Captain John Crane, 1800-1815

by Thomas Wallace Knox

The Chesapeake was practically defeated by the first broadside of the Shannon, as she lost heavily in men by the shower of grape and canister that was poured into her. She continued, however, to do her best, but within twelve minutes after the first gun was fired her foretopsail-tie and jib-sheet were shot away. This was the moment when she was about to take the wind out of the Shannon's sails, shoot ahead, lay across her bow, and rake her fore and aft. The Chesapeake would not obey her helm, and speedily got her mizzen rigging foul of the Shannon's forechains. In this position she was raked by her antagonist, Captain Lawrence was wounded, the sailing-master was killed, and the first lieutenant, the marine officer, the acting fourth lieutenant, and the boatswain were all badly wounded.

As soon as the ships became untangled Captain Lawrence ordered the boarders to be called up; while he was giving these orders he was mortally wounded and carried below. His last words when he left the deck became a rallying cry during the rest of the war:—

"Don't give up the ship!"

Captain Broke was a keen and experienced officer, and he saw the weakness of the Chesapeake at this moment. He immediately ordered his boarders away, and, placing himself at their head, reached the quarter-deck of the Chesapeake without opposition. But as he pressed forward toward the gangways he met the American boarders under Lieutenant Budd, who attacked the British, and for a time checked them. In a few minutes the British were in full possession of the Chesapeake, and the first lieutenant of the Shannon hauled down the colors of the captured vessel and hoisted the British flag. The fight lasted only fifteen minutes, and was one of the most sanguinary on record. The Chesapeake lost forty-eight men killed and ninety-eight wounded. The Shannon lost twenty-six killed and fifty-eight wounded.

As soon as the two ships were separated the Shannon started for Halifax with her prize, where she arrived on the 7th of June. Captain Lawrence died on the 6th, and his body, wrapped in the flag of the Chesapeake, lay upon the quarter-deck of his ship. There was great rejoicing at Halifax, and the men-of-war then in port manned their yards and fired a salute in honor of the conqueror. There was immense joy in England, which was manifested by public meetings, bonfires, and illuminations. Captain Broke was treated as a hero; the freedom of the city of London, and a sword valued at five hundred dollars, were presented to him, and he was knighted by the Prince Regent. He received compliments from every quarter, and the inhabitants of his native county gave him an immense silver plate as a testimonial of their appreciation of what he had done.

I must not forget to say that the most profound respect was paid to the remains of Captain Lawrence when the ships reached Halifax, and also to those of Lieutenant Ludlow, who died there within a week after their arrival. The garrison furnished a funeral party from the Sixty-fourth Regiment, and the navy also furnished one. At the hour appointed for the funeral the body was taken in a boat from the Chesapeake to the King's Wharf, where it was received by the military under the commander of the garrison. The officers of the Chesapeake followed the body as mourners, and the officers of the British navy were also in attendance.

There was great depression in the United States over the loss of the Chesapeake, as the almost uninterrupted success of the navy thus far had made the Americans believe that it was invincible. The same idea was beginning to prevail among the British; hence the great elation of the latter, and the corresponding depression of the former. Happily, the feeling of depression among the Americans soon passed away, as it was seen that all the circumstances were very unfavorable to the Chesapeake, and it was not likely that such a misfortune would occur again.

Having followed the Chesapeake through her unlucky career, which ended with her capture by the Shannon, we will now go back to where Haines began the story of his experience as a man-of-war's man.

The embargo of 1807 was then in force, but there was a great pressure on the government for its withdrawal, and on the 1st of March, 1809, it was repealed. Meantime I went on another voyage to China as second mate of the Aurora, the ship on which I had formerly sailed as a foremast hand. Haines accompanied me, and we had no experiences out of the ordinary run on the entire voyage.