James Lawrence
Encyclopedia
James Lawrence was an American
naval
officer. During the War of 1812
, he commanded the USS Chesapeake
in a single-ship action
against HMS Shannon
(commanded by Philip Broke
). He is probably best known today for his dying command "Don't give up the ship!", which is still a popular naval battle cry
, and which was invoked by Oliver Hazard Perry
's personal battle flag, adopted to commemorate his dead friend.
but raised in Woodbury, New Jersey
, the son of John and Martha (Tallman) Lawrence. His mother died when he was an infant and his Loyalist
father fled to Canada
during the American Revolution
, leaving his half-sister to care for the infant. Though Lawrence studied law, he entered the United States Navy
as a midshipman
in 1798.
During the Quasi-War
with France
, he served on USS Ganges
and the frigate
USS Adams
in the Caribbean
. He was commissioned a lieutenant
on April 6, 1802 and served aboard USS Enterprise
in the Mediterranean, taking part in a successful attack on enemy craft on 2 June 1803.
In February 1804, he was second in command during the expedition to destroy the captured frigate USS Philadelphia
. Later in the conflict he commanded Enterprise and a gunboat in battles with the Tripolitans
. He was also First Lieutenant of the frigate Adams and, in 1805, commanded the small Gunboat No. 6 during a voyage across the Atlantic to North Africa.
Although Gunboats No. 2 through 10 (minus No. 7) arrived in the Mediterranean too late to see action, they remained there with Commodore Rodgers's squadron until summer 1806, at which time they sailed back to the United States. On 12 June 1805 Gunboat No. 6 encountered a Royal Navy vessel that impressed three seamen.
Subsequently, Lieutenant Lawrence commanded the warships USS Vixen
, USS Wasp
and USS Argus
. In 1810, he also took part in trials of an experimental spar torpedo
. Promoted to the rank of Master Commandant
in November 1810, he took command of the sloop of war USS Hornet
a year later and sailed her to Europe
on a diplomatic mission. From the beginning of the War of 1812
, Lawrence and Hornet cruised actively, capturing the privateer
Dolphin in July 1812. Later in the year Hornet blockaded the British sloop HMS Bonne Citoyenne at Bahia, Brazil, and on 24 February 1813 captured HMS Peacock.
Upon his return to the United States in March, Lawrence learned of his promotion to Captain
. Two months later he took command of the frigate USS Chesapeake
, then preparing for sea at Boston, Massachusetts. He left port on 1 June 1813 and immediately engaged the blockading
Royal Navy
frigate HMS Shannon
in a fierce battle. Although slightly smaller, the British ship disabled Chesapeake with gunfire within the first few minutes. Captain Lawrence, mortally wounded by small arms fire, ordered his officers, "Don't give up the ship. Fight her till she sinks." Or "Tell them to fire faster; don't give up the ship." Men carried him below, and his crew was overwhelmed by a British boarding party shortly afterward. James Lawrence died of his wounds on 4 June 1813, while her captors directed the Chesapeake to Halifax, Nova Scotia
.
After Lawrence's death was reported to his friend and fellow officer Oliver Hazard Perry
, he ordered a large blue battle ensign, stitched with the phrase "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" [sic] in bold white letters. The Perry Flag was displayed on his flagship during a victorious engagement against the British on Lake Erie
in September 1813. The original flag is displayed in the Naval Academy Museum and a replica is displayed in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, Maryland
.
Lawrence was buried with military honors in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but reinterred at Trinity Church
in New York City
. He was survived by his wife, Julia (Montaudevert) Lawrence, who lived until 1865, and their two-year-old daughter, Mary Neill Lawrence. In 1838 Mary married a Navy officer, Lt. William Preston Griffin.
He was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal and the Thanks of Congress
.
Many places are named for Captain Lawrence, including:
His birthplace of Burlington, New Jersey
, has a Captain James Lawrence Elementary School.
In addition, the U.S. Navy has named five ships USS Lawrence
.
Lawrence's approximately three-dozen living descendants reside primarily in western states, with a few in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri and New York.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naval
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer. During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he commanded the USS Chesapeake
USS Chesapeake (1799)
USS Chesapeake was a 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was one of the original six frigates whose construction was authorized by the Naval Act of 1794. Joshua Humphreys designed these frigates to be the young navy's capital ships...
in a single-ship action
Single-ship action
A single ship action is a naval engagement fought between two warships of opposing sides, excluding submarine engagements; called so because there is a single ship on each side...
against HMS Shannon
HMS Shannon (1806)
HMS Shannon was a 38-gun Leda-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1806 and served in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812...
(commanded by Philip Broke
Philip Broke
Rear Admiral Sir Philip Bowes Vere Broke, 1st Baronet KCB was a distinguished officer in the British Royal Navy.-Early life:Broke was born at Broke Hall, Nacton, near Ipswich, the eldest son of Philip Bowes Broke...
). He is probably best known today for his dying command "Don't give up the ship!", which is still a popular naval battle cry
Battle cry
A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit.Battle cries are not necessarily articulate, although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment....
, and which was invoked by Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
's personal battle flag, adopted to commemorate his dead friend.
Biography
Lawrence was born in Burlington, New JerseyBurlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
but raised in Woodbury, New Jersey
Woodbury, New Jersey
Woodbury is a city in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, 10,307 residents were counted. Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County....
, the son of John and Martha (Tallman) Lawrence. His mother died when he was an infant and his Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
father fled to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, leaving his half-sister to care for the infant. Though Lawrence studied law, he entered the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1798.
During the Quasi-War
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he served on USS Ganges
USS Ganges (1794)
USS Ganges was a man-of-war in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France.She was originally a fast sailing merchantman, built in Philadelphia in 1794 for the East Indies trade and named for the Ganges, India's principal river, which flows into the Bay of Bengal. Ganges regularly...
and the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
USS Adams
USS Adams (1799)
The first USS Adams was a 28-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy. She should not be confused with .-Commissioning:She was laid down in 1797 at New York City by John Jackson and William Sheffield and launched on 8 June 1799. Capt...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. He was commissioned a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on April 6, 1802 and served aboard USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (1799)
The third USS Enterprise, a schooner, was built by Henry Spencer at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1799, and placed under the command of Lieutenant John Shaw...
in the Mediterranean, taking part in a successful attack on enemy craft on 2 June 1803.
In February 1804, he was second in command during the expedition to destroy the captured frigate USS Philadelphia
USS Philadelphia (1799)
The second USS Philadelphia was a 1240-ton, 36-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy.Originally named City of Philadelphia, she was built in 1798–1799 for the United States government by the citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Funding for her construction was the result of a...
. Later in the conflict he commanded Enterprise and a gunboat in battles with the Tripolitans
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
. He was also First Lieutenant of the frigate Adams and, in 1805, commanded the small Gunboat No. 6 during a voyage across the Atlantic to North Africa.
Although Gunboats No. 2 through 10 (minus No. 7) arrived in the Mediterranean too late to see action, they remained there with Commodore Rodgers's squadron until summer 1806, at which time they sailed back to the United States. On 12 June 1805 Gunboat No. 6 encountered a Royal Navy vessel that impressed three seamen.
Subsequently, Lieutenant Lawrence commanded the warships USS Vixen
USS Vixen (1803)
The first USS Vixen was a schooner in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War.Vixen was one of four vessels authorized by Congress on 28 February 1803...
, USS Wasp
USS Wasp (1807)
The second USS Wasp of the United States Navy was a sailing sloop of war captured by the British in the early months of the War of 1812. She was constructed in 1806 at the Washington Navy Yard, was commissioned sometime in 1807, Master Commandant John Smith in command. In 1812 she captured , but...
and USS Argus
USS Argus
USS Argus may refer to one of these United States Navy ships:, a brig during the War of 1812.* An Argus , was laid down at the Washington Navy Yard and was still on the ways when the British advanced on the National Capital late in the summer of 1814. To prevent her capture, she was burned on 24...
. In 1810, he also took part in trials of an experimental spar torpedo
Spar torpedo
A spar torpedo is a weapon consisting of a bomb placed at the end of a long pole, or spar, and attached to a boat. The weapon is used by running the end of the spar into the enemy ship. Spar torpedoes were often equipped with a barbed spear at the end, so it would stick to wooden hulls...
. Promoted to the rank of Master Commandant
Master Commandant
Master commandant was a rank within the early United States Navy. The rank of master commandant was slightly higher than lieutenant, and a master commandant would often command warships too small to justify the command of a full captain. In the United States Navy, the rank was shortened to...
in November 1810, he took command of the sloop of war USS Hornet
USS Hornet (1805, brig)
The third USS Hornet was a brig-rigged sloop-of-war in the United States Navy. Later, however, she was re-rigged as a ship. Hornet was launched on 28 July 1805 in Baltimore and commissioned on 18 October...
a year later and sailed her to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on a diplomatic mission. From the beginning of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Lawrence and Hornet cruised actively, capturing the privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
Dolphin in July 1812. Later in the year Hornet blockaded the British sloop HMS Bonne Citoyenne at Bahia, Brazil, and on 24 February 1813 captured HMS Peacock.
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
. Two months later he took command of the frigate USS Chesapeake
USS Chesapeake (1799)
USS Chesapeake was a 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was one of the original six frigates whose construction was authorized by the Naval Act of 1794. Joshua Humphreys designed these frigates to be the young navy's capital ships...
, then preparing for sea at Boston, Massachusetts. He left port on 1 June 1813 and immediately engaged the blockading
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
frigate HMS Shannon
HMS Shannon (1806)
HMS Shannon was a 38-gun Leda-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1806 and served in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812...
in a fierce battle. Although slightly smaller, the British ship disabled Chesapeake with gunfire within the first few minutes. Captain Lawrence, mortally wounded by small arms fire, ordered his officers, "Don't give up the ship. Fight her till she sinks." Or "Tell them to fire faster; don't give up the ship." Men carried him below, and his crew was overwhelmed by a British boarding party shortly afterward. James Lawrence died of his wounds on 4 June 1813, while her captors directed the Chesapeake to Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
.
After Lawrence's death was reported to his friend and fellow officer Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
, he ordered a large blue battle ensign, stitched with the phrase "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" [sic] in bold white letters. The Perry Flag was displayed on his flagship during a victorious engagement against the British on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
in September 1813. The original flag is displayed in the Naval Academy Museum and a replica is displayed in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.
Trinity Church, New York
Trinity Church at 79 Broadway, Lower Manhattan, is a historic, active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was survived by his wife, Julia (Montaudevert) Lawrence, who lived until 1865, and their two-year-old daughter, Mary Neill Lawrence. In 1838 Mary married a Navy officer, Lt. William Preston Griffin.
Namesakes and honors
Thanks of Congress
The Thanks of Congress are a series of formal resolutions passed by the United States Congress originally to extend the government's formal thanks for significant victories or impressive actions by American military commanders and their troops. Although it began during the American Revolutionary...
.
Many places are named for Captain Lawrence, including:
- Lawrence County, AlabamaLawrence County, AlabamaLawrence County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. It was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the population was...
- Lawrence County, Arkansas
- Lawrence County, Illinois
- Lawrence County, IndianaLawrence County, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 45,922 people, 18,535 households, and 13,141 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 20,560 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
- Lawrence County, KentuckyLawrence County, KentuckyLawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 15,569. Its county seat is Louisa. The county is named for James Lawrence, and co-founded by Isaac Bolt, who served as a Lawrence County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. It is the home of...
- Lawrence County, Missouri
- Lawrence County, OhioLawrence County, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 62,319 people, 24,732 households, and 17,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 27,189 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...
- Lawrence County, PennsylvaniaLawrence County, PennsylvaniaLawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
- Lawrence County, Tennessee
- Lawrenceburg, TennesseeLawrenceburg, TennesseeLawrenceburg is a city in Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,796 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County...
- Lawrenceville, GeorgiaLawrenceville, GeorgiaLawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, in the United States. The Census Bureau estimates the 2008 population at 29,258...
- Lawrenceville, IllinoisLawrenceville, IllinoisLawrenceville is a city in Lawrence County, Illinois, along the Embarras River. The population was 4,745 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County...
- LawrencevilleLawrenceville (Pittsburgh)Lawrenceville is one of the largest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is located northeast of downtown, and like many of Pittsburgh's riverfront neighborhoods, it has an industrial past. Lawrenceville is bordered by the Allegheny River, Polish Hill, Bloomfield, the Strip District and...
, a neighborhood of Pittsburgh - Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New JerseyLawrence Township, Mercer County, New JerseyArea residents often refer to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township...
and its LawrencevilleLawrenceville, New JerseyLawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
neighborhood. - Captain Lawrence Drive in South Salem, NYSouth Salem, New YorkSouth Salem is a hamlet in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally. In the town center is a post office, the town hall, a library and a recycling center.Notable residents have included...
, from which the Captain Lawrence Brewing CompanyCaptain Lawrence Brewing Company-General:Captain Lawrence Brewing Company is an award-winning craft brewery located in Pleasantville, NY. The brewery is owned and run by head brewer Scott Vaccaro. Vaccaro, a homebrewer since 1995, trained in brewing science at UC Davis. He interned at Adnams Brewery, in the U.K...
of nearby PleasantvillePleasantville, New YorkPleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,019 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University and to the Jacob Burns Film Center...
takes its name.
His birthplace of Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
, has a Captain James Lawrence Elementary School.
In addition, the U.S. Navy has named five ships USS Lawrence
USS Lawrence
Five United States Navy ships have borne the name USS Lawrence in honor of James Lawrence. was a brig which acted as Commodore Oliver Perry's flagship during the first part of the Battle of Lake Erie until she became unmanageable in that action....
.
- The first USS LawrenceUSS Lawrence (1813)The first USS Lawrence was one of two 493-ton Niagara-class brigs built at Erie, Pennsylvania, by Adam and Noah Brown under the supervision of Sailing Master Daniel Dobbins and Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry, for United States Navy service on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812.She was...
was a brig which acted as then-Master CommandantMaster CommandantMaster commandant was a rank within the early United States Navy. The rank of master commandant was slightly higher than lieutenant, and a master commandant would often command warships too small to justify the command of a full captain. In the United States Navy, the rank was shortened to...
Oliver Perry'sOliver Hazard PerryUnited States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
flagship during the Battle of Lake ErieBattle of Lake ErieThe Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain's Royal Navy...
until she was destroyed in that action. - The second USS LawrenceUSS Lawrence (1843)The second USS Lawrence was a brig in the United States Navy launched by Langley B. Culley at Baltimore, Maryland on 1 August 1843 and commissioned 19 September 1843, Commander William H. Gardner in command....
was also a brig, serving from 1843-1846. - The third USS Lawrence (DD-8)USS Lawrence (DD-8)The third USS Lawrence was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Captain James Lawrence.Lawrence was laid down on 10 April 1899 by Fore River Ship & Engine Company, Weymouth, Massachusetts; launched on 7 November 1900; sponsored by Miss Ruth Lawrence, great niece of Captain Lawrence; and...
was a 400-ton destroyer, commissioned in 1903 and serving until 1920. - The fourth USS Lawrence (DD-250)USS Lawrence (DD-250)The fourth USS Lawrence was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for James Lawrence....
was a Clemson-classClemson class destroyerThe Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II.The Clemson-class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, New York Shipbuilding...
destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, serving from 1921 to 1945 - The fifth USS Lawrence (DDG-4)USS Lawrence (DDG-4)USS Lawrence , the fifth ship named for Captain James Lawrence USN , was a Charles F. Adams class guided missile armed destroyer in the United States Navy....
was a Charles F. Adams-class destroyerCharles F. Adams class destroyerThe Charles F. Adams class is a ship class of 29 guided missile destroyers built between 1958 and 1967. Twenty three ships were built for the United States Navy, 3 for the Royal Australian Navy, and 3 for the West German Bundesmarine. The ships were based on the existing Forrest Sherman class, but...
. Commissioned in 1962, she served until 1994. This ship was christened by Mrs. Dorothy Redmond Hubbard, Capt. Lawrence's great-great-grand-daughter, who at the time was his oldest living descendant.
Lawrence's approximately three-dozen living descendants reside primarily in western states, with a few in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri and New York.