Customer Reviews

Injured Honor: The Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, June 22, 1807

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Hats off to these authors for writing a book about the Chesapeake/Leopard duel and the resulting conflict with Great Britain over impressment of American sailors. I think this book does a great service to historians for why the War of 1812 came about. One author took the diplomat side of the story while the other covered the naval aspect. What one finds explains a lot about the subsequent war five years later.

British sailors were poorly paid and badly treated. American sailors were better paid and treated. British sailors deserted in droves for the American merchant marine and small U. S. Navy. Britain took it upon herself to stop ships at sea or even a foreign harbor and take what sailors it needed to complement the ship's crew. This was British Arrogance at its worst. No apologies/nothing in the way of compensation if they took other's nation's citizens. The British Navy regarded this as a right. Today we call it piracy. The U.S. government under Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison tried to stop it. However, American merchants and the U.S. Navy willingly took on British deserters for crew on their ships. This also was probably wrong. The confrontation was set. The Leopard stopped the U.S. Navy frigate Chesapeake and demanded to search it for deserters. When the Commodore refused, they put several broadsides into the U.S. ship. The Chesapeake was completely unprepared for battle. The Chesapeake surrendered and three British deserters were taken off.

This was not the end of the affair. There was needed a scapegoat for the U.S. ship's surrender. This was the Commodore, even though the Captain and some of his lietenants were as guilty of being unprepared as the Commodore. The subsequent trial and acquital of the junior officers was unfair.

This is a nice easy read. Again, hats off to the authors for writing about a little known event.