Always after this the Chesapeake seems to have been an unlucky ship. When the war broke out she went on an extensive cruise; she left Boston toward the close of February, 1813, passed the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, crossed the Equator, and cruised for six weeks in the South Atlantic Ocean. She then went to the coast of South America, sailed through the West Indies, and up the coast of the United States to Boston again. During all that long cruise she met only three ships-of-war, and captured only four merchant ships. When she was going into Boston Harbor in a gale she lost a topmast, and several men, who were aloft at the time, went overboard with it and were drowned. After she came back to Boston Captain Lawrence was assigned to command her. He accepted with great reluctance, on account of her "unlucky" reputation, not because he had any superstitions on that account, but because it was impossible to infuse into the crew the spirit that promises success.
The Chesapeake was refitted for sea, and while she was refitting, the British man-of-war Shannon appeared off Boston. She carried thirty-eight guns, the same as the Chesapeake, and on the first of June, Captain Broke, who commanded her, sent a challenge to Captain Lawrence, asking him to meet the Shannon, ship to ship, and try the fortunes of their respective flags. He offered to send all other ships beyond the power of interference, and to meet the Chesapeake at any point which Captain Lawrence might name within certain limits.
The challenge reached Boston after the Chesapeake had sailed, and the letter was placed in the hands of Commodore Bainbridge, who commanded the station. When the Chesapeake got outside, the Shannon was seen lying off Boston Lighthouse under easy sail, with all colors displayed. Captain Lawrence understood this as a challenge, and when the pilot boat which was sent out to reconnoiter returned with the assurance that the Shannon was alone, he determined to accept it.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE CHESAPEAKE AND THE SHANNON.—ANOTHER VOYAGE TO CHINA.—MORE ABOUT IMPRESSMENT.—I BECOME A CAPTAIN AND RECEIVE ORDERS.
It is proper to say that the Shannon, while ranking as a thirty-eight-gun ship, really mounted fifty-two guns, while the Chesapeake, with the same rating, mounted forty guns. She had a crew of three hundred and thirty men and boys, was perfectly equipped, and the men were thoroughly disciplined. On the other hand, the Chesapeake had a crew which was naturally superstitious, as they regarded her unlucky. Captain Lawrence had been in command of her less than two weeks, and consequently did not know the abilities of her officers and men. The first lieutenant was ill on shore, and died soon after the Chesapeake sailed. The second lieutenant and two acting lieutenants were also absent from the same cause. Lieutenant Thompson, who had been third officer in the last cruise of the Chesapeake, became Lawrence's second in command, and there was only one other commissioned officer on the ship.
Many of the Chesapeake's crew were new to the ship, and those who had served in her before were in a state bordering upon mutiny, on account of disputes about prize money in their last cruise. In fact, the ship was almost as much at a disadvantage in meeting the Shannon as she was at the time she encountered the Leopard.
There was great excitement in Boston when it became known that the two ships were to fight a duel outside of Boston Light. As the Chesapeake moved out she fired a gun which made the Shannon heave to. The Chesapeake had the weather gauge, and used it to advantage. She kept on until she lay fairly along the larboard side of the Shannon, yard arm and yard arm, within pistol-shot distance. Then she luffed and ranged up abeam; when her foremast came in a line with the Shannon's mizzenmast the Shannon opened fire, first with her cabin guns, and then with the others. The Chesapeake remained silent until her broadside bore well upon the Shannon; then she fired all her guns on that side, and then broadsides were given by both ships in rapid succession.