Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/131

Rh subsequently befell the other officers and crew by being left at Gibraltar with her prize. He after- ward served in the schooner " Enterprise," under Com. Stephen Decatur, participating in the vari- ous attacks that were made in 1804 upon the city and batteries of Tripoli, and was one of the party under Decatur that recaptured and destroyed the "Philadel- phia" on the nightoflOFeb., 1804. He was promoted lieu- tenant in 1807, and master com- mander in 1813. In August, 1814, a British army of about 12,- 000. under Sir George Pre vost, advanced along the western shore of Lake Champlain to Plattsburg, which was held by Gen. Alexander Macomb, with about 1,500 men. The British squadron, under Capt. George Downie, con- sisted of 16 vessels, carrying 95 guns and about 1,000 men. The American naval force, which was under Commander Macdonough. was anchored in Platts- burg bay, and consisted of 14 vessels of all classes, carrying 86 guns and about 850 men. At sunrise on 11 Sept. the British came in sight, and by eight o'clock approached the American fleet. Fire was opened by the Americans, who, as a matter of course, were anchored with springs. But, in addition to this arrangement, Macdonough had laid a kedge broad off on each bow of the " Saratoga," and brought their hawsers in, upon the two quarters, letting them hang in bights under water. By this timely precaution the victory is said to have been gained. The attack was not returned by the British until the " Confiance " had anchored about 300 yards from the American line. Her first broadside killed or wounded forty men on the "Saratoga," nearly a fifth of her entire force, and more than a third of the American force during the action. The engagement then became general. In an hour the whole starboard battery of the "Saratoga" was disabled. She was then winded about by means of the kedges that had been laid on her bows, and was brought to bear on the " Confiance," which had also suffered severely and lost her captain, George Downie. After attempt- ing to perform the same evolution without suc- cess, and fighting about two hours and a half, the " Confiance " was forced to strike her flag. The remainder of the British fleet were either taken or put to flight. The enemy's loss was about 200, ex- clusive of prisoners. That of the Americans in killed and wounded was 112. The British lost all but 20 of the 95 guns they had brought into ac- tion. By Macdonough's precaution of throwing out kedges from the bows of the " Saratoga," her 26 guns were practically twice as many, since she could be turned around and so present a fresh broadside to the enemy. During most of the ac- tion Macdonough pointed a favorite gun, and was twice knocked senseless by shots that cut the spanker boom, letting the spar fall on his back. For his services on this occasion he was made cap- tain, received a gold medal from congress, numer- ous civic honors from cities and towns, and was presented by the legislature of Vermont with an estate upon Cumberland head, which overlooks the scene of the engagement. The Mediterranean squadron was his last command, and he died on board a trading brig that had been sent by the U. S. government to bring him home,

MacDOUALL, Robert, British soldier, b. in Stranraer, Scotland, about 1780 ; d. there, 15 Nov., 1848. Pie entered the army in August, 1796, and became lieutenant in November, 1797, captain in October, 1804, major in June, 1813, lieutenant- colonel in 1813, colonel in 1830, and major-general, 23 Nov., 1841. He served in this country during the war of 1812, and, while in command of Fort Mackinaw, successfully defended it when it was attacked bv a superior force, 4 Aug., 1814.

McDOUGAL, Clinton Dugald, soldier, b. in Scotland, 14 .June, 1839. He removed with his parents to the United States in 1842, received an academic education, studied law, and in 1856-'69 was engaged in banking. He raised a company for the 75th New York regiment in 1861, accompanied it to Florida, and became lieutenant-colonel of the 111th New York volunteers in August, 1862, and colonel in January, 1863, commanding it at Centre- ville, Va. He led a brigade in the Army of the Poto- mac at Gettysburg and in its subsequent campaigns until the ch:)se of the war, and in 1864 was brevet- ted brigadier-general of volunteers. He became postmaster at Auburn in 1869, and was elected to congress as a Republican in 1872, serving till 1877, and declining in June, 1876, the office of U. S. treas- urer, and in July that of commissioner of internal revenue. In 1877 he was appointed U. S. marshal for the western judicial district of New York.

McDOUGAL, David, naval officer, b. in Ohio, 27 Sept., 1809 ; d. in San Francisco, Cal., 7 Aug., 1882. He was appointed midshipman in 1828, passed midshipman in 1834, lieutenant in 1841, commander in 1857, captain in 1864, and commo- dore in 1869. Com. McDougal commanded the " Wyoming," of the Asiatic squadron, in 1861-'4, engaged six batteries and three vessels of war at Simonoseki, Japan, 16 July, 1863, and had charge of the navy-yard at Mare island, California, in 1865-'6. He commanded the steam-sloop " Pow- hatan " in 1868-'9, and the south squadron of the Pacific fleet in 1870. He became a rear-admiral on the retired list in 1873.

MACDOUGALL, Alexander, soldier, b. in the island of Islay, Scotland, in 1731 ; d. in New York city 8 June, 1786. His father, Ronald Macdougall, emigrated to the province of New York in 1755, and purchased a farm in the upper part of Manhattan isl- and. Alexander at first followed the sea, and took part in the war of 1756 as commander of the two privateers "Barrington" and " Tiger." He sub- sequently became a successful mer- Yo'i-k citV 'and devoted himself ardently to the cause of the colonies. When the assembly, faltering in its opposition to the usurpations of the