The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-04-28
Commodore james Barron.

The death of this unfortunate man revives
Notifying incident in our naval history. Time,
which has soothed the modification and anger ex-
cited by the surrender Of the Chesapeake, has left
the public mind in condition to do justice to his
memory. A careful review Of the evidence before
the Court Marshal establishes the following facts :
The Chesapeake was built in the Navy Yard, at
Washington, and was put in commission in the
early part Of 1907. She rated thirty eight guns.
Her Captain was Charles Gordon, and she was
ordered to the Mediterranean to relieve the Cons-
tuition. Captain James Barron was selected to
hoist his pesnant as Commodore Of the Squadron
in that sea. Gordon did not take actual command
until May. She left Washington, early in June,
in an unfinished condition, and certainly unpre-
pared for war service Commodore Barron first
| visited her in Hampton Roads, and remained on
board short time. The full complement Of guns
and stores was received between the 9th and
10th Of June. On that day Captain Gordon
reported her ready for sea- and on the 22d she
sailed. The crew mustered three hundred and
seventy-ive men, They had been at quarters but
three times and had not been exercised at the guns
at ALL She carried forty guns. A British Squad
ron lay in the Roads watching some French ships
al Annapolis. 1t consisted Of three ships-the
Bellona, "a; the Meampus, So; and the Leo
pard, so.
The Chesapeake was followed out to sea by the
Leopard. When several miles out. the Leopard
hailed that she had dispatches on board for the
Chesapeake. This was not unusual, and the Com
modore hove to and received the boat of the Leo
pard. The officer delivered copy of letter from
the British Vice Admiral, on the American Sta
ton, ordering all British Commanders to search
the Chesapeake for deserters. Accompanying this
order, was polite note from Captain Humphreys,
of the Leopard expressing his intention to obey it..
1t seems that three seamen had deserted from
the Melampus, and shipped on the Chesapeake
They had been demanded by the British Minister.
The seamen had acknowledged their desertion, but
claimed to be American born, that they had been
pressed as English sailors, and had deserted on the
6rst opportunity. The evidence satisfied the Anne
rcan Government of the truth Of the facts and for
this the had not been surrendered, with
out raising the question, whether even if English
sailors, any law would authorize their surrender.
As it was known they were the Chesapeake,
this was the cause for this insulting and unprece-
dented demand. Barron, of course, refused to mus
ter his men, and the British officer left Immedi-
ately on joining his ship, the Leopard, which had
Obtained raking position, opened her broadsides,
ana continued destructive ire until the Chesa-
peake surrendered, when an officer was sent on
board the crew mustered, the three deserters from
the Melampus taken out, together with fourth,
who also claimed to be an American born The
Chesapeake then returned to Hampton Roads
The Indignation and shame which this event Gre
ated, may well be imagined; even now as the
shameful page is read, every American cheek is
sufused. But the disgrace Of that affair was glori-
ousy redeemed in the captures, in open war; and
without treachery, Of the Guerrero. the Macedo.
MAN, the Java, and of other engagements.
Al Court Martial was held-the Commodore was
accused Of negligence want of .eaman.b;n and
COURAGE. He was conv;cted Of nea.ct in not oo,,
mencinp to clear his decks and call;,o tbe mon -
Quarters Immediately after tho rscent;on sc ,ba -.
saoe Cooner ubo cor,,;nl,, o,,,h. ! ~ .n;1
e,ed - ;n.au;a.n, ;,,d,,o a.,,,;,a H.. -, -
,nd .,,,;h,,as ~ - g ~. ~.
!. ~. D-.. m, e'.'c up
- ep- a' ''' He s.ea' e'ioi u oar
SIG = PC ~l'u 'n,p unpfepafea iof
!, :. ~, nv m, VI. 0on'nanue' VI 'ne
...r 80 80 o.''N " INC peopie
~ 'Ae ~. 'o ''.e ''o.''', anu inS'eau Vi
N..A,..as T., o. A''ApeIne oe .'en,, ooh-
.''e.. On Ao n ~. Dying
"a' 'ae' 'n' s"ey VI poii''o'ahs' ne
""' s''pe""eu 'o' A'o years ~''h'o' pay anu le't
r HN' 49, ie wen, ','o ''ie i'uS
''an 'ers'e' ana remained enefe I'LL ms term OF
suspension EXPIRED. IN 1919 ne reported himself
'of ua'y' put 'ne QUINN "nch attached to ms name
p'essh.eu ms employment ana ne remained ABROAD
un.n a''ef peace
VIC "o"'u 'upPoso euat He Hdu suiie'eu MS
sna.s y '1'''y ,n,n Dl' ne seems 70 nave oseh
",J'. - or ~ saeu l'e oo,nn'nu =, 'ne
- ~ "l'.s. Is n' ,e'o Do,a
w. '1ye, - '"o 1'u' wiz" nau sospe"ueo
n s,o'e' opppoeu ms app'io~,.on' anu iiaue
u N ~, .'N''o" :" 'a.'
~ ~. ~, mh so'esp'nueuoe -
y, ~ .,,,,s 80 h;a " W. oae op.'on ~
~ Wv ~, :,s' ',s Ma -. .'o,e
e,e ,h u.,;o D. Ia ,asI,,. Nv, IN
!. ,,;o;ra,;on :, H., o,lo,;as IS ,hs a,,sJ
an thai he ,,as od;o,,. f,,n;,a,,,, h..
od;ops /, m tho nation Wba,a,,.. ,,.;,aI,oh;..,
If nrofsssonal honor or sva,,;on n,,.t h. aa.,ad
from his rank Hs had no,hino ~ ,.;r h., no.,
test with Dscamr Rnt bis eou-aa. h.a h.ar
called in Question and bough ,ba, cbar,s had han
renelled bv tho trial vst nscat,r haa sn.arad =,
his shsence dn,;no The wa, Tbs 1e,,a,, or NJ
tur "a ,,noena,ous .he.r;nr-onoh. s ha ouah,
mt IN have wr;,,sn. tn falIan man Tha surnn,
,b;es oc ~, roodar .,a With n. M ,,,a.aa
and distance wers advan,aoaops tn Dscanr R.r
ron was near sisbted and his friend endsavored n
Mace them on terms of eopaltv and shortening tho
distance. but in vain, Thev fought at eight s,ens
with pistols. Both were wounded- Decatur mor.
tally: Barron severely. Had Barron been killed