Born at Kinderton, Pennsylvania, son of the first commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. Never married.

Joined the Navy as a midshipman in November 1799. Served on the Constitution during the Triplitan wars. Burrows commanded the 16 gun sloop Enterprise. On September 5, 1813, it engaged the British brig Boxer under Captain Blythe. Blythe was killed and Burrows mortally wounded before the Boxer surrendered. Burrows and Blythe were buried side by side in Portland, Maine. Congress passed a resolution of praise and presented a gold medal to the next of kin.

No picture of Burrows was available to use as a source for the medal. The obverse shows a tomb, funeral urn and military trophies. A 65 mm medal (Julian NA-7) was produced and presented to the family about 1820. It reappeared at the mint June 1, 1842, as a gold deposit for melting. The gold medal is currently untraced.

bio: ApCAB; DAB; Drake; Failor; Loubat; NCAB 7; TCBDA; WWWA-H; NUM/NIN 5/95