SINCLAIR-ARTHUR

EARLY  AMERICAN  NAVAL  HERO

Commodore Arthur Sinclair II was an early American naval hero who served in the U.S. Navy during the QuasI War with France, the First Barbary War and in the War of 1812.

Arthur Sinclair was reportedly born on February 28, 1780, in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.  He entered the Navy as a Midshipman on November 15, 1798, and served as a Midshipman on the USS CONSTELLATION during the capture of the French frigate L’INSURGENTE on February 1799.  From June 1804 to July 1806 he participated in attacks on Tripoli aboard the USS ESSEX.  On June 10, 1807, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and on December 1811, he was ordered to the command of USS ARGUS.  Between October 12 and December 17, 1812, he cruised in ARGUS with the North Atlantic Squadron and took a number of prizes.  During the cruise he reportedly became separated from the squadron and was chased for three days and nights by an enemy squadron before his superior ship handling enabled him to escape.

On May 18, 1813, Sinclair was ordered to duty on Lake Ontario and commanded USS GENERAL PIKE in an engagement on September 28, 1813.  In 1814 he commanded USS NIAGARA on Lake Huron and Lake Superior and directed the naval squadron in the Battle of Mackinac Island and the Engagement on Lake Huron.

With the rank of Captain, Sinclair commanded USS CONGRESS in 1817, served in Washington in 1818-19, and was placed in command of the Norfolk Station in Virginia where in 1821 he established the first nautical school for U.S. Navy officers aboard the schoolship USS GUERRIERE.  He died on February 7, 1831, with the rank of Commodore and is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)