 A wise boy! In 1812, Jack Creamer was only ten years old and far out to sea as a crew member on the U.S.S. United States. He was too young to share in any profits so he petitioned his captain, Stephen Decatur to be added to the official crew list on the frigate, the U.S.S. United States. Not long afterwards, under Decatur's command, the British ship, the H.M.S. Macedonia surrendered to the U.S.S. United States after a short yet decisive battle.
Stephen Decatur, recalling the young boy's initiative asked: "Well, Jack, we have taken the Macedonia, and your share of the prize if we get her in safely, may be two hundred dollars. What will you do with it?" The ten-year-old boy replied: "One hundred will go to my mother, sir, and the other will go to my schooling." From Decatur, by Irvin Anthony, 1931 à TIPTOPduTOP blog |