PUBLISHER: Published July 24, 1813 by G. Thompson No. 43 Long Lane West Smithfield
MEDIUM: Etching,
DATE: 1813
EDITION SIZE: Image size 17 7/8 x 13 1/8" (45.5 x 33.5 cm).
DESCRIPTION: The war at sea was not entirely unmarred by British victories. In June 1807 the ill-fated USS Chesapeake was stopped off Norfolk, Virginia by the HMS Leopard, which was following the standard Royal Navy practice of seeking deserters. When American Commodore James Barron refused to allow boarders, the Leopard took the decidedly non-standard step of firing several broadsides into the unprepared Chesapeake, which soon surrendered. The incident nearly brought the United States and Great Britain to war. <BR> Some years later the Chesapeake had an opportunity for revenge, when Captain James Lawrence sailed it out of Boston Harbor to meet the HMS Shannon in a ship-to-ship duel. The ships themselves were well matched, but the Shannon’s crew was at a peak of training, while Lawrence was a newly-promoted captain and much of his crew were new enlistees. The Shannon triumphed in a brief but extremely bloody encounter, and Lawrence and several dozen of his men were killed. The Chesapeake was towed to Halifax and taken into the Royal Navy as the HMS Chesapeake, but in 1819 was sold out of the service and broken up. <BR>This very rare print has a primitive power that captures the brutality of the fighting, which began with broadsides at close quarters and ended with the Shannons boarding and capturing the Chesapeake. According to the colorful subtitle, the battle “Was fought June 1 1813 off Boston in America when after exchanging between two and three broadsides our brave Tars, boarded her and in two Minutes time the enemy were driven sword in hand from every post the American Flag was hawled [sic] down, and the proud old British Union floated triumphant over it, the Shannon was commanded by Capt. Broke, and had 23 Men slain, and 56 Wounded, the Chesapeake, Capt. Lawrence, had himself and about 70 Killed and 100 Wounded.” Alphabetical legends to the left and right of the title are keyed to letters on the print and describe key incidents in the encounter.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
CONDITION: Fair condition, with large tear in the hull under the guns of the Chesapeake and running up the bow of the ship, another in the left side near the mermaid of the Shannon and a third along the top portion of the image, all professionally mended. Some minor paper loss in the text inscription at lower left, and side margins reinstated. Lined.
REFERENCE: Olds #222 and Grolier #109.
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