In the American Revolution he won a name as a privateer, seizing many British prizes. Later he was a sea captain in merchant trade until the U.S. navy was organized (1775). In the “near war” with France 1798-1800), he commanded the Constellation and earned an outstanding reputation. He captured the French frigate L'Insurgente (1799) and then later defeated La Vengeance (1800), although he was prevented by a storm from taking the latter ship as a prize. Shortly afterward he retired from the navy.

The Truxtun Ships

• The first ship named after Truxtun was a brig launched in 1842, then served as an Anti-Slave Patrol ship off the coast of Africa and destroyed after running aground off Mexico in 1846.
• The second ship named after Truxtun (DD-14) was a destroyer, launched in 1902 under the sponsorship of Commodore Truxtun's great-granddaughter, Mrs. Frank W. Brumby, and was in service from 1902 to 1919. during which was awarded the Mexican Service Medal.
• The third ship named after Truxtun (DD-229) was a destroyer commissioned in February 1921 and served in screen convoys escorting transports carrying Army troops to Iceland to relieve the Marines until accidentally going aground in 1942.
• The fourth ship named after Truxtun (APD-98) was laid down as a destroyer escort DE-282 in 1943, but completed as a high-speed transport in 1945, later transferred to Taiwan and renamed Fu Shan allowing the name Truxtun to be assigned to the newly authorized nuclear powered guided missle frigate.
• The fifth ship named after Truxtun was the DLGN/CGN-35.
  Complete details will be found in the DLGN/CGN-35 page of this site.
• The sixth ship named after Truxtun is going to be (DDG-103) an Arleigh Burke class destroyer.
  Complete details will be found in the DDG-103 page and in the Coming Events page on this site.

The background for all these pages is taken from a replica of a bowl commissioned by Truxtun. It is a drawing of a 44-gun Frigate.