Isaac Hull
Isaac Hull | |
|---|---|
 Captain Isaac Hull | |
| Born | March 9, 1773 |
| Died | February 13, 1843 (aged 69) |
| Place of burial | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
Branch | United States Navy |
Service years | 1798–1843 |
Rank | Commodore |
| Commands | USS Argus, USS Chesapeake, USS President, USS Constitution |
Conflicts | |
| Awards | Congressional Gold Medal |
Commodore Isaac Hull (March 9, 1773 – February 13, 1843) was a United States Navy officer who served in the Quasi-War, Barbary Wars and War of 1812. During his military career, he commanded the warships USS Argus, USS Chesapeake, USS President, and USS Constitution. During the War of 1812, Hull, commanding Constitution, captured the British frigate HMS Guerriere. He also served as commandant of the Washington Navy Yard and in the Mediterranean Squadron during the Second Barbary War. Hull died in Philadelphia at the age of 69 and was interred at the Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Early life
[edit]
Hull was born in Derby, Connecticut (some sources say Huntington, now Shelton, Connecticut), on March 9, 1773.[1][2] Early in life he joined his mariner father, Joseph, on local voyages and longer trips to the West Indies.[3] After his father died while still young, Isaac was adopted by his uncle William Hull, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War.[4][5]
During the mid-1790s, the young Hull commanded several merchant vessels, losing some to French Republic privateers.
Naval service
[edit]He was commissioned a lieutenant in the newly formed United States Navy on 9 March 1798 and distinguished himself during the next two years while serving on board the new heavy frigate USS Constitution in the undeclared naval Quasi-War with France. During his time on USS Constitution, Hull served as first lieutenant and executive officer to Captain Silas Talbot. Talbot was in command from June 5, 1799 until September 8, 1801. Since Talbot was also a squadron commander, much of the everyday running of the ship fell to Hull and provided him invaluable experience managing a ship of war. Hull much admired Talbot, a hero of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and learned a great deal from the older man. Hull's chief biographer Linda M. Maloney states Talbot "was undoubtedly the formative influence on Hull's naval career, the man he modeled himself after."[6] From Talbot, Hull learned the lessons of naval leadership, moderation and to look out for the training of his junior officers and ship crew.[7] Captain Talbot resigned his Commission and he was ordered to take command of Constitution in a letter dated 21 September 1801.[8]
First Barbary War
[edit]When troubles with the Barbary states heated up in 1802, he went to the Mediterranean Sea as first lieutenant of the frigate USS Adams. Hull later commanded the schooner USS Enterprise and the brig USS Argus, receiving promotion to the rank of master commandant on 18 May 1804,[9] and to captain in 1806. During this time Hull made a reputation as an effective and reliable commander. Midshipman Henry Wadsworth, writing in his journal for August 10, 1803, noted: "This morning at day light the USS Enterprise being at a distance of several miles discovered a galley at long shot. Captain Hull fired on her & gave chase. She fired to leeward (signal for friend) but did not heave too. The Enterprise came near her & she hove too: proved to be a Sardinian Galley, last from Civita Vecchia on a cruise 25 oars on each side (Captain Hull imagined) carried about 300 hundred men had 2 eighteen pounders mounted forward & 2 smaller guns aft. A noble Galley!!!"[10] During the next few years, he supervised the construction of gunboats and, in 1809 and 1810, was successively given command of the frigates USS Chesapeake,