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USS Chesapeake
USS Chesapeake was a 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted
heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was originally
designed as a 44-gun frigate but construction delays, material
shortages, and budget problems caused builder Josiah Fox to alter
her design to 38 guns. Launched in 1799, Chesapeake was one
of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval
Act of 1794:
Chesapeake - 38 guns - constructed at Gosport,
Virginia
Constitution - 44 guns - constructed at Boston,
Massachusetts
President - 44 guns - constructed at New York, New
York
United States - 44 guns - constructed at Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
Congress - 36 guns - constructed at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire
Constellation - 36 guns - constructed at Baltimore,
Maryland
On 22 June 1807 she was fired upon by HMS Leopard of the
Royal Navy for refusing to comply with a search for deserters. The
event, now known as the Chesapeake–Leopard Affair,
angered the American populace and government and was a
precipitating factor that led to the War of 1812. As a result of
the affair, Chesapeake's commanding officer, James Barron,
was court-martialed and the United States instituted the Embargo
Act of 1807 against England.
Early in the war she made one patrol and captured five British
merchant ships before returning. She was captured by HMS Shannon
shortly after sailing from Boston, Massachusetts, on 1 June 1813.
The Royal Navy took her into their service as HMS
Chesapeake, where she served until she was broken up and her
timbers sold in 1820; they are now part of the Chesapeake Mill in
Wickham, England.
Chesapeake - Leopard Affair
In January, 1807, Master Commandant Charles Gordon was appointed
Chesapeake's commanding officer (Captain). He was ordered to
prepare her for patrol and convoy duty in the Mediterranean to
relieve her sister ship Constitution, which had been on duty
there since 1803. James Barron was appointed overall commander of
the squadron as its Commodore. Chesapeake was in much
disarray from her multi-year period of inactivity and many months
were required for repairs, provisioning, and recruitment of
personnel. Among those chosen were three sailors who had deserted
from HMS Melampus. The English ambassador to the United
States requested the return of the sailors. Barron found that,
although they were indeed from Melampus, they had been
impressed into Royal Navy service from the beginning. He therefore
refused to release them back to Melampus and nothing further
was communicated on the subject.
In early June Chesapeake departed the Washington Navy
Yard for Norfolk, Virginia, where she completed provisioning and
loading armaments. Captain Gordon informed Barron on the 19th that
Chesapeake was ready for sea and they departed on 22 June
armed with 40 guns. At the same time, a British squadron consisting
of HMS Melampus, Bellona, and Leopard (a 50-gun fourth-rate)
were lying off the port of Norfolk, blockading two French ships
there. As Chesapeake departed, the squadron ships began
signaling each other and Leopard got under way preceding
Chesapeake to sea.
After sailing for some hours, Leopard, commanded by
Captain Salusbury Pryce Humphreys, approached Chesapeake and
hailed a request to deliver dispatches to England, a customary
request of the time. When a British lieutenant arrived by boat, he
handed Barron an order, given by Vice-Admiral George Berkeley of
the Royal Navy, which instructed the British ships to stop and
board Chesapeake to search for deserters. Barron refused to
allow this search, and as the lieutenant returned to Leopard Barron
ordered the crew to general quarters. Shortly afterward
Leopard hailed Chesapeake; Barron could not
understand the message. Leopard fired a shot across the bow,
followed by a broadside, at Chesapeake. For fifteen minutes,
while Chesapeake attempted to arm herself, Leopard
continued to fire broadside after broadside until Barron struck his
colors. Chesapeake only managed to fire one retaliatory shot
after hot coals from the galley were brought on deck to ignite the
cannon. The British boarded Chesapeake and carried off four
crewmen, declining Barron's offer that Chesapeake be taken
as a prize of war. Chesapeake had three sailors killed and
Barron was among the 18 wounded.
Word of the incident spread quickly upon Chesapeake's
return to Norfolk, where the British squadron that included
Leopard was provisioning. Mobs of angry citizens destroyed
two hundred water casks destined for the squadron and nearly killed
a British lieutenant before local authorities intervened. President
Jefferson recalled all US warships from the Mediterranean and
issued a proclamation: all British warships were banned from
entering US ports and those already in port were to depart. The
incident eventually led to the Embargo Act of 1807.
Chesapeake was completely unprepared to defend herself
during the incident. None of her guns were primed for operation and
the spar deck was filled with materials that were not properly
stowed in the cargo hold. A court-martial was convened for Barron
and Captain Gordon, as well as Lieutenant Hall of the Marines.
Barron was found guilty of "neglecting on the probability of an
engagement to clear his Ship for action" and suspended from the
navy for five years. Gordon and Hall were privately reprimanded,
and the ship's gunner was discharged from the navy.