DALE
DALE
nal grandfather, Thomas Fitzgerald of Philadel-
phia, and was graduated at the University of
Pennsylvania in 1831 as valedictorian. He began
to study law, but gave it up and entered Andover
theological seminary, where he studied one year,
183ii-33. He then entered Princeton theological
seminary, where he spent one year, and returning
to Andover wa,s graduated there in 1835. He
was licensed to preacli, April 16, 1835, and was
agent for the A.B.C.F.M., 1835-37, and assistant
pastor of the Fifth Presbyterian church, Phila-
delphia, Pa., 1836-37. He was ordained by the
Andover association at Dracut, Mass., Aug. 29,
1837, and was regular supply of several Presby-
terian churches in Philadelphia, 1837-38. He
was graduated in medicine from the University
of Pennsylvania in 1838, intending to go as a
missionary to India. He was agent for the
Pennsylvania Bible society, 1838-45; pastor at
Eidley and Middletown, Pa., 1846-58; at Media,
Pa., 1858-71; and at Wayne. Pa. 1871-76. He
was an advocate of temperance and it was
through his efforts that in 1850 the charter of the
town of Media, Pa., passed the legislature, hav-
ing included in it a clause prohibiting the sale of
liquor as a beverage in that town. He was
married. May 14, 1844, to Mary Goldsborojigh,
daughter of Andrew and Rebecca (Rodgers)
Gray, and their son, James "Wilkinson, born Feb.
23, 1856, was graduated from the University of
Pennsylvania B.S. in 1879, and became a civil
and mining engineer at Media, Pa. Their young-
est daughter, Annie G. Dale, became a mis-
sionary in Persia. He received the degree of
D.D. from Hampden -Sidney college in 1867 and
from the University of Pennsylvania in 1868.
His published works include: Classic Baptism
(1867); Judaic Baptism (1869); Johannic Baptism
(1871); Christie and Patristic Baptism (1874); arti-
cles on Baptism in Schaff "s Encyclopsedia, and nu-
merous tracts and magazine articles. A memoir
bj' the Rev. Dr. James Roberts was printed in
1886. He died in Media, Pa.. April 19, 1881.
DALE, Richard, naval officer, was born near Norfolk, Va., Nov. 6, 1756. He had few school advantages, going to sea on a mercliantman at the age of twelve and gaining command of a ship before he was nineteen. The tlireatened war with Great Britain caused Virginia to organize a navy for the protection of her coast and Dale enlisted in the .ser\-ice as a lieutenant. His first essay with a British ves.sel resulted in his ca])ture and imprisonment at Norfolk. Under the influ- ence of a friend of his boyhood, Bridges Gutter- idge, he turned royalist, enlisted on a British war vessel, and in an attack on American pilot boat.s was severely wounded and carried back to Norfolk. While recovering he resolved to re- turn to his allegiance to the colonies and so
Qi.^M^&^.
impressed his patriotic impulse upon (iut-
teridge as to determine him also to join
the American navy. He went to sea on an
English merchant ship which was captured
by Capt. John Barry, commander of the Lexing-
ton. He at once proclaimed himself a patriot
and was afterward
made a midshipman
on the Lexinr/ton. In
the ne.\t encounter
of that vessel, then
under Capt. William
Hallock, with a Brit-
ish vessel, the Pearl,
the Lexington was
captured and a Brit-
ish prize-crew placed
aboard. Dale, with
seventy-five others of
the officers and crew,
then prisoners, re-
captured the brig and
carried her into Baltimore. lie was then made
master's mate and under Captain Johnston sailed
for the coast of France in the sjjring of 1777, where
the Lexington, the Dolphin and the Peprisal were
directed by Franklin, then commissioner to that
country, to operate against British commerce in
British waters. They captured in two months
fourteen prizes, and in August, 1777, carried them
safely into French waters. The Lexington then
operated in the Bay of Biscay, fell in with the
British cutter Alert, and after exhausting her
ammunition and losing several of her officers,
the Lexington surrendered and Dale was a prisoner
for the fourth time. The captured officers and
crew were carried to England and thrown into
Mill prison, whence they escaped through a sub-
terranean tunnel excavated with much difficulty
and ingenuity. Dale and a companion found
their way to London and shipped on a vessel
from which they were pressed into the British
navy, but being detected as Americans they
were sent back to Mill prison and spent forty
days in the " black hole," Dale earning a second
forty days in the same dismal place for singing
rebel songs. After a year's confinement he
escaped in a Briti-sh uniform. It is supjxysed
that he obtained the disguise, a passix)rt and a
considerable sum of money, through a promise
never to divulge his benefactor's name. Reach-
ing L'Orient, France, he joined John Paul Joni»s
in fitting out the Bon ITomme L'ichard and was
mad? first lieutenant on that vessel. He fought
on Sept. 23, 1779, as " Paul Jones's right arm of
strength " in the terrible battle between the Bo »
Ilomme liichard and the Serapis, commanding the
main deck. He was the first officer to gain the
deck of the Serapis, and not until the battle was
