don’t give up the ship

it was naval captain james lawrence who famously exclaimed these words with his dying breath—  shortly after setting sail from boston in 1813, he engaged a royal navy frigate off the coast of rockport, massachusetts. the crown managed to disable the american navy vessel & mortally wound lawrence with small arms fire. as his crew carried him below deck, he yelled out his final order to his officers “don’t give up the ship. fight her til she sinks.”