Thomas Macdonough - Early Life

Early Life

Major Thomas Macdonough Senior, Captain Thomas Macdonough's father, lived at a farm referred to as “The Trap” (also spelled 'Trapp'), in the county of New Castle, Delaware. He received a contemporary education here but it remains uncertain if he attended any sort of formal schools or was taught by family members or a tutor. He was a major in the Continental Army. Macdonough was a tall, dignified man with a commanding character which suited him well for military service. He was a devoutly religious man of Episcopal faith, as were his parents and greater family. He was known to adhere to a set of steadfast principles in his personal and military life.

Thomas Macdonough Jr. was born in New Castle County, Delaware which later was named MacDonough, Delaware in his honor. He was employed in Middletown as a clerk upon the return of his brother James who lost a leg in a naval battle with a French vessel in 1799 during the Quasi-War with France. Shortly after Macdonough requested a commission with the United States Navy with the assistance of Senator Latimer from the state of Delaware.

Before joining the Navy, Thomas, Jr., for unknown reasons, changed the spelling of his last name from "McDonough" to "MacDonough. On May 27, 1800 at the age of sixteen Macdonough secured a warrant and served as a midshipman aboard the 24-gun USS Ganges, a corvette class ship, converted over from a merchantman vessel and outfitted as a man-of-war.

Under the command of Captain John Mullowny, the Ganges then set sail for the West Indies. During operations there she captured three French merchant ships between May and September. When hostilities between the United States and France had finally ended the following year on October 20, 1801, Macdonough was assigned to the USS Constellation, a 38-gun frigate. Commanded by Alexander Murray, Constellation was about to embark on its mission in the Mediterranean sea. While serving aboard Constellation he received a thorough education from Murray in seamanship, navigation, gunnery, and other nautical sciences towards improving his service as a junior officer.