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Medal Name: Capture of the Épervier
Struck for: Captain Lewis Warrington
Approval: Act of Congress October 21, 1814
OBVERSE
LUDOVICUS WARRINGTON DUX NAVALIS AMERI. (Americanus) (Lewis Warrington, American naval commander.)
Bust of Captain Warrington, in uniform, facing the right.
REVERSE
PRO PATRIA PARATUS AUT VINCERE AUT MORI. (Prepared to conquer or die for his country.)
Naval action between the United States sloop-of-war Peacock, of eighteen guns, Captain Warrington, and the British brig-of-war Épervier, of eighteen guns, Captain Wales;
the Peacock, to leeward, is firing her port broadside.
The Épervier has lost her main-topmast
Exergue: INTER PEACOCK NAV. AMERI ET EPERVIE NAV. ANG. DIE XXIX MAR. MDCCCXIV. (Inter Peacock navem Americanam et Épervier navemAnglicanam, die 29 Martii, 1814: Between the American vessel Peacock and the English vessel Épervier, March 29, 1814.)
BACKGROUND
Lewis Warrington was born in Williamsburgh, Virginia, November 3, 1782. He entered the navy as a midshipmanin 1800, and served under Commodore Preble in the Tripolitan campaign; was lieutenant, 1807; and master-commandant, 1813. He sailed from New York in March, 1814, in command of the sloop-of-war Peacock, and on the 29th of the same month took the British brig-of-war Épervier, Captain Wales, for which gallant deed he received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal. He was promoted to the rank of captain in November of the same year, and subsequently served on the Naval Board. In 1842 he became chief of the ordnance and hydrographic bureau of the Navy Department, in which capacity he died in Washington, October 12, 1851.
Resolution of Congress Voting Medals to Captain Warrington, etc.
Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the President of the United States be requested to present to Captain Lewis Warrington, of the sloop-of-war Peacock, a gold medal, with suitable emblems and devices, and a silver medal, with like emblems and devices, to each of the commissioned officers, and a sword to each of the midshipmen, and to the sailing-master of said vessel, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and crew, in the action with the British brig Épervier, on the 29th day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, in which action the decisive effect and great superiority of the American gunnery were so signally displayed.
Approved October 21, 1814.
Source: The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by J. F. Loubat, LL.D. (1878)