Thomas ap Catesby Jones: Commodore of Manifest Destiny

Abstract

BOOK REVIEWS Thomas ap Catesby Jones: Commodore of Manifest Destiny. By Gene A. Smith. (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2000. Pp. xx, 223. Illustrations, maps. $34.95.) In this sympathetic, but not uncritical, biography of Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones (1790-1858), Gene A. Smith presents a fuller portrait of a man who is known mainly for his seizure of Monterey, California, in 1842 under the mistaken idea that the United States and Mexico were at war. Orphaned at the age of fourteen, Jones was placed in the custody of an uncle who later died in a duel. Family political connections and the threat of war enabled the young orphan to enter the U. S. Navy as a midshipman in 1807. During the British advance on New Orleans in the War of 1812, Jones fought in the battle of Lake Bourne. As a result of a wound sustained in that battle, Jones was unable to lift his left arm above his shoulder for the rest of his life. Postwar duties took Jones to the Mediterranean, where he learned about the management of a large warship, the practice of diplomacy, and the discipline of the officers and the crew. Jones inherited land in northern Virginia, and between naval duties he worked to improve and enlarge his property. In 1823, he married Mary Walker Carter, a descendant of the Lees and the Carters of Virginia, and began to raise a family. As the commander of the sloop Peacock in the Pacific in 1826-1827, Jones advanced American interests in the region and checked those of Great Britain. He negotiated treaties with the regents of Tahiti and Hawaii. On the island of Oahu, he mediated a dispute between the Hawaiians and the foreign merchants and traders and supported the work of the American Protestant missionaries. When his appropriation ran out, Jones spent his own money on his diplomatic efforts, confident that his government would repay him. For over thirty years, Jones tried in vain to collect what was due to him. Back home, Jones tried to pursue the life of a gentleman farmer but was stymied by money problems. In 1828, he was named commander of the South Pacific Exploring Expedition and was promoted to captain, then the highest rank in the navy. Political disagreements prevented the funding of the enterprise for ten years. After Jones was again in charge, politics, personalities and delays taxed his patience and his health and forced him to resign. When he recovered, he was given the command of a warship in the Pacific. It was during this tour of duty that Jones became fearful that Great Britain was planning to seize California while the United States was involved in a war with Mexico. To forestall such an event, Jones sailed to Monterey, where he received the surrender of the town. The next morning, he learned that he had made a mistake. Jones apologized, hauled down the U. S. flag, and departed. The diplomatic repercussions of this event damaged the United States' relations with Mexico and Jones's reputation. When he returned to Washington, Jones had to wait patiently until his mistake was forgotten. In the meantime, he worked to improve the soil on his farm and to build a church in his neighborhood. He also endorsed the concept of a naval academy to train midshipmen and made recommendations about the promotion policies for officers. War with Mexico seemed to be an opportunity for Jones to win glory and refurbish his reputation. …