The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-05-03
Tho Chesapea Ike and the Leonard

The recent death of Commodore Barron having
revived the affair of the Chesapeake and the Lso.
| pard We lay before our readers the following ac.
| count OF 1t, as given by the equally unfortunate
commander of the Leopard. Rear Admiral Sir
Salisbury Davenport died November II, lS45; he
was the Capt. Humphreys who commanded the
Leopard. having changed his name a few wears
before his death, on his accession to consde ra be
property in right of his second wife, The affair OF
the Chesapeake was the last battle if it can be SO
called, OF one who had ranked as meritorious
and distinguished officer. Like Commodore Barron,
| he fell into disgrace, rather neglect and was
| never employed again by his government. In q
| letter written d few years before his death, he
gives his account of the circumstances of that un
! fortunate affair:
| acted under positive order, in writing, from
| the late Admiral Sir George Berkeley, to search
for deserters from ships under his command on
the Halifax station. No person could regret more
| than myself that the Admiral should have issued
such circular to the different ships under his COM
mand but my duty was to obey, as a subordinate
officer, and, as gentleman, to soften and anchor.
ate the apparent severity and harshness of the
order; and, therefore, upon communicating its
contents, according to my Instructions, to Commo-
dore Barron, also sent the following note from
myself:
The CAPTAIN Of a. N Ship Leopard has the honor to en-
he
an order from the Hon Vice Admiral Berkeey
nchlef OF his Majesty ships and vessels the North
mentioned, under command and supposed now Ia b
serving as part of the crew of the Chesapeake.
The Captain of the Leopard will presume to saw
thing in addition to what the has stated
mo ba@ S BE- %
su6sing between the two countries may undis-
SAnswer,) know Of no such you describe The
Officers e recruiting service for th, ship were partica
any deserte rom his Britannia Majesys service nor do
the crew Of any h that command 20 M not 70 pc
other than her own Officers 1t is disposition preserve
harmony and hope tins your dispatch will prove
Commander of the U. s. ship Chesapeake.
| After receipt OF this answer to nv application
| for the men, had only a plain straig htforw ward
course to pursue-viz to execute the order of my
SUPERIOR painful duty; but had no alterna i've
| Six men were killed and twenty wounded on board
| the Chesapeake. Admiral Berkeley was soon after
| superseded in his command by Sir John Warren
| The amiable and good Sir T. Hardy, who had mar
red the eldest daughter of Admiral Berkeley filled
my station as flag captain with his farther in law
on the Lisbon station, at a subsequent period but
| Notwithstanding repeated applications for ship, |
have never obtained an appointment since [ have
now the rank of retired Rear Admiral, having been
passed over IN the promotion in consequence of not
having served the requisite time how could do
so IT, to conelllate the United States the Admiralty
would not employ me? Four deserters were tai Ken
out of the Chesapeake Radford, the man found
IN the hold, was condemned to die and was exc
| cuted on board H. Ms sloop Halifax the other
| three were sentenced to receive 500 Iashes each.
which was eventually RENTED When the Ches-
apeake was captured by the Shannon, | earnestly
solicited Lord Melville to give the command Of
her to me, to whom she had previously lowered her
colors-provided Captain Broke did not wish to be
removed to her from the Shannon but neither
this nor any other application met with success
Nal ia