Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/339

Rh cession with others equally well directed and destructive to the enemy, whose mizzen-mast soon fell over the starboard quarter. In thirty minutes after the "Constitution" fired her first broadside the Englishman's fore- and main-mast went by the board, and the flag that had been flying on the stump of the mizzen-mast soon after came down. The prize proved to be the very ship that Hull was looking for, whose commander had three days previously made the following entry on the register of an American vessel bound for New York: "Com. Dacres, commander of his Britannic majesty's frigate 'Guerriere,' of forty-four guns, presents his compliments to Com. Rodgers, of the frigate 'President,' and will be happy to meet him, or any other frigate of equal force to the 'President,' off Sandy Hook for the purpose of having a few minutes' tête-à-tête." The American ship, which was so slightly injured on her hull that she then won the designation of "Old Ironsides," lost seven killed and seven wounded, while the enemy had seventy-nine killed and wounded, and the "Guerriere" was so badly injured that she was burned. As the "Constitution" was burdened with prisoners, it was deemed necessary to return to port. On her arrival in Boston the ship and all on board were welcomed with the wildest enthusiasm, and the whole country was electrified by the intelligence that an English frigate had been destroyed by an American. A grand banquet was given in Faneuil hall to Hull and his officers; many of the state legislatures voted him a sword, and the freedom of several cities was presented each in a gold box. New York ordered a full-length portrait by Jarvis, the best American artist at that time, Stuart only excepted, who painted during the following year the picture from which our portrait of the naval hero is copied. Congress gave Hull a gold medal, an illustration of which appears on page 310, and voted the sum of $50,000 to be distributed as prize-money among the officers and crew of the "Constitution."

Capt. Hull, having within a single month performed two gallant exploits, gave up the command of the "Constitution" with a magnanimous feeling that was highly creditable to him. There were, unfortunately, fewer frigates than captains in our navy, and he wished to give other commanders an equal chance to win renown. Hull



faithfully served his country, as captain and commodore, afloat and ashore, thirty-seven years. He was for a long period a member of the naval board, was at the head of the Boston and Washington navy-yards, and commanded squadrons in the Pacific and Mediterranean. His last sea service was in the ship-of-the-line "Ohio" during the years 1839. 1840, and 1841. Soon after his return from the command of the European squadron the commodore purchased a commodious residence on Spruce street, Philadelphia. There he collected all his scattered household articles and trophies, there he hospitably entertained old friends and new, and there he terminated his honorable career, his last words being, "I strike my flag." His remains rest in Laurel Hill cemetery, Philadelphia, under a beautiful altar tomb of Italian marble, a copy of one he had seen in Rome, chastely ornamented and surmounted by an American eagle in the attitude of defending the National flag. The inscription reads: "In affectionate devotion to the private virtues of Isaac Hull, his widow has erected this monument." A movement is on foot to erect a statue of Com. Hull in the city of Boston, and the author of this article is writing a memoir of the hero and a history of the "Constitution."—Isaac's nephew, Joseph Bartine, naval officer, b. in Westchester, N. Y., 26 April, 1802; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 17 Jan., 1890. He was appointed midshipman from Connecticut in 1813, lieutenant in 1835, commander in 1841, captain in 1855, commodore in 1862, and on 16 July of that year was retired. He commanded the sloop "Warren" in the Pacific squadron in 1843-'7, cut out the Mexican gun-brig "Malekadhel" off Mazatlan, and was in command of the northern district of California for a short time previous to the close of the Mexican war. In 1856-'9 he commanded the frigate "St. Lawrence," of the Brazil squadron, Paraguay expedition, and from May till September, 1861, the "Savannah," of the coast blockade. From 1862 till 1864 he superintended the building of gun-boats at St. Louis, commanded at the Philadelphia navy-yard in 1866, was president of the examining board at Philadelphia in 1867, and lighthouse-inspector for the 1st district, with headquarters at Portland, Me., in 1869. His residence was for many years in Philadelphia.

HUMBERT, Jean Joseph Amable, French soldier, b. in Rouvray, Lorraine, 25 Nov., 1755; d. in New Orleans, La., in February, 1823. He was a merchant at the time of the French revolution of 1789, when he left his business to enlist in the army. His gallantry on the field caused his promotion to major-general on 9 April, 1794. and lieutenant-general in 1798. when he was placed in command of the French army that was sent to Ireland, but was compelled to surrender to Lord Cornwallis. In 1802 Gen. Humbert commanded a division of the army that was sent by Napoleon to Santo Domingo under Gen. Leclerc, and was appointed governor of Port au Prince. He was subsequently exiled to Brittany for his republican convictions, and afterward went to the United States to escape imprisonment. He settled in New Orleans, where he maintained himself by teaching. In 1814 the revolutionists sought the aid of Gen. Humbert, and he collected in New Orleans an army of about 1,000 men of different nationalities, with which he went to Mexico. The Indian chief Toledo sent him some of his warriors, and under their guidance he reached El Puente del Rev, between Jalapa and Vera Cruz. The revolutionists had been defeated before his arrival, and, after gaining several partial advantages over the Spanish forces, he disbanded his army, and in the spring of 1817 returned to New Orleans, where he taught in a French college till his death.

HUMFREY, John, colonist, b. in Dorchester, England, about 1600: d. in his native land in 1661. He was a lawyer of reputation and wealth, and was one of the six original purchasers of Massachusetts. 19 March, 1628. He was treasurer of the Plymouth company, and influential in promoting the settlement of the colony. At the second meeting of the Massachusetts company in England he was chosen deputy governor, and came to New