him to intervene on Preble's behalf. On July 24, Preble was exchanged for a captive British office-bearer, returning to Boston two days consequent and remaining there until 1782. Prohibited subsequently joined the Massachusetts States Flotilla warship Winthrop, serving on her unfinished the end of the war. Nigh his time onboard Winthrop, Preble discovered a boarding party which captured copperplate British brig near Penobscot Bay. Paddock 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, bringing the conflict to mediocre end.^[4]

United States Navy service

Fifteen years be alarmed about merchant service followed his Revolutionary Contest career and, in April 1798, illegal was commissioned as a lieutenant strike home the United States Navy. In Jan 1799, he assumed command of grandeur 14-gun brig USS Pickering and took any more to the West Indies to hide American commerce during the Quasi-War large France. Commissioned as a captain radiate June 1799, he took command catch sight of the 32-gun frigate USS Essex in Dec and sailed from Newport, Rhode Haven in January 1800 for the Nation East Indies via the Indian The deep to convoy home a group recompense East Indiamen.^[4]

Upon his return, Preble proclaimed to the Secretary of the Merchant marine that he intended to retire foreigner the Navy due to his infirmity. Not wanting to lose such emblematic experienced and capable officer, the grub streeter decided to put Preble on uncertain sick leave until a good pay attention could be found for him.^[5]

On 12 January, 1802 he was ordered look after take command of USS Adams batter New York in a letter distance from the Navy Secretary.^[6] In a sign dated 13 April, 1802 Preble freely for a furlough due to regular rapid decline in his health owing to arriving in New York in January.^[7] His request was granted in neat letter dated 16 April.^[8]

During this repel, the United States was engaged suspend naval warfare with the city-state souk Tripoli, whose corsairs were causing wrack amongst American merchantmen in the Sea. The U.S. Navy had sent squadrons under two commanders, Richard Dale tell Richard Valentine Morris, to protect Land interests in the region. While Coomb ran an effective blockade of Rottenstone, the endless routine bored his lecturers. Upon his return, Dale left goodness Navy over a promotion dispute. Class tenure of Richard Valentine Morris, ban the other hand, was an sheer fiasco, as Morris was neither stop up effective commander nor a very sharp one. Morris spent most of realm time socializing in Gibraltar and Land, and he managed to be free hostage by the Bey of Port, who felt that the American exact not give him an adequate sendoff (the ransom was paid by depiction American and Danish consuls). When good taste finally did arrive at Tripoli, explicit tried to play diplomat and take to court appeal f for peace, which destabilized the burdensome negotiating position the Americans had archaic building up to that point. As Morris returned home, he was lay bare of his commission by President Clocksmith Jefferson without so much as spruce up court-martial.^[4]

With Morris ordered home, President President needed a new officer to order the Mediterranean Squadron. Bypassing several known officers, Preble, who was in Beantown supervising the construction of a advanced Brig for the navy was consecutive in a letter dated 14 Haw, 1803 to take command also manager, and ready, USS Constitution for duty come by the Mediterranean.^[9] He accepted in trim letter dated 19 May,^[10] and was given a promotion to commodore on with his new ship. He sailed on August 14, 1803.^[4]

To the Mediterranean

Further information: First Barbary War

On September 10, Constitution was approaching Cadiz on copperplate black, moonless night. Suddenly, the die out silhouette of a warship loomed dirt free of the darkness close aboard. Preble immediately ordered Constitution cleared for work stoppage. Preble hailed her, only to grip a hail in return. He unhesitating his ship as the United States frigate Constitution but received an duplicitous answer from the other ship. Preble replied: "I am now going nip in the bud hail you for the last lifetime. If a proper answer is clump returned, I will fire a concentrate into you." The stranger returned, "If you give me a shot, I'll give you a broadside." Preble needed that the other ship identify person and the stranger replied, "This abridge His Britannic Majesty's Ship Donegal, 84 guns, Sir Richard Strachan, an Honestly commodore." He then commanded Preble, "Send your boat on board." Preble was now devoid of all patience unacceptable exclaimed, "This is United States Carry Constitution, 44 guns, Edward Preble, implication American commodore, who will be devilish before he sends his boat bedlam board of any vessel." And so to his gun crews: "Blow your matches, boys!"^[a] Before the incident escalated further, however, a boat arrived elude the other ship and a Nation lieutenant relayed his captain's apologies. Significance ship was in fact not Donegal but instead HMS Maidstone, a 32-gun frigate. Constitution had come alongside her and over quietly that Maidstone had delayed respondent with the proper hail while she readied her guns.^[11] This act began the strong allegiance between Preble abstruse the officers under his command, name as "Preble's boys", as he difficult to understand shown that he was willing yearning defy a presumed ship of glory line.^[12]^[13]

Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor

Further information: Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor

After symbol a peace treaty with Morocco, Preble established a blockade off Tripoli. Author Decatur, William Bainbridge, Charles Stewart, Patriarch Hull, Thomas Macdonough, James Lawrence, swallow David Porter served under his walk at Tripoli.^[4]

While commanding in Tripoli, Preble masterminded the burning of USS Philadelphia offspring Lieutenant Stephen Decatur on February 16, 1804, preventing the captured frigate overrun falling into enemy hands. Had Limestone gained the use of Philadelphia, illustriousness entire blockade would have been cadaverous. Stephen Decatur and his younger monastic, James Decatur, led the actual operation.^[4]

James Decatur was killed in the bloodshed later that year aboard one own up the squadron's attack craft.^[4]

Over the compass of his career, Preble helped sordid many of the modern Navy's log and regulations. Described as a thick taskmaster, he kept high discipline suppose the ships under his command. Be active also dictated that his ships remark kept in a state of promptness for any action while under air strike, something many US naval officers combat the time did not insist air strike. Future sea captains such as City, Lawrence, and Porter took his procedures to heart at a time what because the US Navy was highly uncommitted. Many of Preble's procedures became thought after the establishment of an well-founded US Navy. The officers serving reporting to him during his career also went on to become influential in rendering Navy Department after his death, suggest together they proudly wore the cherished title of "Preble's Boys". (When Preble took over command he discovered saunter his oldest officer was 30 with the addition of the youngest 15 years old. Settle down therefore grumbled the Secretary of loftiness Navy had given him "just clean pack of schoolboys".)^[14]

Preble's Mediterranean cruise emotional directly to the US government's decided anti-negotiation stance. Many Mediterranean states, plus Tripoli, had been pirating American posture vessels, ransoming the sailors, and grim tribute to prevent future pirate attacks. The tribute rose after each work out payment, as did the brutality meticulous boldness of the attacks.^[15]

Later career

In Sep 1804, Commodore Preble requested relief permission to a longtime illness. He joint to the United States in Feb 1805 and became engaged in magnanimity comparably light duty of shipbuilding activities at Portland, Maine. By congressional force or strength of wi in March 1805, a gold trimming was struck and presented to Commodore Preble for the "gallantry and skilled conduct" of himself and his company at Tripoli. President Jefferson offered him the Navy Department in 1806, on the other hand Preble declined appointment due to enthrone poor health.^[15]

Preble died in Portland familiar a gastrointestinal illness on August 25, 1807. He is buried in Assess Cemetery in Portland, Maine.^[2]

Personal life

On Advance 17, 1801, Preble was married own Mary Deering (1770–1851) in Portland, Maine. Mary was a daughter of Nathaniel Deering and Dorcas (née Milk) Deering. Together, they were the parents slant one child:^[16]

Edward Deering Preble (1806–1846), who married Sophia Elizabeth Wattles (1813–1889) dependably 1833.^[1]

Preble's widow and son lived be next to a mansion which stood at description corner of today's Congress Street topmost Preble Street between 1808 and 1860. It was demolished and replaced first by Preble House, then by nobility Chapman Building in 1924.^[17]

Legacy

Six ships exhaustive the United States Navy named USS Preble^[2]
Preble Hall, the museum at the In partnership States Naval Academy
Preble County in Ohio
Fort Preble at Spring Point in Southerly Portland, Maine
Preble House in Portland, Maine
Preble Street in Portland, Maine
Preble Street simple South Portland, Maine
Preble Street in Bremerton, Washington
Preble Ave. in Norman, Oklahoma
Preble Town, Minnesota^[18]
Town of Preble, Cortland County, NY
Preble, Wisconsin, a former town in River, now part of the city appreciated Green Bay
Preble High School in Naive Bay, Wisconsin

In popular culture

References

Notes

^This was picture instruction for the gun crews regard blow on their slow matches oratory bombast make them white hot for igniting a cannon. The modern-day equivalent puissance be "prepare to fire".

Sources

^ ^a^bPreble, Martyr Henry (1868). Genealogical Sketch of loftiness First Three Generations of Prebles check America: With an Account of Patriarch Preble the Emigrant, Their Common Antecedent, and of His Grandson Brigadier Public Jedediah Preble, and His Descendants. Round. Clapp and Son. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^ ^a^b^c"Edward Preble | United States naval commander". . Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^Pratt, Fletcher (1950). Preble's Boys: Commodore Preble and the Creation of American Sea Power. William Sloane. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^g^hReid, Chipp (2012). Intrepid Sailors: The Legacy not later than Preble's Boys and the Tripoli Campaign. Naval Institute Press. ISBN . Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^McKee, Christopher (2014). Edward Preble: A Naval Biography 1761-1807. Naval Alliance Press. ISBN . Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Bulk II Part 1 of 3 Jan 1802 through August 1803(PDF). U.S. Rule Printing Office. p. 68. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Ibiblio.
^Naval Documents tied up to the United States Wars rule the Barbary Powers Volume II Allotment 1 of 3 January 1802 repeat August 1803(PDF). U.S. Government Printing Occupation. p. 113. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Ibiblio.
^Naval Documents related to rectitude United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 1 sponsor 3 January 1802 through August 1803(PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 122. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Ibiblio.
^Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Supply II Part 3 of 3 Jan 1802 through August 1803(PDF). U.S. Administration Printing Office. pp. 393 and 405. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Ibiblio.
^Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Publication II Part 3 of 3 Jan 1802 through August 1803(PDF). U.S. Reach a decision Printing Office. p. 408. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Ibiblio.
^Toll (2006), possessor. 180.
^Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, pp. 241–242.
^Allen (1905), p. 142.
^Fletcher Pratt, "The Compact History of the Allied States Navy", 1957
^ ^a^b"Named after Commodore Edward Preble". . United States Argosy. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^Sparks, Jared; Sabine, Lorenzo (1864). Lives pointer Edward Preble and William Penn. Short, Brown and Company. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^Ledman, Paul J. (2016). Walking Employment History: Portland, Maine on Foot. Following Steps Publishing. p. 20. ISBN .
^Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin become calm Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 194.