~ Admiral
Arleigh Burke, CNO
As you well know I am a sucker for a good story. Somehow I
garner inspiration from almost anywhere and I love to retell the stories I
discover. The story I am about to share with you came from a simple internet
ad. The charge was nothing but a simple image of a navel flag with the words “Don’t
Give Up the Ship” stitched in a crude font emblazoned on a sea of navy blue.
I did some very quick research and came upon the history of
a thirty two year old United States Navy Captain, Captain James Lawrence who
commanded the USS Chesapeake. A decorated
Navy Captain who died in the heat of battle, who died some might urge as the victim
of arrogance, but who lives on in history because of the dying charge he gave
to his men; the men who took up his fight and carried on to victory.
Through the first year of the War of 1812, the infant United
States Navy won a number of stunning victories in ship-to-ship engagements over
Royal Navy vessels, including the capture of three British frigates (any warship
built for speed and maneuverability with lighter armament, were square-rigged on all three
masts, used for patrolling and escort). While this string of
Yankee successes may not have surprised the American people, it startled,
confounded, and angered the British nation which considered its sailors and
warships more than a match for the upstart US fleet.
One American officer who contributed to these early triumphs
over the Royal Navy was James Lawrence. On February 24, 1813, Lawrence commanded
the USS Hornet in a successful battle
that reduced the British Peacock to a
sinking state in the space of fifteen minutes, killing and wounding more than a
quarter of its crew. In recognition of this win, Lawrence was promoted to Captain
and given command of the USS Chesapeake,
berthed in Boston. Among the missions the Navy Department contemplated for the Chesapeake at this time was the seizure
and destruction of British transports and supply ships en route from England to
Canada.
When Lawrence arrived in Boston on May 20 to assume command
of the Chesapeake he found his ship
short of men and still in need of refitting for its intended voyage. He also
discovered two British frigates cruising in the waters off Boston Harbor,
awaiting the opportunity to intercept and capture any American vessel
attempting to enter or depart from that port. By the 25th, only one British
warship, the frigate Shannon,
remained in view blockading the harbor.
Lured by the prospect of laurels in another single-ship
combat with the enemy, and anxious to engage the Shannon before that ship was reinforced, Lawrence hastened to ready
the Chesapeake for battle. Although
the Chesapeake and the Shannon were nearly evenly matched in
size and power, the Shannon held a
decided advantage over its American counterpart in unit cohesiveness and training,
especially gunnery. On June 1st when Lawrence sailed the Chesapeake out to meet the Shannon,
he had directed his crew for less than two weeks, while the Shannon’s Captain, Philip Broke, had
commanded his vessel for seven years.
This disparity in experience and service gave the
well-trained Shannon the edge in the
battle that ensued. After a hard-fought, bloody action lasting only a quarter
of an hour, the American frigate struck her colors to the Shannon. The victory earned captain Broke a host of honors
including a knighthood, while defeat gained Lawrence fame and honor as a fallen
naval hero. The words of Lawrence’s last spoken command soon became a battle
cry throughout the American fleet, most famously as the motto emblazoning
Oliver Hazard Perry’s battle flag at the Battle of Lake Erie: “Don’t Give Up the
Ship.”
To memorialize the heroism and honor of his dead friend,
Perry invoked the dying command of Captain Lawrence as his personal battle flag
to commemorate his memory and rally his men. Perry earned the title "Hero
of Lake Erie" for leading
American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, receiving a Congressional Gold Medal and the Thanks of
Congress. His leadership
materially aided the successful outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military
campaign victories and the fleet victory was a turning point in the battle for
the west in the War of 1812.
The point to the story is this, even if you make a mistake,
jump the gun or fail in your mission; live your life at all times so that those
around you will pick up where you falter and carry forward. Hopefully your
mistakes won’t cost you your life, but perhaps your words and actions will
inspire others to victory. We won’t always win every battle in life but
hopefully we will make wise decisions and inspire others to win the war!
As we get ready to bring this year to
a close and our eye is turned toward rest, family, and togetherness, I hope you
are reminded of all of those around you who are impacted by your decisions.
Your impact on their lives can be either positive or negative. I’m hoping you
find your battle cry. I am hoping you are rallying your troops. I know that as
we charge into a new year your leadership skills will empower others to follow
in your footsteps and I know our community will be better because of it!
Merry CHRISTmas everyone and Never, Ever Give Up the Ship!
My research came from
http://www.navalhistory.org and Wikipedia.
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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, December 2, 2012 issue
of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.
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