History Focus
October 1

Navy Commander who would not give up.

James Lawrence was born on October 1, 1781. He was born in Burlington, New Jersey. He entered the Navy at the young age of 17. He was a midshipman when he entered in 1798. He rose to the rank of lieutenant by 1802. He was second in command to Stephen Decatur during the war with the Tripoli pirates from 1804 to 1805. During his time in the Navy he commanded the Argus, Vixen, Wasp, and Hornet.

On June 1, 1813, he commanded the Chesapeake. The crew of the Chesapeake was poorly trained and of little experience. The ship left the Boston Harbor to meet the British frigate Shannon. The Chesapeake and the Shannon were nearly equal in size and number of guns. The crew of the Shannon was, however, very well trained. Soon the Chesapeake was disabled and Lawrence fell fatally wounded but unwilling to surrender. He was carried below, mortally wounded, but unwilling to surrender. It is then that he cried the now famous words, "Don't give up the ship!"

Commander James Lawrence died a few days later in Halifax, where his captured vessel was taken. His body was later returned to the United States and buried in the yard of Trinity Church in New York City. His words are still uttered today to encourage those to keep trying in the face of great difficulty.

Sources: Compton’s Encyclopedia