Truxtun eventually rose to the rank of Commodore in the late eighteenth century and later served in the Quasi-War with France.

[1] He lost his father at a young age and was taken to Jamaica on Long Island with relatives and placed under the care of a close friend, John Troup.

[2] Having little chance for a formal education, he joined the crew of the British merchant ship Pitt at the age of 12,[3] against his father's previous wishes for him to pursue a career in politics.

Before the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War he was impressed into a Royal Navy ship and was offered a midshipman's commission, which he turned down.

He was the author of a treatise on longitude and latitude, of a "System of masting a 44-gun frigate," and was an advocate for the foundation of a national navy.

[6] In 1794 and the war with France looming, Truxtun was one of the first six captains appointed by President Washington in the newly formed US Navy.

[10] On 9 February 1799, while sailing independently of his squadron in his flagship Constellation, Truxtun encountered and engaged the French frigate L'Insurgente, a larger and more heavily armed vessel commanded by Captaine Barreau.

After chasing the French ship through a storm, Constellation was able to force L'Insurgente into an engagement that lasted an hour and fourteen minutes.

La Vengeance was bound for France under Capitaine de Vaisseau François Pitot carrying passengers and specie, and initially attempted to outrun Constellation.

[16][clarification needed] Truxtun's victory against La Vengeance made him a hero of the time; when he arrived home he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal on 29 March 1800, becoming the eighth recipient of that body's "highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

After the vessel was fitted out for sea duty, she set sail for Guadeloupe on 5 August with Captain Truxtun in command, relieving Stephen Decatur.

She conducted routine patrols during the latter part of the Quasi-War and recaptured several American merchant ships; however, her overall service in this period was uneventful.

[28] as well as naval officer Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale, who became a national figure in the 19th century as an explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, and close friend of Kit Carson and President Ulysses S. Grant.