"Don't Give Up the Ship" Sign

Sign titled, "Don't Give Up the Ship."

NPS Photo/Famico

Quick Facts

Location:

Pier 1, next to USS Cassin Young.

Significance:

Wayside

Description

Low-profile wayside that is 42.5 x 24.5 inches. It has a black rectangular base with two rectangular pillars supporting the panel. The panel is framed in black metal. The sign is located on the sidewalk on a Pier facing the USS Cassin Young.

Layout

At the top of the sign is a thin black banner with white text. Aligned to the left is "Boston National Historical Park – Charlestown Navy Yard." Aligned to the right in order from left to right is the USS Constitution Museum logo, the text "National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior," and finally the National Park Service arrowhead. The title of the sign is below the black banner in large white font. The panel has a dark maroon background. White text is on the left third of the sign. Below the text in this same section is a portrait with the caption to the right. An image covers the entirety of the right two thirds of the sign. The caption for the image is the bottom left corner of the sign.

Title

Don't Give Up the Ship

Main Text

When the US Frigate Chesapeake sailed down Boston Harbor on the morning of June 1, 1813, sightseers cheered the ship and crew as they passed. The British frigate Shannon waited off Boston Light to fight the American ship. Bostonians expected an easy victory. After all, many American warships had sailed from Boston and returned triumphant. Excited crowds gave the officers and crew a hero's welcome. However, Chesapeake never returned. After a quick, fierce engagement the Americans surrendered. During the battle, American Captain James Lawrence suffered a mortal wound. He directed his Surgeon's Mate to tell the crew to "fire faster and not give up the ship."

Left Image

Painting of a White man in a dark navy Naval uniform. His face is pale with strong rosy cheeks and nose. He has dark, thin, wavy, short hair and sideburns. The uniform coat is blue cloth and has a standing collar. The collar has gold trim. Gold trim also lines the jacket flap, and buttonholes. He wears a black neck cloth with the ruffle of his shirt showing beneath the uniform jacket.

Left Image Caption

Portrait of James Lawrence by Gilbert Stuart. Lawrence was already a national hero by the time he took command of Chesapeake. After his death, Washington Irving said, "He passed before the public eye like a star, just beaming on it for a moment, and falling in the midst of his brightness." [Courtesy of US Naval Academy Museum]

Main Image

A color engraving of a fight on the deck of a ship. The scene focuses on two men fighting, while they are surrounded by a chaotic scene of other men fighting. The man on the left wears a cocked hat, a blue uniform jacket, and white long trousers. He stands with his left foot atop a body and his arms outstretched to either side of him. His left hand grips the collar of his opponent while his right hand holds a sword upright. The other man wears an all-blue uniform and a cocked hat. He faces the man he is fighting with, gripping his enemy’s left arm with his right arm and has his left arm swung back. The other men in the background wear a mixture of top hats and cocked hats and blue, red, and white clothing. Some wave around swords, while others use their fists to fight.

Main Image Caption

A boarding party from HMS Shannon overpowers USS Chesapeake's crew in this 1816 engraving. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum]