Thomas Macdonough

Thomas Macdonough
Captain Thomas Macdonough, USN "The Hero of Lake Champlain" (Gilbert Stuart)
Born	(1783-12-30)December 30, 1783 The Trap, New Castle County, Delaware, U.S.
Died	November 10, 1825(1825-11-10) (aged 41) At sea aboard USS Edwin, near Gibraltar
Place of burial	Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1800–1810; 1812–1825
Rank	Captain
Commands	Lake Champlain squadron Commandant, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 1815‑18 USS Guerriere USS Constitution
Battles / wars	Quasi War First Barbary War Battle of Tripoli Harbor War of 1812 Battle of Lake Champlain
Awards	Congressional Gold Medal
Relations	Thomas Macdonough, Sr. (father) James Macdonough (brother) Augustus Rodney Macdonough (son)

Thomas Macdonough, Jr. (December 31, 1783 – November 10, 1825) was a United States Navy officer noted for his roles in the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonough, Sr. who lived near Middletown, Delaware. He was the sixth child from a family of ten siblings and was raised in the countryside. He entered naval life at an early age, receiving a midshipman's commission at the age of sixteen.^[1]

Serving with Stephen Decatur at Tripoli, he was a member of "Preble's Boys", a select group of U.S. naval officers who served under the command of Commodore Preble during the First Barbary War. Macdonough achieved fame during the War of 1812, commanding the American naval forces that overpowered a British squadron at the Battle of Lake Champlain, part of the larger Battle of Plattsburgh, which helped lead to an end to that war.^[2]