John Shaw (navy)

John Shaw (1773 – September 17, 1823) was a captain in the early years of the United States Navy.

He was born at Mountmellick, County Laois, Ireland, in 1773, and moved to the United States in 1790, where he settled in Philadelphia, and entered the merchant marine.

Appointed Lieutenant in the United States Navy on August 3, 1798, he first served in Montezuma in Commodore Thomas Truxtun's squadron in the West Indies during the early part of the Quasi-War with France. On October 20, 1799, he was given command of the schooner Enterprise in which, during the next year, he captured seven armed French vessels and recaptured several American merchantmen. By the time he was relieved of command due to ill health in October 1800, he had made Enterprise one of the most famous vessels of the Navy.

During the First Barbary War, Shaw commanded frigate Adams in the Mediterranean under Commodore John Rodgers from May to November 1804. He was promoted to Captain in August 1807.

Shaw helped suppress the 1811 German Coast Uprising.

During the War of 1812, Shaw commanded the New Orleans naval post as well as the frigate United States.

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