One of the deserters, a Londoner named Jenkin Ratford, joined the crew of USS Chesapeake. A number of Royal Navy seamen had deserted from their ships and local American authorities gave them sanctuary. On June 22, 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, several British naval vessels were on duty on the North American Station, blockading two French third-rate warships in Chesapeake Bay. Background USS Chesapeake, depicted in a c. Jefferson's political failure to coerce Great Britain led him toward economic warfare: the Embargo of 1807. The United States Congress backed away from armed conflict when British envoys showed no contrition for the Chesapeake affair, delivering proclamations reaffirming impressment. President Thomas Jefferson initially attempted to use this widespread bellicosity to diplomatically threaten the British government into settling the matter. There were strident calls for war with Great Britain, but these quickly subsided. The Chesapeake– Leopard affair created an uproar among Americans. Chesapeake was allowed to return home, where James Barron was court martialed and relieved of command.
Chesapeake had fired only one shot.įour crew members were removed from the American vessel and were tried for desertion, one of whom was subsequently hanged. Chesapeake was caught unprepared and after a short battle involving broadsides received from Leopard, the commander of Chesapeake, James Barron, surrendered his vessel to the British. The crew of Leopard pursued, attacked, and boarded the American frigate, looking for deserters from the Royal Navy. The Chesapeake– Leopard affair was a naval engagement off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, on June 22, 1807, between the British fourth-rate HMS Leopard and the American frigate USS Chesapeake.
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