Joseph Tarbell

Joseph Tarbell (16 September 1773 – 24 November 1815) was an officer in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812.

Joseph Tarbell
Born(1773-09-16)September 16, 1773
Groton, Massachusetts, US
Died(1815-11-24)November 24, 1815
Norfolk, Virginia, US
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1798–1815
RankCaptain
Commands held
Battles/warsFirst Barbary War

War of 1812

Spouse(s)Eliza Ann Cassin, m. 1808 (September 1789 - 3 October 1821)

Early life

Tarbell was born in Groton, Massachusetts on 16 September 1773.[1][2] He was married to Elizabeth Ann Cassin, daughter of Commodore John Cassin and sister of Stephen Cassin.[3]

Military career

Tarbell was appointed midshipman on board of USS Constitution in the United States Navy on 5 December 1798. Tarbel became an officer in the rank of lieutenant on 25 August 1800.[4]

First Barbary War

He served in Constitution and other ships of the Mediterranean Squadron from 1800 to 1804, at the height of America's war with Tripoli. Under Commodore Edward Preble's command, he took part in the 1804 blockade of Tripoli[5] and was among those honored by Congress for services rendered during that action.

Between the wars

On 3 March 1805 Tarbell was promoted to master commandant. In 1808,[1] he married Elizabeth Ann Cassin, who was Commodore John Cassin's daughter and Stephen Cassin's sister.[6]

After the war, in 1806, Tarbell was appointed master of the Washington Naval Yard. In 1811-1812 (maybe even until 1813), he was commanding the controversial repair of USS John Adams.[7]

War of 1812

In 1813, Tarbell temporarily was appointed to command USS Constellation. He also was the commanding officer of the Gosport gunboat flotilla.[8][9]

From 19 to 23 June 1813 Tarbell commanded a boat expedition against the British squadron off Craney Island and in the James River. On the 20th his flotilla of fifteen gunboats had a 45-minute engagement with the British frigate Junon.[10][11] The other British frigates joined the engagement forcing the American gunboats to retire. The British and American accounts of this particular engagement differ greatly.[12][13] On 22 June 1813, Tarbell commanded USS Constellation in the battle of Craney Island, which was won by the Americans. He was commended by his superior, Commodore Stephen Cassin, and by the army officers ashore (Lt Col Henry Beatty) for his gallantry and assistance in the defense of Craney Island.[14] On 23 July 1813, James Madison nominated Tarbell for the rank of captain effective 24 July 1813.[15]

Death and legacy

Captain Tarbell died at Norfolk or Washington D.C.,[2] on 24 November 1815 and is buried at the Catholic burying ground of St. Patrick's Church.

USS Tarbell (DD-142) was named for him.

References

  1. "Captain Joseph Tarbell (1773-1815) • FamilySearch". FamilySearch. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  2. COMMODORE JOHN CASSIN, U. S. N.” Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, vol. 22, no. 2, 1911, pp. 103–105. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44208155. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.
  3. Willcox, Joseph (1904). Historical sketches of some of the pioneer Catholics of Philadelphia and vicinity. pp. 45–47.
  4. Goldsborough, Charles W. (1824). The United States' naval chronicle... p. 377.
  5. Marshall, Edward Chauncey (1862). History of the United States Naval Academy : with biographical sketches, and the names of all the superintendents, professors and graduates, to which is added a record of some of the earliest votes by Congress, of thanks, medals, and swords to naval officers. p. 149. OCLC 6380139.
  6. "nnysharp3". www.usgwarchives.net. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  7. "Founders Online: To James Madison from Joseph Tarbell, 27 March 1813". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  8. Strott, Howard (Winter 1947). "A Seaman's Notebook...". Maryland Historical Magazine: 266.
  9. Dudley, William S; Crawford, Michael J; Hughes, Christine F. (1985). The Naval War of 1812: a documentary history. Washington: Naval Historical Center: Dept. of Navy.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. Brackenridge, H. M. (Henry Marie), 1786-1871 (1846). History of the late war between the United States and Great Britain: comprising a minute account of the various military and naval operations. p. 133.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. Cooper, J. Fenimore (James Fenimore), 1789-1851. (1839). The history of the navy of the United States of America. Lea & Blanchard. p. 318. ISBN 0-665-42713-1. OCLC 1111849593.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. Tucker, Spencer. "The Jeffersonian Gunboats in Service, 1804-1825". The American Neptune. v.55:no.2 (1995): 101.
  13. Cassin to Secretary of the Navy, 21 June 1813. Weekly Register, 4:278 and 404. William James, The Naval History of Great Britain, 6 vols. (London: Richard Butler, 1847), 6:231-232
  14. Neimeyer, Charles Patrick (2014). The Chesapeake campaign, 1813-1814. United States Army. p. 17.
  15. 13th Congress (1813). Journal of the Senate of the United States of America. Michael Glazier Inc. p. 328.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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