Blakely, Hero of
A Sea Mystery
Dashing naval officer left his mark
at the university and disappeared in
the pages of maritime history.
On the campus of the University of
North Carolina, at the fork of two
small streams, is a great beech tree
which has become immortalized in the
history of the University as “The
Meeting of the Waters."
By searching among the hundreds
of names and initials which have been
carved upon this aged tree for more
than a century and a half, one once
could find the almost illegible name
of Johnson Blakely, who made fame
for himself in the annals of the Uni¬
versity by once threatening to throw
the president of that institution out of
the window.
The portrait of Blakely w'hich hangs
upon the walls of the Philanthropic
Society Hall reminds North Carolina of
the fame of her naval hero W'hose last
voyage is still one of the sea’s unsolved
mysteries.
The discipline of the University in
the seventeen-nineties was strict and
Blakely, an independent, adventurous
and fun-loving youth, naturally was
impatient of the restrictions placed
upon him. Certain college disturbances
had been going on and Dr. Caldwell,
the president at that time, had reason
to believe that Blakely w'as involved.
He went to his room one day to ques¬
tion him. Denying all knowledge of
the affair, Dr. Caldwell, who consid¬
ered Blakely’s attitude disrespectful,
threatened to throw him out of the
window.
“1 beg, Sir, you will not attempt it,”
was the young student’s ready reply,
“as it will necessitate my throwing you
out.”
The courageous spirit in w'hich
Blakely made his boyish threat to
Dr. Caldwell w'as an expression of that
spirit of independence w'hich made
him the greatest of North Carolina’s
heroes of the sea.
Though North Carolinians alw'ays
refer to Johnson Blakely as a native
son, he was born in Ireland. Soon after
his birth, in 1781, his parents started
to America with him but his mother
died on the voyage over. The Irish
father and son were welcomed in
Wilmington, where the father became
a successful merchant and where the
two lived until young Johnson’s college
education began.
He first attended a school on Long
Island to which many Southern families
sent their sons. In 1797, he entered
the University. His father had died,
leaving enough property for him to
continue his education.
At the University, he participated
in all the customary activities, holding
every possible office in the Philan¬
thropic Literary Society, though he was
often disciplined for laughing out dur¬
ing the meetings, as he had a very
keen sense of humor and made no
attempt to suppress his mirth when
anything amused him.
In spite of his mischievous nature,
he did well in his studies, being es¬
pecially gifted in navigation, surveying
and mathematics.
Johnson’s career at the University
was cut short in 1799 because the
property from which he was receiving
rent in Wilmington was burned. He
then joined the American navy as mid¬
shipman and for 12 years, sailed the
high seas, finally becoming a lieuten¬
ant and being placed in command of a
14-gun brig, the Enterprise.
Soon after, he captured a British
privateer, the Ely, and as a result was
put in command of the Wasp, an
American brig, and on May 1, 1814,
began one of the most colorful trips
of his naval career.
A series of brilliant attacks and
captures of British ships followed, be¬
Sa far os is known, Cop tain Blakely has the
distinction of being the only individual who ever
threatened to throw a president of The Univer¬
sity af North Carolina out af a dormitory
window.
ginning with the British brig-sloop the
Reindeer, and ending with the brig
Atlanta , taken about 30 miles east of
the Madeira Islands. This ship was
taken to Savannah and Blakely then set
out to look for further spoils. After
October 19, 1814, when the Wasp was
seen by the Swedish ship, Adonis, it
was never seen again.
What happened to the ship and its
gallant commander has remained for¬
ever a mystery though many solutions
have been offered as to its fate. Per¬
haps some large English vessel sank
her. Perhaps she was lost in a gale at
sea. Some claim that she had a terrific
battle with a powerful British man-of-
war off the coast of South Carolina,
both ships having been sunk. Others
say she was wrecked along the Afri¬
can coast and her crew captured by a
band of Arabs.
No matter what the fate of North
Carolina’s sea hero, he has received
the honor he deserves. In 1814, the
United States Congress passed a joint
resolution of thanks for his services,
awarding him a congressional medal
of bravery.
The same year, North Carolina
passed a like resolution, awarding him
a handsome sword set with jewels.
Blakely left an infant daughter to
whom North Carolina contributed
$600 a year for her education until
1829. She died a year after her mar¬
riage to a member of the Danish
nobility.
THE STATE, APRIL 1, 1966
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