LAWRENCE DD 8

Ship Name and Designation History

This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.

USS LAWRENCE Destroyer No. 8

Captain James Lawrence, USN

Naval Covers

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USS Lawrence DD-8 Covers Page 1 (1910-1914)

Postmarks

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Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Postmark Date	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

2nd Commissioning 23 July 1907 to 20 June 1919

Locy Type 1

1910-10-09

Post Office Discontinued on March 29 1910, postmark still being used.

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Captain James Lawrence, USN (1 October 1781 - 4 June 1813)
Though educated in the field of law, Lawrence joined the infant United States Navy in September 1798 as a Midshipman and served in the ship GANGES and Frigate ADAMS during the undeclared war with France. Commissioned in the rank of Lieutenant in 1802, he served in the Schooner USS ENTERPRISE during the War with Tripoli, taking part in a successful attack that burned enemy craft ashore on 2 June 1803. In February 1804 he was second in command of Ketch USS INTREPID during the daring expedition to destroy the captured Frigate USS PHILADELPHIA in Tripoli harbor. Later in the conflict he commanded USS ENTERPRISE and a gunboat in battles with the Tripolitans. He was also First Lieutenant of the Frigate USS JOHN ADAMS and, in 1805, commanded the small Gunboat Number 6 during a voyage across the Atlantic to Italy. 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 USS HORNET cruised actively, capturing the Privateer DOLPHIN on July 9 1812. Later in the year USS HORNET blockaded the British Sloop HMS BONNE CITOYENNE at Bahia, Brazil, and on February 24 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. She left port on 1 June 1813 and immediately engaged the Royal Navy Frigate HMS SHANNON in a fierce battle. Captain Lawrence, mortally wounded by small arms fire, ordered "Don't give up the ship" as he was carried below. However, his crew was overwhelmed by British boarders shortly afterwards. James Lawrence died of his wounds on June 4, while USS CHESAPEAKE was being taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, by her captors. His body was later repatriated to New York for burial.

The ships sponsor was Miss Ruth Lawrence, great niece of Capt. James Lawrence.

The US Navy has named five ships in his honor - USS Lawrence (1813 Brig), USS Lawrence (1843 Brig), USS Lawrence DD-8, USS Lawrence DD-250 and USS Lawrence DDG-4.

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