OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Ohio in war of 1812 - Part 13
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
September 17, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio
The Kelley Family Collections
Newspaper article, Plains Dealer
compiled by S.J. Kelley-- 1925
And Then They Went West
by Darlene E. Kelley  1998
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Ohio in War of 1812 -- part 13

Capture of the USS Cheseapeake
Letter from Lieutenant George Budd, USN, to the Secretary of the Navy

Sir;

The unfortunate death of Captain James Lawrence, and Lieutenant Augustus
C. Ludlow, has rendered it my duty to inform you of the capture of the
late United States' frigate CHESAPEAKE. On Tuesday, June 1st, at 8 AM ,
we moored ship, and at meridian got under way from President's Roads,
with a light wind from the southward and westward, and proceeded on a
cruise. A ship was then in sight in the offing, which had the appearence
of a ship of war. and which, from information received from pilot boats
and craft, we believed to be the British frigate SHANNON. We made sail
in chase and cleared ship for action. At half past 4  PM, she hove to
with her head to the southward and eastward. At 5 PM, took in the royals
and top-gallant sails, and at half past 5, hauled the courses up. About
15 minutes before 6 PM, the action commenced within pistol shot. The
first broadside did great execution on both sides, damaged our rigging,
killed, among others, Mr White the sailing master, and wounded Captain
Lawrence. In about 12 minutes after the commencement of the action, we
fell on board of the enemy, and immediately after, one of our arm chests
on the quarter-deck was blown up by a hand-grenade thrown from the
enemy's ship. In a few minutes, one of the Captain's aids came on the
gun-deck to inform me that the boarders were called. I immediately
called the boarders away, and proceeded to the spar-deck, where I found
that the enemy had suceeded in boarding us, and gained possession of our
quarter-deck. I immediately gave orders to haul on board the fore-tack,
for the purpose of shooting the ship clear of the other, and then made
an attempt to regain the quarter-deck, but was wounded and thrown down
on the gun-deck. I again made an effort to collect the boarders, but in
the meantime the enemy had gained complete possession of the ship. On my
being carried down in the cockpit, I there found Captain Lawrence and
Lieutenant Ludlow, both mortally wounded, the former had been carried
below, previously to the ship's being boarded; the latter was wounded in
attempting to repel the boarders. Among those who fell early in the
action, was Mr Edward J. Ballard, the 4th Lieutenant, and Lieutenant
James Broom, of marines. I herein enclose you a return of the killed and
wounded, by which you will perceive that every officer,upon the charge
of the ship would devolve, was either killed or wounded, previously to
her capture. The enemy report the loss of Mr. Watt, their first
Lieutenant, the purser, the Captain's clerk, and 23 seaman killed; and
Captain Broke, a midshipman, and 56 seaman wounded. The SHANNON, had ,
in addition to her full complement, an officer and 16 men belonging to
the BELLE POULE, and a part of the crew belonging to the TENEDOS.
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Midshipman William Berry, USN report 
Washington, July 30, 1813

I consider myself bound to lay before you , what came under my
knowledge, while on board the Chesapeake, as well as on board the
Shannon. After the enemy had completely possession of the ship,
Midshipman Randolph and Flushman were ordered from the fore ad main-top.
In coming down the shrouds, Lieutenant Faulkner, [the British officer]
said to his men, kill those damned rascals. Then, immediately several
muskets were discharged at them, but without effect. My station was in
the mizon-top, where I had the opportunity of seeing their actions. I
was looking on deck, when I saw one of the Chesapeake's men crawling
along attempting to get below, with one of his legs off. One of the
enemy stepped up to him with his cutlass, and immediatey put an end to
his existance.
Lieutenant Faulkner looked up in the mizen-top, pointed at me, and said
to his men, go up, three of you, and throw that damned yankee overboard.
They immediately rushed up, seizing me by the collar, now said they, you
damned Yankee, you shall swim for it, attempting to throw me overboard,
but I got within the rigging, when one of them kicked me in the breast,
which was the cause of my falling. Being stunned by the fall, I lay some
time senseless, and when I came to, I was cut over the head with a
cutlass, which nearly terminated my existance. Eleven of our midshipmen
were confined in a small place, nine feet by six, with an old sail to
lie on, and a guard at the door, until a day or two before our arrival
at Halifax, and likewise eleven of us upon five rations, and some days
only one meal. Our clothes were taken on board of the Shannon.
Lieutenant Wallis, the commanding officer on board , would not let us
take our clothes below with us, but pledged his word and honour as an
officer, we should receive our clothes. But we discovered next morning
that their midshipman had on our clothes and side-arms. We were
conversing together respecting our clothes, one of their midshipmen
overheard our conversation, and made a report to the Lieutenant
commanding. He then sent word to us, that if we said anything more about
the clothes, he would put us in the forehold with the men. We expected
to receive our clothes when we arrived in port, but I assure you, sir,
nothing was ever restored. Other rascally things occurred, which our
officers will, when they return, make known to the public, disgraceful
to a civilized nation. If your request could have been made sooner, I
should have felt gratified in making a fuller statement.
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To be continued in part 14 --The USS ESSEX--