Captain John Dandridge Henley (February 25, 1781 – May 23, 1835) was an officer of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

who served in the

First Barbary War The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the 1801–1815 Barbary Wars, in which the United States fought against Ottoman Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war ...

and the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

Early life

Henley was born February 25, 1781 at

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...

, the son of Leonard Henley and Elizabeth Dandridge (b. 1749) and the nephew of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, the wife of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

. His younger brother was Robert Henley (1783–1828), also a naval officer.

Career

On October 14, 1799, at the age of 18, he was commissioned

Midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

by his uncle, George Washington. During offensive operations against

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...

in 1804, he served in ''Gunboat No. 6'', commanded by Lieutenant

John Trippe John Trippe (1785 – 9 July 1810) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War. Biography Born in Dorchester County, Maryland, Trippe was appointed a midshipman in the Navy on 5 April 17 ...

. In a stirring attack August 3 against a larger enemy warship, the two officers with only nine other men boarded and took the enemy ship in hand-to-hand fighting, although outnumbered three to one. Midshipman Henley also took part in several other attacks in the months that followed as Commodore

Edward Preble Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – August 25, 1807) was an American naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the First Barbary War, leading attacks on Tripoli and forming the officer corps that would go on to command ...

's squadron carried out aggressive and successful operations against the Tripolitan pirates that made them ready to end their aggression. Later in his career, during the War of 1812, Henley commanded

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

''Carolina'' during the

Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815, between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...

. After the gallant delaying action by Lt.

Thomas ap Catesby Jones Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones (24 April 1790 – 30 May 1858) was a United States Navy officer who served in the War of 1812 and Mexican–American War. Early life Thomas ap Catesby Jones was born on 24 April 1790 in Westmoreland County, V ...

Lake Borgne Lake Borgne ( ; , ; ) is a lagoon of the Gulf of Mexico in southeastern Louisiana. Although early maps show it as a lake surrounded by land, coastal erosion has made it an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Geography In southern Louisiana, three large ...

, ''Carolina'' and other ships harassed the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

with naval gunfire while protecting General

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

's flank on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. Though his ship was destroyed, Henley contributed importantly to the large role the small squadron played in this last great victory of the war. On March 5, 1817, he rose to the rank of captain. Early in 1819 Henley commanded U.S. man-of war ''Congress'' to China, the first U.S. warship to visit that country. * He continued to serve with distinction until May 23, 1835 when he died on board ''Vandalia'' at

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

Personal life

On March 31, 1816, he married Elizabeth Denison (1788–1838), the daughter of Gideon Denison (1752–1799), an attorney from

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

. Together, they had three daughters: * Frances Henley (1818–1873), who married Rev. Edward Y. Higbie (1800–1871), an Episcopal clergyman. * Henrietta Elizabeth Henley, who married Jonathan Bayard Harrison Smith (1810–1889), a Washington D.C. lawyer, the son of

Samuel Harrison Smith Samuel Harrison Smith (13 March 1808 – 30 July 1844) was a younger brother of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latt ...

and Margaret Bayard, in 1842. * Eliza Henley (b. 1828), who married Admiral

Stephen Bleecker Luce Stephen Bleecker Luce (March 25, 1827 – July 28, 1917) was an admiral in the United States Navy. Regarded as one of the Navy's outstanding officers in many fields, including strategy, seamanship, education, and professional development, he found ...

(1827–1917).

Descendants

Through his second daughter, he was the grandfather of John Henley Smith (c. 1844–1907), who married Rebecca Young, Samuel Harrison Smith, who married Alive Hall, and Bayard Thornton Smith (b. 1857), who married Eleanor J. Hyde (the daughter of George Hyde, an early settler and the

Alcalde ''Alcalde'' (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and Administration (government), administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor (position), corregidor, the presiding officer o ...

of San Francisco) in 1882. Through his youngest daughter, he was the grandfather of Caroline Luce (1857-1933), was the wife of

Montgomery M. Macomb Montgomery Meigs Macomb (October 12, 1852 – January 19, 1924) was a United States Army Brigadier General. He was a veteran of the Spanish–American War and World War I, and was notable for serving as commander of the United States Army Pacific, ...

(1852–1924), a brigadier general in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Lecgacy

The destroyer USS ''John D. Henley'' (DD-553) was named in his honor. See USS ''Henley'' for other ships named after John D. Henley and his brother, Robert Henley.

References

;Notes ;Sources :

External links

John D. Henley Letterbook, 1808-1812, MS 38
held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy *Henley'
Watch-, Quarter-, and Station-Bill of the U.S.S. ''John Adams'' and the U.S.S. ''Congress'', 1818-1819, MS 73
held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy {{DEFAULTSORT:Henley, John Dandridge 1781 births 1835 deaths American military personnel of the First Barbary War United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812 United States Navy officers People from Williamsburg, Virginia