 |
Medal Name: Capture of the Peacock
Struck for: Captain James Lawrence
Approval: Act of Congress January 11, 1814
OBVERSE
JAC. (Jacobus) LAWRENCE DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI
(James Lawrence. Itis sweet and becoming to die for one's country.)
Bust of Captain Lawrence in uniform, facing the right.
REVERSE
MANSUETUD. MAJ. QUAM VICTORIA. (Mansuetudo major quam victoria: Clemency greater than victory.)
The action is over. The United States sloop-of-war Hornet, of twenty guns, Captain Lawrence, is lying to and sending her boats to the rescue of the crew of the British brig-of-war Peacock, of twenty-two guns, Captain Peake, which has lost her mainmast, and is going down head foremost.
Exergue: INTERHORNET NAV AMERI ET PEACOCK NAV ANG DIE XXIV FEB MDCCCXIII (Inter Hornet, navemAmericanam, et Peacock, navem Anglicanam, die 24 Februarii, 1813: Between the American vessel Hornetand the English vessel Peacock, February 24, 1813.)
BACKGROUND
James Lawrence was born in Burlington, New Jersey, October 1, 1781. He was appointed a midshipman in 1798,and became a lieutenant in 1802; served against Tripoli, 1802-1804, and was second in command under Decatur, in the Intrepid, when the Philadelphia was destroyed off Tripoli. In 1810 he became master-commandant, and on February 24, 1813, with the Hornet, captured the British brig-of-war Peacock, Captain William Peake. For this action, Congress awarded him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. As captain he commanded the Chesapeake in 1813 and fell, mortally wounded, in the engagement with the British ship Shannon, Captain Broke. His last words,when carried below, were, "Don't give up the ship!" He died four days after the combat, on June 5, 1813, and was buried with military honors at Halifax, Nova Scotia. His remains were afterward taken to the United States, and now lie in Trinity church-yard, New York city.
Resolution of Congress Voting Medals to Captain Lawrence, etc.
Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America inCongress assembled: That the President of the United States be requested to present to the nearest male relative of Captain James Lawrence, a gold medal, and a silver medal to each of the commissioned officers who served under him in the sloop-of-war Hornet, in her conflict with the British vessel-of-war, thePeacock, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and crew in the capture of that vessel; and the President is also requested to communicate to the nearest male relative of Captain Lawrence the sense which Congress entertains of the loss which the naval service of the United States has since sustained in the death of that distinguished officer.
Approved January 11, 1814.
Source: The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by J. F. Loubat, LL.D. (1878)