Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/718

the U. S. navy, and during his visits to all parts of the world he collected material for his works. He was subsequently stationed for many years at New York, where, in 1836-'7, he edited the " Naval Maira/ine." In 18f>2 he was retired, and at his death he was the senior chaplain in the navy. The degree of D. D. was given him in 1868 by the Uni- versity of New York. His works include " Resi- dence' at the Sandwich Islands, 1823-'25," which is S. Ship etc." (2 vols., 1831 ; improved ed., by Rev. William Ellis, 2 vols., 1839) ; " Sketches of Society in Great Britain and Ireland in 1832 " (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1834); and "Brazil and La Plata in lS50-'53 : the Personal Record of a Cruise" (New York, 1856). Charles Samuel's son, Charles Seaforth, soldier, b. at sea. 11 April, 1823, was graduated in 1840 at the I". S. military academy, where he was assistant pn iles-.. >r of engineering in 1849-'54. He was made 1st lieutenant in the corps of engineer- in 185:;. serving as assistant engineer in 1854-'?. and as superintending engineer in the construction of fortifications in Boston harbor till 1861. having been promoted captain in 1800. He served during the civil war in the corps of engineers, was made major in 1863, and was chief engineer of the Mid- dle military division in 1864-'5. He was made lieutenant-colonel in 18(57, colonel in 1882, and was retired in September. IsSfi.

STEWART, Charles, naval officer, b. in Phila- delphia, Pa,, 28 July. 1778; d. in Bordentown, N. J., 6 Nov., 1869. His parents were Irish: his f at her died in 1780, and his mother was left with scant means to provide for four children. He entered the merchant marine as cabin-boy in 17'Jl, and quickly rose to the command of an Indiaman. Entering the iiavvas lieuten- ant, 9 March. 1798, he served in the frig- ate " United States" in the West In- die-, operating against French privateers. On 16 July, 1SIIO. hi' was appoint- ed to command the schooner Experiment," in the West Indies, where

he captured the

French schooner "Deux Amis." He was also chased by two French vessels, which he skilfully avoided, and by following them he fought and captured one. the schooner "Diana." before the other vessel could assist in the engagement. On Hi Nov.. 1800, he took the privateer "Louisa Bridger." and the next month he rescued sixty women and children that had been wrecked while flying from a revolution in Santo Domingo. The Spanish governor of (lie island wrote a letter of thanks to the president for Stewart's services. He was retained on the list of lieutenants in the naal n ' i ..ini/ntion of 1801. In 1802 he served as exeen- tive of the "Constellation," blockading Tripoli, but returned in 1803 and was placed in command of the brig " Siren, in Treble's squadron, off Trip- oli, where he convoyed Decatur in the "Intrepid" to destroy the " Philadelphia." and participated in all the attacks on Tripoli, being included in the vote of thanks by congress on 3 March, 1805. to Preble's officers. While blockading Tripoli he captured the Greek ship " Catapoliana " and the British brig " Scourge " for violating the block- ade. As mas- ter-comman- dant he took charge of the " Essex " and went with the fleet to Tunis, where he convinced his comman- der - in - chief that it was

illegal to

make war except by declaration of congress. He returned home in 1806, commanding the "Constellation," and was promoted to captain, 22 April. 1806. He superintended the construction of gun-boats at New York in 1806-'7. was engaged in the merchant marine in 1808-'12. but returned to the service in 1812. and with Bainbridge dissuaded the cabinet from the proposed policy of not sending the navy to sea against the British. He was assigned to command the " Argus " and Hornet " in a special expedition to the West Indies on 23 June, 1812. but the order was cancelled, and he was appointed to command the " Constellation." In going to Norfolk he met a British fleet, which he skilfully avoided, and then participated in the defence of the town. In the summer of 1813 he took command of the " Constitution," destroyed the " Picton." an armed merchant ship, and the brigs "Catherine" and "Phoenix," chased several British ships-of-war and the frigate " La Pique," and narrowly escaped two British frigates near Boston. With new sails lie left Boston in December, 1814, captured the brig " Lord Nelson " off Bermuda. 24 Dec.. 1814, and the ship "Susan" off Lisbon, and on 23 Feb., 1815. took two British ships-of-war, the " Cyane " and " Levant," after a spirited engagement of fifty minutes. While he was at anchor at St. Jago. Cape de Verde, a British fleet approached, from which he adroitly escaped w r ith the " Constitution " and "Cyane." the Levant " being recaptured by the fleet in the neutral harbor which she had just left. He received from congress a vote of thanks, a sword, and a gold medal, from the Pennsylvania legislature a vote of t hunks and a sword, and the freedom of the city of N"fv York. Like the famous frigate, represented in the illustration, Stewart received the soubriquet of i ild Ironsides." He commanded the Mediterranean squadron, in the " Franklin." in 1816-'20, and the Pacific squadron in lN20-'4. where he caused a paper blockade to be annulled, and vindicated the rights of American commerce. He was commissioner of the navy in 1830-'2, commanded the Philadelphia navy-yard in 1838-'41, and in 1*11 was mentioned as a candidate for president, but was not nominated. He had charge of the Home squadron in 1842-'3, commanded the Philadelphia navy-yard again in 184(i. and from ls,'>4 till 18(il. lie as retired as senior commodore in I*5i> and flag-officer in 1860, and on 1(! July. l s ii'.'. wa- mi loned rear-admiral, after which he' was on waiting orders until his death. He was in the service seventy-one years, and the senior officer for