US Naval Figures - Charles Stewart

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The ability and eminent services of Commodore Stewart have not only placed him in a very elevated rank among the naval commanders of the united States, but have been considered by many of his fellow citizens, as giving him a claim to the highest mark of their confidence with their suffrages can confer. Whatever difference of opinion may exist as to the fitness of the commodore for civil stations it is certain that his abilities have always been found equal to the occasion which called them forth, either upon the land, or upon his favourite field the ocean.
Charles Stewart was born in the city of Philadelphia, on the twenty-eighth day of July 1778, the month after the British army evacuated the city. His parents were natives of Ireland. It was his misfortune to lose his father before he had attained his second year. He was the youngest of eight children. On the death of his father, his mother was left in, the midst of the revolution, with four children to provide for, and with limited means for their support and education. Being, however, a women of talents and great energy, she was not found wanting in this arduous task.
At the age of thirteen, Charles sought and found employment in the merchant service, in which he rose, through the several grades, from the situation of cabin boy, to the command of an Indiaman; and here, in the full tide of successful mercantile enterprise, he relinquished all that he had toiled for, and offered himself to the service of his country. On the ninth of March 1798, he was commissioned lieutenant in the navy of the United States, and received orders to join the frigate United States, and then I command of Commodore John Barry. He continued in this ship until July 1800. Part of this time the frigate was employed in the West Indies, to look after and restrain the French privateers, and to protect our commerce against their depredations, in which service she was eminently successful. In the latter part of the year the frigate was engaged in transporting the commissioners for treating with France to that country, and was thus deprived of the opportunity which under other circumstances might have led to other and higher honours.
On the sixteenth of July 1800, Lieutenant Stewart was appointed to the command of the United States schooner Experiment, of twelve guns, in which he sailed on a cruise to the West Indies. Having arrived on the station assigned him, on the night of September the 1st, he fell in with the French armed schooner Deux Amis, of eight guns, and brought her to action, which terminated in ten minutes; the Deux Amis having struck her colours, she was sent to the United States for condemnation. Cruising under the Ice of Barbuda, at daylight on the 30th of September, two sails were discovered; bearing down on the Experiment, with all sail set, and English colours hoisted. The Experiment continued lying to, with the British signal of the day flying, until they approached with gun shot, when finding one to be a brig of war of eighteen guns, and the other three masted schooner of fourteen guns, and that they would not answer the signal, Lieutenant Stewart determined to retreat from such superior force, and avail himself of any opportunity that might offer for cutting off one of those vessels. It was soon discovered that the Experiment could out sail them, and after a fruitless chase of two hours, on the wind, they gave up the pursuit, hoisted French colours, fired a gun of defiance to windward, and kept their vessels off before the wind. He, being now satisfied of their character and force, manoeuvred to gain their wake to windward, and thus became the pursuing vessel in his turn. Sail was crowded on the Experiment, and at about eight o’ clock at night she came up with the three-masted schooner, and taking a position on her larboard quarter, poured in a broadside; in a few minutes the enemy struck her colours, and surrendered to the Experiment. She proved to be the French national schooner Diana, commanded by Captain Perandeau’ having onboard Lieutenant de Vaisseau, with a detachment of thirty invalid soldiers, and a crew of sixty-five men, also General Rigaud, on his way to France, under the convoy of the brig of war, which made her escape, and got into Saint Bartholomew. The prize was despatched to the United States, under command of Lieutenant James R. Caldwell, and was restored to the French under an article of the treaty; but the government for this vessel never compensated the captors, as others were in many cases.
After disposing of the prisoners at St. Christopher, Lieutenant Stewart continued on his cruising ground, and recaptured a number of American vessel’s, which had been taken by the French, and thus rescued a considerable amount of property from the grasp of their privateers. On the sixteenth of November, at midnight, he fell in with an armed vessel, and after repeatedly hailing and requesting her to heave to, that a boat might board her, for the purpose of ascertaining her character, and receiving no answer or other satisfaction, he determined to bring her to action. The vessel kept up a running fight with Great Spirit and determination, for forty minutes, when she became so cut and crippled by the experiment’s fire, that she was obliged to strike and submit to be boarded. She proved to be the Louisa Bridger, of Bermuda, carrying eight nine-pounders, with a stout crew of Bermudans. She was so much injured that the officers and crew of the Experiment were occupied until three o’clock next day in repairing her damages. Having two shot through her bottom, she was almost in a sinking condition, and when Lieutenant Porter boarded her, was found to have four feet water in the hold. After putting her in the best repair, which circumstances permitted, Lieutenant Stewart dismissed her on her cruise. The Experiment had only one killed and two wounded slightly. The wind, during the action, was strong and squally, and the Experiment careened so much, that Lieutenant Stewart, to enable his guns to be sufficiently depressed, four it necessary top cut three inch planks into short lengths, and put them under the trucks of the gun carriages, to raise the guns sufficiently from the lower port sills.
On the return of the Experiment to St Christopher, commodore Truxtun ordered Lieutenant Stewart to proceed with a convoy from Martinique to the island of St Thomas, and thence to Curacoa, to look for the United States brig Pickering, and frigate Insurgent, but nothing could be heard of those vessels at that place; they had both foundered in the equinoxial gale, with a store under their care, and all hands perished. On leaving Curacoa the Experiment was ordered to proceed to Norfolk.
Standing in for the Mona passage, early in the morning, a vessel was discovered in distress, and beating on the reef off Saona Island. On nearing her, many persons were discovered to be onboard. After anchoring the Experiment at a safe distance from the reef, Lieutenant Stewart despatched Lieutenant Porter with the boats to their relief, who, with much difficulty and danger from the breakers on the reef, succeeded in rescuing from destruction about sixty women and children, with seven men of the vessel’s crew. They were families of the most respectable inhabitants of St. Domingo, flying from the siege of that city by the blacks. They had been on the rocks for two days, without anything to eat or drink; and at the time of their rescue only a small portion of the quarterdeck was above water. After the sailors had recovered as much of the property as they could, by diving into the vessel’s hold, the Experiment proceeded to the city of St Domingo with the rescued persons, where they were all landed the next day, and returned to their friends. Their gratitude was unbounded, and the Experiment was most liberally furnished, gratis, with every refreshment the place afforded. The President of St Domingo, Don Joaquin Garcia, wrote a letter of thanks to the President of the United States, (Mr Jefferson,) commending in the highest terms the conduct of Lieutenant Stewart and his gallant crew won this occasion.
On the arrival of the Experiment in 1801, at Morfolk, she was sold out of the service, under the act of congress fixing the naval establishment. Lieutenant Stewart was amongst the thirty0six lieutenants retained under that law, and was placed in charge of the frigate Chesapeake, in ordinary, at Norfolk.

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In 1802, he joined the United States frigate Constellation, as first officer of Captain Murray, who was ordered to the Mediterranean to blockade Tripoli, then at war with the United States. This was a short cruise of one year, and afforded no opportunity for distinction. On her return, Lieutenant Stewart was placed in command of the brig Siren, then being built at Philadelphia, and received orders to superintend her equipment, which was effected in seven days after she was launched, when she sailed for the Mediterranean to join the command of Commodore Preble. She was engaged in giving protection to our commerce by convoy and conveying the consular presents to the Day of Algiers.
Syracuse, in the island of Sicily, was the rendezvous of the squadron. From that place Siren was engaged in the expedition sent under Lieutenant Stewart to destroy the frigate Philadelphia, which had grounded off the harbour of Tripoli, and was surrendered to the Bashaw. Lieutenant Decatur was sent in the Intrepid, ketch, with seventy volunteers, to board and burn the frigate, which he accomplished in the most gallant manner; and with the aid of the Siren’s boats, under Lieutenant Caldwell, affected his retreat out of the harbour. After this successful expedition, the siren, Lieutenant Stewart, with the Vixen, enterprise, and Nautilus, all under his command, were employed in a rigid blockade of the city of Tripoli and adjacent harbours. During this blockade Lieutenant Stewart frequently led in the vessels of the blockade to the attack of the batteries and flotilla, to accustom the officers and men to the enemy’s fire, and to force the Tripolitans to expend their ammunition; and on one occasion, they attacked and destroyed two batteries which the enemy had erected to the westward of the city, for the protection of their coasting trade.
On the 21st of July 1804, commodore Preble arrived Tripoli with the frigate constitution, 44 brig Argus, 18 brig Siren, 18 Scourge, schooner Vixen 16, enterprise 14, two mortar vessels, and six gunboats; with these in conjunction with the force above mentioned, he determined to attack the town flotilla, and batteries of Tripoli. On the 3rd of August the wind proving favourable, at meridian the signal was made to prepare for battle, when the whole force, forming a line ahead, led on by the Siren, Lieutenant Stewart, advanced to the attack, and when within reach of the enemy’s fire, the gunboats were cast off, and immediately boarded the gunboats of Tripoli, twenty of which were moored in a line, outside of the reef which formed the harbour. Three of them were carried, and brought off under cover of the vessels of war, and added to the American squadron. Lieutenant Stewart for his gallant conduct on this occasion received the thanks of Commodore Preble.
For his distinguished services throughout the blockade he was promoted to be master commandant, and placed in command of the frigate Essex, which vessel, after the conclusion of peace with Tripoli, proceeded with the rest of the squadron, commanded by Commodore Rodgers, to Tunis Bay, for the purpose of checking in that regency a rising disposition to commence hostilities on the flag and commerce of the United States. The hostile attitude of the squadron, while there induced Mr George Davis, consul of the United States, to leave the city, and seek refuge onboard the fleet. The state of our affairs now drawing to a crisis so serious, it appeared to the consul general, Colonel Lear, that the flag officer ought to strengthen his acts with the advice and consent of his principal officers; in consequence of which, the commander-in-chief called a council, consisting of Captains Campbell, Decatur, Stewart, Hull, smith, Dent, and Robinson, to whom the situation of our affairs with the regency was explained, and the opinion of the officers demanded whether hostilities ought not immediately to commence. It was at this council that the opinion of Captain Stewart carried with it the assent of all the officers, and preserved the peace of the country with that regency. It was on receiving that opinion, as delivered in the council, transmitted by the consul general and the consul, Mr Davis to the President of the United States, that Mr Jefferson expressed to his cabinet the high satisfaction he felt at having an officer in the squadron who so thoroughly comprehended international law, the constitution of his country, and the policy of his government. On the termination of this affair with the regency of Tunis, Captain Stewart took command of the frigate Constellation, and returned to the United States.
During part of the years 1806 and 7, Captain Stewart was employed in superintending the construction of gunboats at New York, and was afterwards engaged in prosecuting mercantile enterprises to the East Indies, the Mediterranean, and the Adriatic. On the declaration of war with Great Britain, in 1812, he proceeded in conjunction with Commodore Bainbridge, to Washington for the purpose of seeking service; but on presenting themselves at the Navy Department, they were informed that it had been decided by the cabinet to place all the ships of war in the harbour of New york for its defence, and thus deprive the marine of all opportunity for distinguished service. But, on the 22nd of June 1812, it was determined by the President, in conformity with the suggestions of these officers, that the ships should be sent to sea, and to sea they were for with ordered. Captain Stewart was appointed to the command of the brig Argus and the Hornet sloop of war.
In December he was appointed to the command of the frigate Constellation, then repairing at Washington. Shortly after, she was equipped, and ready for sea, upon which occasion Captain Stewart gave a splendid entertainment onboard that vessel, to all branches of government, and the citizens of the district. He now proceeded to Hampton Roads, predatory to going on a cruise; but unfortunately, the morning after anchoring there, he discovered the enemy approaching his anchorage with a superior force of two seventy-four, three frigates, and several small vessels of war; he lost no time in preparing to retreat. It being calm with him, he commenced kedging his frigate towards Norfolk; the enemy’s vessels approached rapidly with a fine breeze, which they fortunately lost off Willoughby’s point, and they were in consequence of the ebb tide compelled to anchor. The Constellation was kedged up on the flats off Sowell’s Point, where she lay aground the rest of the day; Captain Stewart continued to press the river craft and lighten his vessel. In case the enemy by kedging up their seventy-fours, or by means of a breeze, had reached his position, he was prepared for burning the Constellation; the night flood however, made when about eight o’clock his ship floated, sail was made on her with a fine breeze, boats with lights and pilots were sent to point out the shoals, and at eleven o’clock, p.m. the Constellation was safely moored between forts Norfolk and Nelson, where she afterwards contributed to defend that place, and with her cannon and her crew repulsed the enemy’s attack on Craney Island, and defeated the expedition sent to capture Norfolk and its dependencies.
In the summer of 1813, Captain Stewart was ordered to assume the command of the frigate Constitution, then undergoing repairs at Boston. In December following he proceeded on a cruise. After exhibiting that ship on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, and about the Bermuda Islands, and destroying the Picton of sixteen guns, a merchant ship of ten guns, the brig Catherine, and schooner Phoenix, he chased several British ships of war, and the frigate La Pique, in the Mona passage, without being able to overtake any of them, in consequence of the worn out state of the sails of the Constitution. Captain Stewart determined to return to Boston, and replace them; in April the Constitution arrived at Marblehead, in Massachusetts, having with great difficulty escaped from the British frigates, the Junon, and La Nymphe, of fifty guns each.
In December, the Constitution proceeded on another cruise, having been refitted with great care, and furnished with new sails. On the 24th he captured and destroyed to the eastward of the Bermuda, the brig Lord Nelson; off Lisbon he captured the ship Susan, with a valuable cargo, and sent her to New York; and on the 20th of February 1815, after a sharp conflict of forty minutes, he captured the British ships of war, the Cyane of thirty-four guns, and the Levant of twenty-one guns, having three men killed, and thirteen wounded, the British ships having in all thirty-five killed, and forty-two wounded.

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Captain Stewart proceeded with these prizes to the Island of St Jago, with a view to divest his ship of the numerous prisoners, consisting of the officers, seamen, and marines of both ships of the enemy, amounting to nearly four hundred. While making arrangements for despatching them at Port Praya, For Barbados, the British squadron consisting of the ships of war the Aeasta of fifty guns, the New Castle of sixty-four guns, and the Leander, of sixty-four guns, under the command of Sir George Collier, reached his position under cover of a thick fog. Notwithstanding there near approach, Captain Stewart determined to retreat, and immediately the Constitution and her prizes cut their cables and crowded sail to escape. He was fortunate in being able, by his skilful management and manoeuvres, to save from their grasp his favourite frigate Constitution, and the Cyane; the Levant was captured by the squadron and sent to Barbados.
After this escape, he proceeded with the Constitution to Maranham, in the Brazils, and landed the prisoners, refreshed his crew, refitted his vessel, and returned to Boston, where their fellow citizens received him and his officers with the usual courtesies.
On his way through New York, the common council honoured Captain Stewart with the freedom of their city, in a gold box, and extended towards him and his officers the courteous hospitalities of that city, by a public dinner. On his arrival in Philadelphia, the legislature of his native State (Pennsylvania) voted him thanks, and directed his excellency the governor to cause a gold hilted sword to be presented to Captain Stewart, in testimony of their sense of his distinguished merits in capturing the British ships of war of superior force, the Cyrane, and the Levant. On the meeting of congress, the assembled representatives of the nation passed a vote of thanks to Captain Stewart, his officers, and crew; and resolved that a suitable gold medal, commemorative of this brilliant event, the capture of the two British ships of war, the Cyane and the Levant by the Constitution, should be presented to Captain Stewart, in testimony of the sense they entertained of his gallantry, and that of his officers, seamen and marines, under his command on that occasion.
The war with Great Britain having terminated, the Constitution was put out of commission, and laid up in ordinary. In 1816, Captain Stewart was placed in command of the Franklin ship of the line of seventy-four guns, and in 1817, she was fitted out at Philadelphia as the flag of Commodore Stewart, who was directed to take command of the American squadron in the Mediterranean Sea. In November 1817, he sailed for England, to convey the Hon. Richard Rush as a minister to the court of St. James, who was landed therein the latter part of December, after which the Franklin proceeded to the Mediterranean, and Commodore Steward took command of the force of the United States in that sea. In this station he preserved that glory of his former exploits, and the honour of his country. He was placed in a situation, which calls forth an energy and address in a situation, which calls forth an energy and address that a few men are fortunate enough to combine. In 1820 the Franklin returned to the United States, and remained in ordinary until the following year, when she was again fitted for service in the Pacific, and Commodore Stewart was placed in command. This post, owing to the state of affairs in the South American provinces, called for the exercise of great discretion and prudence in giving protection to his fellow citizens and their property, while at the same time, he had to guard against the representations of malignant enemies. In these trying circumstances the commodore adopted that line of conduct, which patriotism, duty and honour alone could point out.
On returning to the country he has so nobly served Commodore Stewart was subject to a disregarding arrest for one year, and to the costs of an expensive court material. An acquittal, more honourable than the recourse of any naval can furnish, was the result accorded to him, under the oath twelve of his brother officers, distinguished for their patriotism, valour, experience and fidelity to their country. On his return from Washington, where his trial took place, to Philadelphia, his friends greeted him with a public dinner in approbation of his services in the Pacific. From 1825 to 1830, he was variously engaged in appropriate duties such as variously engaged in appropriate duties such as examining midshipmen and sitting in court materials.
In august 1830, he was appointed a member of the Board of Navy until August 1833; he then retired to his farm in New Jersey. In July 1836, commodores Stewart, Dallas and Bolton were appointed commissioners to prepare plans of the improvement of the may yard at Pensacola.
On the 1st of July 1837, Commodore James Barron resigned the command of the navy yard at Philadelphia, and Commodore Stewart was placed in command of that station. By the most strenuous exertions, Commodore Stewart succeeded in launching the line-if-battleship ship Pennsylvania on the 18th of July. The ship, the largest and most magnificent in point of model and construction now afloat, was ordered by the Secretary of navy to be removed from Philadelphia to Norfolk to be coppered, and Commodore Stewart was appointed to equip that period he has been engaged, as usual in various services, requiring the ability and experience of a first rate commander.
Commodore Stewart is about five feet nine inches in height, crect and well proportioned, of a dignified and engaging presence, and possessed of great constitutional powers to endure hardships and privations of all kinds. Although sixty-five years of age, he is still as active as if her were but in the prime of life. His complexion is fair, but it bears the weather-beaten marks of naval service. His hair is of a chestnut colour; his eyes blue, large, penetrating, and intelligent. The cast of his countenance is Roman, bold, strong, and commanding, and his head finely formed. He possesses great vogor of mind, a high sense of justice, and inflexible resolution of purpose. His mind is acute and powerful, grasping the greatest or smallest subjects with the intuitive mastery of genius. He not only fully understands his profession as a naval commander, but all the various interests of commerce, the foreign and domestic policy of his country, the principles of government, and the “law of nations,” are as familiar to him as “household words.” His control over his possession is truly surprising and under the most irritating circumstances, his oldest seamen have never yet seen a ray of anger flash from his eye. His kindness, benevolence and humanity are proverbial amongst those who know him; but his sense of justice and of the requisitions of duty are as unbending as fate.