BLAKELEY, Johnston, naval officer, born near Seaford, county Down, Ireland, in October 1781; lost at sea in 1814. His father, John Blakeley, brought him to this country when he was only two years old, and settled in Wilmington, North Carolina Young Blakeley was sent in 1790 to New York City, where he spent five years m study, and, in 1796, entered the University of North Carolina. His father died in 1797, leaving him alone in the world, and in 1799 financial troubles compelled him to leave College. On 5 February 1800, he obtained a midshipman's warrant in the navy. He was made lieutenant 10 February 1807, and in 1813 commanded the brig " Enterprise," and did good service in protecting the coasting trade. On 24 July 1813, he was made master commander, and in August was appointed to the command of the new sloop "Wasp," which sailed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on a cruise, 1 May 1814. On 28 June he fell in with the British brig "Reindeer," and captured her after a severe action of nineteen minutes. The "Reindeer" made three unsuccessful attempts to board the "Wasp," and in the last of these her commander, Captain Manners, was killed. The loss of the "Reindeer" was 25 killed, 42 wounded; that of the "Wasp," 5 killed, 22 wounded. Owing to the danger of recapture, Blakeley burned his prize, and, having placed a portion of his wounded prisoners on a neutral vessel, put into L'Orient. Congress voted him a gold medal for his exploit. Sailing from L'Orient on 27 August the "Wasp" made several captures, one of them a vessel laden with military stores. On the evening of 1 September he fell in with the brig "Avon," and compelled her to surrender, but the approach of the two brigs "Castilian" and "Tartarus " forced him to abandon his prize, which soon sank. After capturing and scuttling two more vessels, the "Wasp," on 21 September captured the brig "Atalanta," which was sent to Savannah, and on 24 November Blakeley was made captain. After this nothing more was heard of the "Wasp," or those on board of her, until it was discovered that a Swedish ship had spoken her on 9 October, which was the last news of her. It seems probable that the vessel, being heavily armed and sparred, and very deep-waited, foundered in a gale. Blakeley's only child, a daughter, was educated at the expense of the state of North Carolina.