Overview
John Herbert Dent (22 February 1782 – 29 July 1823) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War, the First Barbary War, and the War of 1812. He was acting captain on the USS Constitution" (Old Ironsides) during the attacks on Tripoli in 1804.
Early years
Born in Charles County, Maryland, Dent was the eldest son of Congressman George Dent and Anne (Truman) Dent. His family had arrived in Maryland in the early Colonial days and had a long history of public service. With his parents, we moved to Columbia County, Georgia.
Navy career
At the age of sixteen he was appointed a midshipman 16 March 1798. The Department of Navy had just been created by Congress in response to increasing attacks on merchant ships.
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