powerful British squadron. In the spring of 1814, the frigate's commanding officer, Captain Stephen Decatur, received a posting to command the 44-gun frigate , and took the crew of United States with him to man his new command. Thus, Babbitt came to be Presidents first lieutenant. Once again, Babbitt found himself assigned to a warship unable to get to sea because of a strong blockade. The frigate remained hemmed in at New York for the rest of 1814. Not until January 1815 did conditions allow President to attempt her escape to sea. Though the peace treaty had been signed in Ghent, Belgium, in December 1814, word had not reached the Americas, and hostilities continued in the western hemisphere for some weeks. Thus, when President made her move for the open sea, British warships stood ready to engage her. In her breakout attempt on 14 January 1815, President ran afoul of another squadron of British ships comprising , , and . During the ensuing fight, President managed to inflict sufficient damage on HMS Endymion to force her out of the struggle, but the unequal contest exacted a greater toll from the American ship. Unable to outrun her other adversaries because of hull damage sustained during a grounding soon after sailing, President finally succumbed to the combined attention of the three remaining British ships after a six-hour exchange in which she lost 24 of her crewmen and three of her lieutenants, including Babbitt. Namesake The destroyer (1919–1946) was named for him. References 1790 births 1815 deaths United States Navy officers United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812 American military personnel killed in the War of 1812