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Chesapeake

2395
Nominal Guns36DANFS
NationalityUnited States of America
OperatorUnited States Navy
Ordered30.6.1798DANFS
Keel Laid Down14.11.1798DANFS
Launched2.12.1799DANFS
How acquiredPurpose builtDANFS
ShipyardGosport Shipyard - Gosport DANFS
Designed by
Josiah FoxAmerican
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1763
BWAS-1793
Constructor
Humphreys, Huttan & DelavueAmerican
Ship Builder
DANFS
CategoryFifth RateDANFS
Ship TypeFrigateDANFS
Sailing RigShip RiggedDANFS
Captured1.6.1813DANFS
Becomes

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck151' 8"Imperial Feet46.0288 
Length of Keel127' 5"Imperial Feet38.7143 
Breadth40' 11"Imperial Feet12.2174 
Moulded Breadth40' 4"Imperial Feet12.2936 
Depth in Hold13' 9"Imperial Feet4.0386 
Burthen1,134 6394Tons BM 
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFS
Length of Gundeck152' 8"Imperial Feet46.3335 
Breadth41' 3"Imperial Feet12.573 
Depth in Hold20' 1"Imperial Feet6.1214 
Burthen1,244Tons BM 

Armament


1800Broadside Weight = 462 Imperial Pound ( 209.517 kg)DANFS
Gun Deck30 American 18 Pounder
Spardeck12 American 32-Pounder Carronade

1813Broadside Weight = 459 Imperial Pound ( 208.1565 kg)B020
Gun Deck28 American 18 Pounder
Gun Deck2 American 12-Pounder
Gun Deck1 American 6-Pounder
Spardeck12 American 32-Pounder Carronade

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1800340Establishment?DANFS
1.6.1813381From the sworn statement of Lieutenant BuddW005
1.6.1813379Actual complementB020

7 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
12.1799 - 7.1807Captain
James BarronAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1802
DANFS
1802 - 1803Captain
Alexander MurrayAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1751-1828
E-WIKI
25.4.1806 - 1807Master Commandant
Charles GordonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1769-1804
W057
1807Captain
Stephen DecaturAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1820
DANFS
1807Captain
Alexander J DallasAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1775-1844
DANFS
4.7.1812 - 20.5.1813Captain
Samuel EvansAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1768-1824
W005
20.5.1813 - 1.6.1813Captain
James LawrenceAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1804
DANFS

1 Flag Officer


DatesRankNameSource
27.4.1802 - 1.6.1803Commodore
Richard V MorrisAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1849
DANFS

9 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
1801 - 15.5.1801Lieutenant
John ArcherAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1801
ref:1203
15.8.1801Lieutenant
John BallardAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1801
Resigned
ref:1203
1807First Lieutenant
George ParkerAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1800-1814
DANFS
1807Lieutenant
Augustus C LudlowAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1774-1813
DANFS
10.6.1807 - 1807Lieutenant
Arthur SinclairAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1831
E-WIKI
23.5.1812 - 1.6.1813Lieutenant
George BuddAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1775-1829
DANFS
1.6.1813 - 1813First Lieutenant
Augustus C LudlowAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1774-1813
DANFS
1.6.1813 - 1813Lieutenant
Henry E BallardAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1774-1855
DANFS
1.6.1813 - 1813Acting Lieutenant
William Sitgreaves CoxAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1879
DANFS

6 Warrant Officers


DatesRankNameSource
28.2.1800Master
Edward BallardAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1800
ref:1203
14.3.1800 - 8.7.1801Carpenter
Robert ArmisteadAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1800-1801
ref:1203
18.4.1800 - Surgeon's Mate
Sterling ArcherAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1800-1801
ref:1203
10.5.1801Chaplain
William BalchAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1799-1801
ref:1203
15.7.1812 - 1.6.1813Master
William A WhiteAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1813
W049
1.6.1813 - 1813Gunner
Mathew RogersAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1763-1863
E-WIKI

2 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
1800 - 1803Midshipman
Lewis WarringtonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1827-1851
W053
1813 - 1.6.1813Midshipman
Walter AbbotAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812-1825
ref:1859

2 Marines


DatesRankNameSource
1.6.1800 - 31.7.1800Marine Private
Ebenezer CarlisleAmerican
Marine
Service 1799-1801
ref:1144
9.1808 - 25.9.1809Marine Corporal
John FranciscoAmerican
Marine
Service 1800-1808
ref:1144

Service History


DateEventSource
6.6.1800Left Norfolk for a cruise of the southern coast of the USA and the West Indies
1801Placed in ordinary at Norfolk
1.1.1801Took the Privateer
La Jeune Creole (Unknown) 1800-1801
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

11.5.1801Departed Gibraltar bound for North America
1.7.1801Arrived at Gibraltar
27.4.1802Recommisioned as Mediterannean Flagship of Commodore
Richard V MorrisAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1849

6.4.1803Left Gibraltar for America
1.6.1803Arrived at Washington Navy Yard and placed in ordinary soon after
1807Recommissioned
6.1807Left Hampton Roads
22.6.1807

Incident with Leopard (50), in which the Chesapeake suffered 21 casualties and had 4 men carried off

E-WIKI
13.12.1812Cruised in the Atlantic taking five British Merchantmen prize
9.4.1813Returned to the United States
1.6.1813Left Boston to engage
Shannon (38) 1806-1859
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
1844 Renamed "Saint Lawrence"

1.6.1813Chesapeake vs Shannon
1.6.1813Taken by
Shannon (38) 1806-1859
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
1844 Renamed "Saint Lawrence"



Fleets

DatesFleetFleet CommanderSource
1802-1803American Mediterranean Squadron 1802-1803
Richard V MorrisAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1849
 

Notes on Ship


Casualties and DamageW057

In the action against the Shannon the Chesapeake had sixty-one killed or mortally wounded, including her Captain, First and Fourth Lieutenants, master, Boatswain and three Midshipmen, and eight-five wounded, including her both the other Lieutenants, five midshipmen and the Chaplain.

During the fifteen minute engagement the Chesapeake was struck by the following shot (From a table in Roosevelt)

39  eighteen pound
25  thirty-two pound
2  nine pound
306  grape
362  Total shot


 
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