Born in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, Percival left his Cape Cod home at thirteen to work as a cabin boy on a Boston coaster.

Benefiting from lax discipline, Percival led an uprising and escaped to the American merchant ship Washington.

[2][3][4] Eagle's commander spotted Yankee and sailed in close so he could order it to transfer the livestock it carried on deck to the nearby Poictiers.

[2][3][4] Percival pretended to comply, and when Eagle was less than ten feet away, he signaled his volunteers to launch a surprise attack by shouting "Lawrence!"

[2][3][4] Percival brought the captured Eagle into port and delivered his prisoners to New York City's Whitehall Street docks as thousands of Americans were celebrating Independence Day.

[2][3][4] Percival joined USS Peacock on 9 March 1814 and made three cruises during which the ship sloop captured nineteen merchantmen and two warships, HMS Epervier and the East India Company armed brig HCS Nautilus, 12 percent of the total taken by the U.S. Navy during the war.

[5] For his gallantry in the capture of HMS Epervier, he was promoted to lieutenant and presented with a special sword by Congress, shown in the accompanying portrait from about 1860.

Apparently tracing to his intense command style, the application of monikers to military and naval officers was common to the time.

"[7] In 1826, Hull put him in command of USS Dolphin and directed him to the far reaches of the uncharted Pacific to track down the mutineers of the Nantucket whaleship Globe.

Their forceful complaints to Washington compelled Percival to eventually ask for a court of inquiry to clear his name.

The extensive and detailed record of Percival's careful and honest handling of the matter can be found in his papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

(This relatively insignificant episode warrants this brief mention, because a careless writer, relying on insufficient research, wrongly charged that Percival absconded with the funds.

Prominent men and fellow officers with midshipmen sons commonly asked for their youngster to be placed under the stern tutelage of Mad Jack.

As one example, Gustavus V. Fox chafed under Percival's disciplined approach on the cruise, but went on to become Lincoln's assistant secretary of the navy.

To give the devil his due—I would rather trust my life to his charge in case of emergency at Sea than any other man in the United States Navy.

Acting Secretary David Henshaw, from Massachusetts, knew about Mad Jack's reputation for seamanship and frugality.

Percival's orders directed him to carry the first U.S. ambassador to Brazil, proceed to the east coast of Africa and on to the China seas, making his best way back to the United States.

Before the voyage ended in Boston 495 days later, the ship sailed 52,370.5 miles, circumnavigating the globe for the only time in her illustrious career.

A number of members of the crew kept detailed journals of the cruise, and one officer even sketched entertaining watercolors of scenes and incidents along the way.

On the second day, Percival received a note from a French missionary, Bishop Dominique Lefevere, saying the local authorities had him under arrest and condemned him to death.

The next day, Percival pressed the issue by capturing three junks belonging to the king, and moved his warship closer to the local forts.

Nonetheless, a rumor of fatalities continued into the 20th century when the confrontation became known as the first armed intervention by a Western nation against present-day Vietnam.

[10] After Constitution returned from her voyage in October 1845, Captain Percival went on leave and was placed on "waiting orders" status.

Percival wrote: "This Cup, with the Donor, has made three cruises to the Pacific, one to the Mediterranean, one to the Brazils, two to the West Indies, and once around the world, a distance of about 150,000 miles.

"[11] Some years ago, a private collector found the cup in a London flea market, and it was sold for $10,000 in a 2016 Cape Cod auction.

Captain Percival died at the age of 83 on 7 September 1862 in Dorchester, Massachusetts and is buried near his birthplace in West Barnstable's Ancient Cemetery.