John Percival (3 April 1779 – 7 September 1862), known as Mad Jack Percival, was a celebrated officer in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during the
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...
with
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, the campaign against West Indies pirates, and the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
.
Biography
Early life
Born in
West Barnstable, Massachusetts
West Barnstable is a seaside village in the northwest part of the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Once devoted to agricultural pursuits, West Barnstable now is largely residential and historic. Originally founded in 1639 as part of its neighbori ...
, Percival left his
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
home at thirteen to work as a cabin boy on a Boston
coaster
Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter rail line features eight s ...
. He moved to the merchant service, became a second mate, and while at
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, he was
impressed by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. First sent to under
Lord Jervis, he soon received an assignment to a
prize crew
A prize crew is the selected members of a ship chosen to take over the operations of a captured ship. Prize crews were required to take their prize to appropriate prize courts, which would determine whether the ship's officers and crew had sufficie ...
on a captured Spanish merchantman. Benefiting from lax discipline, Percival led an uprising and escaped to the American merchant ship ''Washington''. Again impressment interrupted his homeward journey—this time by the
Dutch Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...
. Managing to escape a second time, once home, he decided to enter the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
in 1799. Subsequently, he served in the
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...
with France as a master's mate and
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
. He was discharged in the demobilization of 1801 and went back to the merchant service.
Percival married Maria Pinkerton of
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.[sailing master
The master, or sailing master, is a historical rank for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel. The rank can be equated to a professional seaman and specialist in navigation, rather than as a military ...]
, assigned to at the Norfolk Navy Yard.
Ambushing and capturing HMS Eagle
In 1813, the British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
continued to blockade America's major ports.
["Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels" by United States. Navy Department p. 376.] The British flagship HMS ''
Poictiers
Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomera ...
'', commanded by
Commodore J.B. Beresford maintained station just outside
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.
The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...
on
Lower New York Bay
Lower New York Bay is a section of New York Bay south of the Narrows (the strait between Staten Island and Brooklyn). The eastern end of the Bay is marked by two spits of land, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Rockaway, Queens. The waterway b ...
, supported by the schooner HMS ''Eagle''.
''Eagle'' had a notorious reputation among local fishermen for seizing both fishing boat crews and the boats' valuable cargoes.
John Percival volunteered to end the threat, and acquired a fishing boat named ''Yankee''.
On the morning of 4 July 1813, he concealed 34 armed volunteers in the
hold
Hold may refer to:
Physical spaces
* Hold (ship), interior cargo space
* Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane
* Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Fermat ...
, while he and two volunteers stayed on deck dressed as fishermen.
Percival then sailed ''Yankee'' as though it was departing on a fishing voyage.
''Eagle's'' commander spotted ''Yankee'' and sailed in close so he could order it to transfer the livestock it carried on deck to the nearby ''Poictiers''.
Percival pretended to comply, and when ''Eagle'' was less than ten feet away, he signaled his volunteers to launch a surprise attack by shouting "Lawrence!" in honor of slain U.S. Navy Captain
James Lawrence
James Lawrence (October 1, 1781 – June 4, 1813) was an officer of the United States Navy. During the War of 1812, he commanded in a single-ship action against , commanded by Philip Broke. He is probably best known today for his last words, ...
.
Percival's volunteers poured out on deck and began firing.
''Eagle's'' crew were taken by surprise and fled below deck.
One of ''Eagle's'' crew struck her colors, thus surrendering to ''Yankee''.
Three British sailors were killed and there were no American casualties.
Percival brought the captured ''Eagle'' into port and delivered his prisoners to New York City's
Whitehall Street
Whitehall Street is a street in the South Ferry/Financial District neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City, near the southern tip of Manhattan Island. The street begins at Bowling Green to the north, where it is a continuation of the ...
docks as thousands of Americans were celebrating
Independence Day
An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...
.
Further operations against British vessels
Percival joined on 9 March 1814 and made three cruises during which the ship sloop captured nineteen merchantmen and two warships, and the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
armed brig , 12 percent of the total taken by the U.S. Navy during the war. For his gallantry in the capture of HMS ''Epervier'', he was promoted to lieutenant and presented with a special sword by
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
, shown in the accompanying portrait from about 1860.
Mid-career
After the war, the Navy assigned Percival to the Boston Navy Yard. Within weeks, he reported for duty on . The captain's clerk, Charles J. Deblois, noted "Lt. P. carries a taught hand, ... He goes by the name of Mad Jack." This is the earliest record of Percival's colorful nickname. Apparently tracing to his intense command style, the application of monikers to military and naval officers was common to the time. After a cruise to South America, he returned to serve as executive officer at the Boston yard. In late 1823, he transferred to the frigate on the Pacific station under
Commodore Isaac Hull. The two New Englanders were close associates and friends throughout their careers. Hull considered Percival "the best sailor I ever saw!"
In 1826, Hull put him in command of and directed him to the far reaches of the uncharted Pacific to track down the mutineers of the Nantucket whaleship . In the
Mulgrave Islands, he recovered two innocent crewmen, the only survivors of the ill-fated whaler. The culprits behind the mutiny had killed one another or were dispatched by natives. Mad Jack returned by way of the Sandwich Islands (
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
), the first American naval ship to visit the place. His stay proved controversial and provided fodder for writers over the years. American missionaries clashed with the naval officer who challenged their sway over the local civil authorities. Under growing pressure from visiting merchant and whaling crews, the authorities rescinded a missionary-advocated ban on young women swimming out to the visiting vessels. The missionaries blamed their loss of influence on Percival. Their forceful complaints to Washington compelled Percival to eventually ask for a court of inquiry to clear his name. The court absolved him of wrongdoing, while to this day, United States destroyer squadrons based at Pearl Harbor celebrate Mad Jack Percival Day each May 11, the date ''Dolphin'' left the islands in 1826.
Percival next commanded the U.S. schooner on an 1830–1831 cruise against the troublesome West Indian pirates. While on leave in 1832, the department notified him of his promotion to Master Commandant effective in March 1831. After, in 1834–1835, he had the U.S. sloop-of-war on the Brazil station. In 1836, once again, he took over as executive officer in Boston. While assigned this duty, Percival displayed his concern for the welfare of the common sailor. A group of seamen transferring from the Brooklyn yard to Boston were injured, four of them seriously, when their train derailed along the way. The four received a total settlement of $12,862. Percival volunteered to administer a trust set up in behalf of the men. He did so over several years with prudence and faithfulness, paying out every cent to the beneficiaries or their survivors. The extensive and detailed record of Percival's careful and honest handling of the matter can be found in his papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society. (This relatively insignificant episode warrants this brief mention, because a careless writer, relying on insufficient research, wrongly charged that Percival absconded with the funds. From time to time, the misrepresentation is repeated.)
In 1838, he received command of the second-class ship sloop and headed to the Mediterranean to again serve under Hull. A principal ancillary duty involved educating and training young midshipman. Percival undertook the task with zeal and passion. Prominent men and fellow officers with midshipmen sons commonly asked for their youngster to be placed under the stern tutelage of Mad Jack. The young men did not always appreciate it at the time, but many went on to notable careers. As one example, Gustavus V. Fox chafed under Percival's disciplined approach on the cruise, but went on to become Lincoln's assistant secretary of the navy. Others distinguished themselves in combat. John L. Worden, a ''Cyane'' midshipman, became an admiral and is remembered as a hero of the
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, also referred to as the Battle of the ''Monitor'' and ''Virginia'' (rebuilt and renamed from the USS ''Merrimack'') or the Battle of Ironclads, was a naval battle during the American Civil War.
It was fought over t ...
. One of the most irksome midshipmen on the cruise, nonetheless, recognized and appreciated their skipper. Henry A. Wise summarized the almost universal feeling in the service when he noted: "There is not a better sailor in the world than Cap. Percival or a man of better judgement in the qualities requisite for a Seaman. ... One would suppose from his impatient & passionate temper, that in case of danger he would lose all command of himself. On the contrary no one is cooler or more able to fulfill the duties of his station. To give the devil his due—I would rather trust my life to his charge in case of emergency at Sea than any other man in the United States Navy."
Percival left ''Cyane'' late in 1839 due to poor health. While waiting for an assignment, he received promotion to captain in September 1841, the highest U.S. Navy rank at the time.
Circumnavigation voyage
He began the most memorable chapter of his life in November 1843. The frigate presented a major concern to the department. In disrepair, the venerable old ship served as a mere receiving (barracks) ship at Norfolk. Naval Constructor Foster Rhodes figured it would cost $70,000 to fit her out for sea. But the department did not have the money. Acting Secretary David Henshaw, from Massachusetts, knew about Mad Jack's reputation for seamanship and frugality. He told Percival to take a look. Percival reported he could do the work for $10,000. Despite widespread doubts about Percival's findings, Henshaw gave him the task.
By mid-January 1844 Percival informed the secretary he "unhesitatingly" determined the ship ready for "a two or even a three year cruise." And he was prepared to stake "his life and reputation" on his assessment. Accordingly, Henshaw told the captain to get his ship ready for sea. Percival found it necessary to sail to New York to complete his 447-man crew. Percival's orders directed him to carry the first U.S. ambassador to Brazil, proceed to the east coast of Africa and on to the China seas, making his best way back to the United States. He left New York at the end of May 1844. Before the voyage ended in Boston 495 days later, the ship sailed 52,370.5 miles, circumnavigating the globe for the only time in her illustrious career.
A number of members of the crew kept detailed journals of the cruise, and one officer even sketched entertaining watercolors of scenes and incidents along the way. Added to official correspondence, the result is a well-documented trip. One episode stands out above all others. In early May 1845, the ship anchored in Touron Bay, Cochin China (now Vietnam). On the second day, Percival received a note from a French missionary, Bishop Dominique Lefevere, saying the local authorities had him under arrest and condemned him to death. Within an hour, Mad Jack led 80 well-armed men ashore. Percival left a letter for the king of Cochin China demanding the bishop's release. To make his point, he returned to the ship with three mandarins held as hostages. The next day, Percival pressed the issue by capturing three junks belonging to the king, and moved his warship closer to the local forts. On the following day, the prize junks attempted to escape, but were recovered after a brief skirmish. Percival, as well as the Cochin Chinese themselves, denied the gunplay resulted in any casualties. Nonetheless, a rumor of fatalities continued into the 20th century when the confrontation became known as the first armed intervention by a Western nation against present-day Vietnam. In any event, a short while later Lefevere gained his freedom and the French credited the American effort for saving his life. King Louis Philippe intended to reward officers and crew. But political turmoil interfered. Since the king "took a hurried journey from his capital, ... no recognition of their services was ever received by the American tars." Their compensation went "over the walls of the Tuileries gardens" as Louis Philippe escaped to London.
Later life
After ''Constitution'' returned from her voyage in October 1845, Captain Percival went on leave and was placed on "waiting orders" status. In 1855, when Percival was 76 years old, the Navy Department placed him on the newly created "Reserve List", a forerunner of the Retired List. Although Percival was alive during the first year of the American Civil War, he took no part in it.
In his last years, Percival gave silver cups to a few people close to him. One, given to the son of his attorney, offered a brief summary of his career. As well as anything, the inscription explains the man. Percival wrote: "This Cup, with the Donor, has made three cruises to the Pacific, one to the Mediterranean, one to the , two to the West Indies, and once around the world, a distance of about 150,000 miles. Has been 37 years in service and has never refused duty." Some years ago, a private collector found the cup in a London flea market, and it was sold for $10,000 in a 2016 Cape Cod auction.
Often described as colorful, Mad Jack attracted the attention of famed authors such as Hawthorne, Melville, and Michener. Melville, in fact, patterned his fictional character Lieutenant Mad Jack after his acquaintance, Percival. In the end, Percival's legendary status is enhanced by the fact his first naval ship, HMS ''Victory'' and his last, USS ''Constitution'', the oldest commissioned warship and the oldest commissioned warship afloat, remain national shrines for their respective nations.
Death
Captain Percival died at the age of 83 on 7 September 1862 in
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester (colloquially referred to as Dot) is a Boston neighborhood comprising more than in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Originally, Dorchester was a separate town, founded by Puritans who emigrated in 1630 from Dorchester ...
and is buried near his birthplace in West Barnstable's Ancient Cemetery.
Promotions
* Cabin Boy – c. 1793
* 2nd Mate in Merchant Service – c. 1797
* Impressed into Royal Navy – 24 February 1797
* Escapes from Royal Navy – April 1797
* Masters Mate, USN – July 1799
* Midshipman, USN – 13 May 1800
* Discharged from USN (returns to merchant service) – July 1801
* Sailing Master, USN – 6 March 1809
* Lieutenant, USN – 9 December 1814
* Master Commandant, USN – 3 March 1831
* Captain, USN – 8 September 1841
* Reserved List – 13 September 1855
* Died – 17 September 1862
Source – ''Mad Jack Percival''. James H. Ellis. Naval Institute Press. 2002.
Namesakes
Two US Navy ships have been named
USS ''Percival''.
Percival Drive in West Barnstable, MA is in the neighborhood of his birthplace, the homestead long since torn down.
Percival Street on
Meeting House Hill
Meeting House Hill is one of the oldest sections of Boston's historic Dorchester neighborhood. It is the site of the First Parish Church (est. 1631) and the Mather School (est. 1639), the oldest public elementary school in North America. Loc ...
in Dorchester is named for him.
References
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Percival, John
1779 births
1862 deaths
United States Navy officers
American military personnel of the Quasi-War
United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Commanders of the USS Constitution