Truxtun, Thomas

Related Category: U.S. History: Biographies

1755–1822, American naval officer, b. near Hempstead, L.I., N.Y. In the American Revolution he won a name as a privateer, seizing many British prizes. Later he was a sea captain in merchant trade until the U.S. navy was organized. In the “near war” with France (1798–1800), he commanded the Constellation and earned an outstanding reputation. He captured the French frigate L'Insurgente (1799) and then later defeated La Vengeance (1800), although he was prevented by a storm from taking the latter ship as a prize. Shortly afterward he retired from the navy. His name also appears as Truxton.

See E. S. Ferguson, Truxtun of the Constellation (1956).