AMEEICAX AND EUROPEAN SWOEDS 103 



Daniel D. Tompkins, Governor of the State of New York, pursuant 

 to resolutions of the Senate and Assembly of the said state as an ex- 

 pression of the high sense entertained by its Citizens of the patri- 

 otism, talents and conduct of Commodore T. Macdonough and of the 

 importance of the glorious Victory gained by him on the ever 

 memorable eleventh of September 1814." 



The recipient of this sword was born in New Castle County, Del., 

 in 1783. He was appointed a midshipman in the United States 

 Navy in 1800 and in 1803 was attached to the frigate Philadelphia. 

 He escaped the fate of the other officers and members of the crew 

 of this vessel when this ship was captured by the Moors during his 

 absence from the Philadelphia as a member of the prize crew of a 

 jMoorish frigate which had been captured a short time before. After 

 the loss of the Philadelphia he served in the schooner Enterprise 

 under Commodore Stephen Decatur. He then participated in the 

 various attacks made in 1804 upon the Tripolitans, and he was one 

 of the party that under Decatur's leadership recaptured and de- 

 stroyed the Philadelphia in February, 1804. He was promoted to 

 the rank of lieutenant in 1807 and commander in 1813. 



In August, 1814, a British army of about 12,000 men advanced into 

 the United States along the western shore of Lake Champlain, and 

 on September 11 attacked the town of Plattsburg. At the same time 

 a British squadron commanded by Capt. George Downie attacked 

 the American naval force anchored in Plattsburg Bay under the 

 command of Commodore Macdonough. Through the skill and 

 bravery of the American commander and the courage of the forces 

 under his command, the British squadron was defeated with heavy 

 losses. In recognition of his services on this occasion Macdonough 

 was promoted to the rank of captain and was presented with a gold 

 medal by act of Congress. He later commanded the United States 

 Squadron in the Mediterranean, and he died at sea in 1825. His 

 sword was lent to the National Museum in 1927 by Thomas Mac- 

 donough. 



SWORD OWNED BY MIDSHIPMAN JAMES M. BALDWIN 



A presentation sword in the National Museum collection of special 

 interest in connection with the War of 1812 is one presented to Mid- 

 shipman James M. Baldwin, United States Navy, by act of Con- 

 gress in recognition of his services during the Battle of Lake Cham- 

 plain, September 11, 1814. This sword ^^ is of a more uncommon 

 design than any of the same character in the collection. The blade 

 is long and two edged and bears on the obverse in two lines the legend 

 "James M. Baldwin, Midshipman, Lake Champlain, 11th Sept. 



88 Length, 98 cm. Blade 82 cm. long, 2.5 cm. wide. PI. 31, fig. 2. 



