William Ward Burrows II

William Ward Burrows II
Born6 October 1785 Edit this on Wikidata
Died5 September 1813 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 27)
BranchUnited States Navy Edit this on Wikidata

Lieutenant William Ward Burrows II (6 October 1785 – 5 September 1813) was an officer in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. His father, William Ward Burrows I, was the second Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Burrows was born in Philadelphia, and appointed a Midshipman in 1799. He distinguished himself at Tripoli onboard Constitution. Lieutenant Burrows died while in command of the brig USS Enterprise as a result of wounds received during the engagement with the British brig HMS Boxer. He was buried at Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine, next to the slain commander of Boxer, Samuel Blyth. His tablet notes that it was "erected by a passing stranger."[1] For Burrows' actions, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Three ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Burrows for him. Blyth & Burrows, a bar in Portland, Maine, is named for the duo.[2]

  1. ^ New England Cemeteries: A Collector's Guide, Andrew Kull (The Stephen Greene Press, 1975)
  2. ^ Bennett, Troy R. (2023-09-28). "Forgotten hero of Maine's famed sea fight finally gets a headstone". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2024-01-29.