to the Department as an officer deserving of its patronage." And again he wrote: "I now avail myself of the opportunity of assuring you that no Marine officer in the service ever had such strong claims as Captain Gamble, and that none have been placed in such conspicuous and critical situations, and that none could have extricated themselves from them more to their honor." Porter's later decision to burn the Greenwich at Nuku Hiva also served to deprive the British of the valuable whale oil, then badly needed in England. However, during the Nuku Hiva Campaign, Lieutenant Gamble was again ordered by Commodore Porter to assume command of a prize ship, the Sir Andrew Hammond, and after the Seringapatam Mutiny, where the British prisoners successfully regained control over the Seringapatam and sailed to Australia, Gamble set out to sail the Sir Andrew Hammond with a skeleton crew to the Leeward Islands, but was intercepted en route. Gamble's subsequent capture by the British sloop , also served to protect the American whaling efforts in the region. Aboard Sir Andrew Hammond, Gamble was carrying gifts to be delivered as a tribute to the King of the Leeward Islands. When these were taken by Captain Tucker of the Cherub as prizes of war, the diplomatic relations between the British and King of the Leeward Islands deteriorated. When American whalers were seen in the harbor, Captain Tucker demanded the native king turn both whalers and the stockpiled whale oil over to him. Tucker went so far as to threaten the King by landing his Royal Marines to change the King's mind. The good king firmly said, "No." Tucker decided that a sloop's small complement of Marines and available firepower would be insufficient to force the issue, and thus sailed away. While promoted to his substantial majority only in July 1834—a full 21 years after his most famous action with the Seringapatam—Gamble was breveted a lieutenant colonel on 3 March 1827, which rank he held until his death. He died in New York City on 11 September 1836. Dates of rank Second Lieutenant - 16 January 1809 First Lieutenant - 5 March 1811 Captain - 18 June 1814 Brevet Major - 19 April 1816 Major - 1 July 1834 Brevet Lieutenant Colonel - 3 March 1827 Namesake The destroyer USS Gamble (DD-123) was named for him and his brother, United States Navy Lieutenant Peter Gamble,