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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Charles Stewart |
| Address |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
July 28, 1778
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| Died | November 06, 1869
(91 years)
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| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Feb 05, 2013 01:28am |
| Tags |
Irish - Navy -
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| Info | Charles Stewart was a first generation, native born Irish American, and depending upon the correct date of his birth, he was either the first or the second of his parent’s children to have been born as a citizen of the newly declared United States of America.
Both of Stewart’s parents were Irish born and had come to America from Ireland before 1770. Benson J. Lossing, 19th century author of the massive classic Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812, published in 1869, states that Stewart’s father had come to America at an “early age” but unfortunately, did not elaborate.
Stewart’s paternal family appears to have been distantly related to the royal family of Scotland despite the obvious difference in the spelling of the family surname: Stewart as opposed to Stuart. These spellings were commonly and frequently interchangeable and interchanged throughout both Scottish and Irish history and, by the 18th century, the genealogical lines of the Stewarts and the Stuarts of Scotland, Ireland and England were intricately entwined.
The youngest of eight children, Charles Stewart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The most frequently given date for this event was 22 July 1776, but dates of 22 July 1777 and 28 July 1778 have been given in other sources. I have chosen to accept the earlier date due to the fact that Lossing, who interviewed Stewart in 1863, was closer to first hand knowledge.
However, I would caution the reader to accept this specific date with care, just as I have done. For even though Lossing did indeed have such first hand, face-to-face contact with Stewart, I have encountered conflicting information regarding other dates and events in his narrations, including that of his information regarding Charles Stewarts age and date of birth.
Lossing reports that Stewart’s father was a “merchant mariner” who died before Charles Stewart was two years old. Again he offers no specifics regarding this event.
It is highly probable that the knowledge of his deceased father’s profession may have influenced young Stewart’s decision, at the age of 13, to leave home and go to sea as a cabin boy on a merchant vessel, and to subsequently pursue a career at sea.
By the time he was 22 years old, Stewart had become master of his own merchant ship.
In 1798 the “Quasi-War” with France broke out over the shipping of goods to and from England, with which France was at war at the time. France had begun capturing and impounding American ships and crews carrying what they considered to be contraband cargoes.
On 9 March of that year, Charles Stewart entered the service of the American Navy and was commissioned as a Lieutenant. At the time of this event, Lieutenant was the second highest standard grade rank available to officers of the American Navy, the rank of Captain being the highest with the title of Commodore being given to Captains commanding naval groups.
Stewart was assigned to the frigate United States under the command of Commodore Barney. He was present on this ship when it made one or more cruises through the West Indies during that year and the next.
On 17 July 1800, Lieutenant Stewart was given command of the schooner Experiment. In early autumn of that year, shortly before the treaty ending this conflict was signed, Stewart in Experiment encountered and challenged the armed French schooner Two Friends. After an engagement lasting only 10 minutes, and without the loss of a single life among his own crew, Stewart defeated and captured the French vessel.
During the remainder of his brief sojourn as commanding officer of the Experiment, Stewart successfully accomplished the capture of another French vessel as well as the liberation of a number of American warships that had been captured by France.
At some point during this same period, Stewart and the Experiment became involved in an incident that accomplished the rescue of a number of Spanish citizens, including numerous women, from the island of Santo Domingo in the West Indies. This rescue saved these people from being slaughtered by black insurgents who had risen in revolt on that island.
Later, in 1804, the King of Spain desired to award Stewart a commemorative sword in recognition and appreciation for the Santo Domingo rescue. However, under American constitutional law, American military officers were prohibited from accepting such awards from foreign powers, heads of state or dignitaries. This difficulty was swiftly overcome on a technicality when the King of Spain announced that the sword was a personal give from him to Stewart for the latter’s “personal defense.”
Stewart was wearing this same sword years later during the War of 1812 when, while commanding the USS Constitution, he engaged and effected the capture of the British warships HMS Cyane and HMS Levant. During that battle, an enemy cannonball grazed Stewart’s side, struck the sword, tore off and destroyed its hilt guard.
After that battle, the Constitution’s blacksmith fashioned and mounted a crude guard on the sword to replace the one that had been destroyed. Stewart never had that guard changed and the sword remained in his possession for the remainder of his life.
In 1801 Stewart left the Experiment and briefly held command of the USS Chesapeake. He was apparently then transferred to service on board the USS Constellation as a senior officer. Not long after this, he was given command of the brig Siren (or Syren) and was dispatched to the Mediterranean for action against the Barbary powers.
He participated with Stephen Decatur in the boarding and destruction of the frigate USS Philadelphia, which had been captured and interned in the harbor at Tripoli. In May 1804 Stewart was promoted to the rank of Master Commandant. Following this promotion, he and Siren were present with others, including once again Stephen Decatur, participating in the blockade and bombardment of the port of Tripoli.
During the course of this action, a force of enemy attackers attempted to board and capture several American vessels in the harbor of Tripoli. During this night actions, Decatur was attacked by an individual boarder and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle. At one point, both Decatur and his attacker were briefly disarmed. The enemy attacker pulled a long knife and attempted to stab Decatur, but Decatur managed to pull his own weapon, a pistol, and shot his assailant dead.
After this desperate fight, Stewart apparently retrieved the knife that had been used against Decatur, a 12” long dirk with a handle made of rhinoceros tooth. This also became one of Stewart’s cherished keepsakes and was still in his possession in late 1863 when he was interviewed by Lossing.
Throughout the remainder of this conflict, Stewart, still in Siren, distinguished himself in several assaults upon the enemy. Following the treaty ending the Barbary conflict, he was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1806 and returned to American.
From that point until 1807 he was superintendent of boat construction for the Navy. But that year, when the American government began implementing major naval reductions, Stewart retired from active service and once again returned to the merchant service, commanding a series of merchant vessels during the ensuing years.
When war once again broke out between the United States and Great Britain in 1812, Stewart returned to duty with what was now officially known as the United States Navy, and proceeded to command a number of vessels during that conflict.
During the first year of war, he command successively the Argus, the Hornet and the Constellation. His tenure in the Constellation was brief however due to the effectively strong British blockade of most major American seaports.
Then, in 1813, he was ordered to Boston where he took command of the USS Constitution. On 30 December 1813, Stewart took the Constitution out of Boston under cover of inclement weather and darkness, thus becoming the only major American warship to effectively break the British naval blockade. During the course of the following year, he commanded the Constitution on what has been described as two “brilliant” cruises against the enemy between that time and the end of the war in 1815, cruises that were to prove to be the high points of his naval career.
By the beginning of February 1814, the Constitution was cruising off the coast of Surinam. On the 14th of that month she engaged and captured the British war schooner Picton. Returning northward through the West Indies on 18 February, she sighed and gave chase to the British frigate La Pique off Puerto Rico. With the coming of darkness however, the crew of the Constitution lost sight of the La Pique and continued back toward the United States.
Then, on 3 April 1814, while off Cape Anne, two large vessels were sighted to the southeast, making rapidly for the Constitution. Though Boston had been the ship’s original destination, Stewart was forced to turn for the harbor at Marblehead. After having lightened ship as much as possible to gain speed, Stewart succeeded in bringing the Constitution into the relative safety of that harbor.
By now though, the two original British ships, identified as the heavy frigates Junon and La Nymphe, had blockaded the entrance to the Marblehead harbor and the Constitution was bottled in that location. The British vessels gave every indication of eventually entering the harbor and engaging the Constitution.
Stewart, realizing that his ship stood little chance of surviving a pitched battle with the two larger and heavier armed British vessels, dispatched an urgent communication to Commodore Bainbridge at Boston, requesting immediate assistance.
Bainbridge swiftly dispatched all forces at his command to the relief of the Constitution. Several companies of militia, artillery and infantry proceeded to Marblehead and this show of land forces dissuaded the British vessels from pursuing an in harbor attack against the Constitution.
Once the British ships had withdrawn from the area, Stewart then sailed the
Constitution first to Salem and then to Boston, Massachusetts where she was to remain under British blockade until late December 1814.
In December 1814 Stewart again sailed the Constitution out of Boston, again eluding the remnants of the British blockade of that harbor. The Constitution made its way to the Bay of Biscay by way of Bermuda and Madiera.
In late January or early February 1815, the Constitution was cruising off the coast of Portugal, near the port of Lisbon. While in this area, a large vessel was sighted to seaward. The Constitution gave chase, but lost sight of the larger ship when Stewart chose instead to engage and capture another prize vessel.
The larger vessel was the HMS Elizabeth, bound for the port at Lisbon, and had been entirely unaware of the nearby presence and pursuit of the Constitution. However, upon being informed of this information, the commander of the Elizabeth quickly had his ship put to sea again and went in chase of the Constitution, a chase that was to prove fruitless.
On 20 February 1815, having sailed southward toward Cape St. Vincent, the Constitution’s lookouts spotted a strange sail and the ship gave chase. At approximately 2:00 that afternoon, a second vessel was sighted to leeward of the original vessel, these two ships apparently being in company.
Toward evening, following a series of signals, the two strange ships drew together and the Constitution continued her pursuit, Stewart hoping to achieve and attack at least one of them before sunset.
At about 6:00 that evening, being at last within range of the two ships, Stewart cleared the Constitution for action and showed his colors. At that point, the two unidentified ships also broke out their colors, proving to be British.
In a moonlit battle that lasted until just after 10:00 at night, the Constitution engaged and overcame the British warships HMS Cyane and HMS Levant. During this battle, which resulted din heavy damage and loss of life to the British vessels, the Constitution suffered only minimal damage and personnel losses of only 3 killed and a dozen wounded. But the action was not yet over.
After having dispatched a prize crew under the command of Lt. Hoffman to the Cyane and under Lt. Ballard to the Levant, Stewart turned the three vessels toward Porto Praya, the neutral capitol of the island of Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands, arriving there on 10 March 1815 where he paroled (released) the British crews of the two captured ships.
The following day was enshrouded in a low, thick fog. But above the fog, lookouts sighted the sails of a large ship. The Constitution was quickly brought to quarters and prepared to leave harbor and challenge the unidentified vessel. But before she could get under way, the sails of two additional large ships were sighted.
It was soon determined that the Constitution was faced by three British heavy frigates, the Leander, the Newcastle and the Acasta. Knowing that his own forces were no match for these heavily armed men of war, and knowing that the British naval commander would probably show no respect for the neutrality of the port, Stewart immediately ordered his three ships underway and headed toward the United States under full sail.
Within 15 minutes of Stewart’s orders, the Constitution, the Levant and the Cyane had made sail and were speeding northward and away from Porto Praya. The British warships gave chase and were soon gaining on their American prey.
The damaged Cyane, under Hoffman’s command, soon began falling astern of the Constitution. Stewart signaled her to make an eluding tack as the British vessels turned their attention to that vessel. Hoffman complied and soon disappeared into the fog. Under cover of that fog, Hoffman was able to escape and successfully brought the ship into New York harbor on 10 April 1815.
Meanwhile, the Levant, under Ballard, also began falling behind. Stewart signaled an eluding tack to the ship, just as he had to the Cyane. Ballard complied, but as he did, all three British warships broke off pursuit of the Constitution and turned their full attention on the Levant.
Ballard, realizing the danger of his situation, immediately turned the Levant back toward Porto Praya and at 4:00 that afternoon, dropped anchor within 150 yards of shore, assuming that his ship would be under the protection of neutral battery of 30 to 40 shore guns.
However, unknown to Ballard, the British sailors who had previously landed by Stewart at Porto Praya, had taken possession of these guns and opened fire upon the Levant simultaneously with the three British ships. Ballard had no choice but to strike his colors and surrender to the British forces. The Levant was eventually returned to her original crew and set sail for the Barbados, probably carrying as prisoners the Americans who had been aboard her.
Meanwhile, Stewart in the Constitution made his way to New York, arriving there in the middle of May. The Constitution and her crew were welcomed with great fanfare and hailed as heroes as a result of this action against the British even though, like the famous Battle of New Orleans, it had taken place after peace had been proclaimed between the United States and Great Britain.
For additional information regarding this engagement, see Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 at the end of this manuscript.
According to Lossing, the Common Council of the city of New York awarded Stewart the freedom of the city “in a gold box”, whatever that may have been. Stewart and his officers had honors tendered them by the city at a public dinner. The state of Pennsylvania awarded Stewart a commendations of thanks and presented him with a gold hilted sword.
On 22 February 1816, the following resolution was passed by a joint action of the Senate and the Congress of the United States:
“Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that the President of the United States be, and is hereby requested to present to Captain Charles Stewart, of the frigate Constitution, a gold medal, with suitable emblems and devices, and a sliver medal, with suitable emblems and devices, to each commissioned officer of the said frigate, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry, good conduct and services of Captain Stewart, his officers and crew, in the capture of the British vessels of war, the Cyane and the Levant, after a brave and skillful combat.” (3 Stat. 341)
These medals were duly approved by the President and awarded to Stewart and his officers.
Following the end of the war of 1812, Stewart was placed in command of the USS Franklin and given charge of a naval squadron in the Mediterranean. Stewart was given the rank of Commodore while on this assignment which lasted until 1820.
At the time of this promotion, the rank of Commodore was still the highest available to officers of the United States Navy. This was due to the fact that the official rank of Admiral was prohibited from the United States Navy because of its association with the British Navy. During this command, Stewart became twice involved with the controversy surrounding the service and career of one of his junior officers, Lt. Uriah P. Levy, a Jewish officer whose ostracism and persecution at the hands of the United States Navy was described in 1899 as an “American forerunner of (the) Dreyfus” affair in France.
In 1816 Levy was serving on the Franklin under Stewart’s command. Two years later, when the frigate United States found herself short of her required complement of lieutenants, Stewart transferred Levy to that vessel.
The officers of the United States strongly objected to the inclusion of a Jewish officer in their ranks and made formal complaint to the commanding officer of their ship, Captain Crane. Crane then forwarded these objections, with which he seems to have agreed, directly to Stewart and requested that the transfer order be rescinded.
Stewart, apparently angered by the situation and the prejudicial attitude exhibited by the officers of the United States, fired off a direct order to Crane, commanding that the transfer of Levy to the United States be immediately effected. This order included a rather caustic rejoinder to Crane that he, Stewart, found it “regrettable that a second order is found necessary to change the position of one officer in the squadron.”
Still later, Levy was brought before a courts martial on charges of “…disobedience of orders, contempt of his superior officers, and unofficer-like conduct in that he struck a petty officer.” This court found Levy guilty of all charges and sentenced him to dismissal, not from the United States Navy, but from service on board the United States with the
Commodore Uriah P. Levy
stipulation that he “…not again be allowed to serve on board her.” Additionally, he was to be publicly reprimanded by the commanding officer of the Squadron. Commodore Stewart immediately disapproved and rescinded this sentence.
Levy was an extraordinary naval officer, who continued his career for many years and eventually attained the rank of Commodore. His subsequent private civilian life was also exemplary and he is now considered to have been one of the most honorable officers ever to serve in the United States Navy, so much so that a chapel at the Naval Academy bears his name. Additional information regarding the Levy affair can be found in Appendix 3 at the end of this manuscript. In 1820 Stewart and the Franklin were transferred to command of the American naval squadron in the Pacific. He retained this command until 1824.
It was during this tenure that he became involved in an incident that was to place the only blemish on his naval career and record. As of this writing, I have been unable to learn any true details about this incident, but what I do know is as follows.
By the time Stewart took command of the Pacific squadron, he had married and had several children by Delia Tudor. Apparently, when he transferred to the Pacific, Stewart took his wife along with him on board the Franklin.
Though the practice of carrying women to sea on board America warships had been prohibited by regulations adopted in 1802 and 1814, these regulations seem not to have been either widely observed or strongly enforced by the 1820’s.
Toward the end of his period of command in the Pacific, Mrs. Stewart supposedly smuggled the deposed President of Peru on board the Franklin without her husband’s knowledge. This act apparently caused an international crisis and Stewart himself, after relinquishing command of the Pacific squadron in 1823 or 1824, was up on charges before a courts-martial because of his involvement in the affair. Stewart was either reprimanded or censured as a result of this action.
Stewart either divorced or separated from his wife almost immediately thereafter, and probably as a result of the
Rear Admiral Charles Stewart In 1864
previous affair. His wife was reported as having “…fled to the Oaklands for refuge with the Gardiners.” She later died in 1860.
By 1830, Stewart was still in Naval Service, serving as Naval Commissioner from that year until 1832. From 1838 until 1841, he commanded the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Sometime near the beginning of this command, Stewart’s name seems to have been brought into consideration as a possible candidate for some political office that was also being contested by James Buchanan and Thomas Hart Benton.
The following comments regarding Stewart were apparently made by B. H. Greene of Boston, Massachusetts in response to a query from one O. A. Brownson:
“He is about 60, in tolerable health, but with an iron frame terribly shaken by a life of dissipation. He has some mind and information and is superior in both to General (William Henry) Harrison. As a sailor, he stands deservedly high. He is separated from his wife. In the matter of women he has been particularly loose. He now has a mistress who is said to be a relative left under his guardianship and debauched by him. He is also far from select in his male associates. The nomination has been brewing for some time but is generally laughed at. A Captain Henry, a man of arrogance, insolence and dissoluteness, is Stewart’s constant companion. . .Stewart has generally voted a democratic ticket, but for several years past has been looked upon as a conservative.”
Nothing came of this consideration and in 1842 Stewart became the first commanding officer of the American Home Squadron. In 1846 he was once again appointed to command the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He apparently held this command for only a part of that year, after which he was in other, presently undetermined duty.
Then, in 1854, he was again appointed to command the Philadelphia Navy Yard and remained in that duty until his
retirement from the United States Navy, at the age of 83, in 1861.
Stewart’s retirement coincided with the siege of Fort Sumpter, the event which initiated the hostilities of the American Civil War. At that time, Stewart was consulted by President Lincoln regarding the possible relief of that island fortification. Stewart was apparently offered command of the relief force, but citing age, he retired that year as the most senior officer in the United States Navy.
In 1862, at the height of the Civil War, the United States Congress, in recognition of the growing importance and need of the Navy, formally established the rank of Rear Admiral for that service. Concurrent with that event, Congress also pass a resolution recognizing the service that Charles Stewart had rendered his nation and retroactively promoted him to the rank of Rear Admiral (Retired).
In the summer of 1863, Benson Lossing visited Stewart at his home in Bordentown, New Jersey and conducted his interview with the Rear Admiral that provided information for a part of his working study on the War of 1812. At that time, Lossing described Stewart as being “…a firm and compactly knit man, about five fee nine inches in height and possessed of great bodily and mental vigor.”
In 1864, Charles Stewart was the only surviving officer of either the civil or military service of the United States who held a commission granted in the 18th century.
Rear Admiral Charles Stewart made his home in Bordentown, New Jersey following his retirement and was still living there when he died at the age of 91 on 6 November 1869. He was buried with full military honors at Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
An interesting final note to the story of Charles Stewart is the fact that his daughter, Delia Tudor Stewart, married and moved to Ireland where she became the mother of a man who was one of the driving forces behind the movement for Irish nationalism and independence in the 19th century: Charles Stewart Parnell.
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