American Fifth Rate frigate 'Chesapeake' (1799)

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Chesapeake	2395
Nominal Guns	36	DANFS
Nationality	United States of America
Operator	United States Navy
Ordered	30.6.1798	DANFS
Keel Laid Down	14.11.1798	DANFS
Launched	2.12.1799	DANFS
How acquired	Purpose built	DANFS
Shipyard	Gosport Shipyard - Gosport	DANFS
Designed by	Josiah Fox (1763-1847)	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Humphreys, Huttan & Delavue	DANFS
Category	Fifth Rate	DANFS
Ship Type	Frigate
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Captured	1.6.1813	DANFS
Becomes	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Chesapeake' (1813) (38)

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck151' 8"Imperial Feet46.0288
Length of Keel127' 5"Imperial Feet38.7143
Breadth40' 11"Imperial Feet12.2174
Moulded Breadth40' 4"Imperial Feet12.2936
Depth in Hold13' 9"Imperial Feet4.0386
Burthen1,134 ⁶³⁄₉₄Tons BM
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFS
Length of Gundeck152' 8"Imperial Feet46.3335
Breadth41' 3"Imperial Feet12.573
Depth in Hold20' 1"Imperial Feet6.1214
Burthen1,244Tons BM

Armament

1800Broadside Weight = 462 Imperial Pound ( 209.517 kg)DANFS
Gun Deck30 American 18 Pounder
Spardeck12 American 32-Pounder Carronade

1813Broadside Weight = 459 Imperial Pound ( 208.1565 kg)B020
Gun Deck28 American 18 Pounder
Gun Deck2 American 12-Pounder
Gun Deck1 American 6-Pounder
Spardeck12 American 32-Pounder Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1800340Establishment?DANFS
1.6.1813381From the sworn statement of Lieutenant BuddW005
1.6.1813379Actual complementB020

7 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
12.1799 - 7.1807CaptainJames Barron (1768-1851)DANFS1802 - 1803CaptainAlexander Murray (d.1828)EWIKI25.4.1806 - 1807Master CommandantCharles Gordon (d.1817)W0571807CaptainAlexander J Dallas (d.1844)DANFS1807CaptainStephen Decatur (1779-1820)DANFS4.7.1812 - 20.5.1813CaptainSamuel Evans (d.1824)W00520.5.1813 - 1.6.1813CaptainJames Lawrence (1781-1813)DANFS

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
27.4.1802 - 1.6.1803CommodoreRichard V MorrisDANFS

9 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1801 - 15.5.1801LieutenantJohn Archerref:120315.8.1801LieutenantJohn Ballardref:12031807First LieutenantGeorge Parker (d.1814)DANFS1807LieutenantAugustus C Ludlow (d.1813)DANFS10.6.1807 - 1807LieutenantArthur Sinclair (d.1831)EWIKI23.5.1812 - 1.6.1813LieutenantGeorge Budd (d.1837)DANFS1.6.1813 - 1813First LieutenantAugustus C Ludlow (d.1813)DANFS1.6.1813 - 1813LieutenantHenry E Ballard (d.1855)DANFS1.6.1813 - 1813Acting LieutenantWilliam Sitgreaves CoxDANFS

6 Warrant Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
28.2.1800MasterEdward Ballardref:120314.3.1800 - 8.7.1801CarpenterRobert Armisteadref:120318.4.1800 - Surgeon's MateSterling Archerref:120310.5.1801ChaplainWilliam Balchref:120315.7.1812 - 1.6.1813MasterWilliam A White (d.1813)†W0491.6.1813 - 1813GunnerMathew RogersEWIKI

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1800 - 1803MidshipmanLewis Warrington (1782-1851)W053

2 Marines

DatesRankNameSource
1.6.1800 - 31.7.1800Marine PrivateEbenezer Carlisle (c.1779-?)ref:11449.1808 - 25.9.1809Marine CorporalJohn Francisco (c.1779-?)ref:1144

Service History

DateEventSource
6.6.1800Left Norfolk for a cruise of the southern coast of the USA and the West Indies
1801Placed in ordinary at Norfolk
1.1.1801Took the Privateer La Jeune Creole
11.5.1801Departed Gibraltar bound for North America
1.7.1801Arrived at Gibraltar
27.4.1802Recommisioned as Mediterannean Flagship of Commodore Richard V Morris
6.4.1803Left Gibraltar for America
1.6.1803Arrived at Washington Navy Yard and placed in ordinary soon after
1807Recommissioned
6.1807Left Hampton Roads
22.6.1807

Incident with Leopard (50), in which the Chesapeake suffered 21 casualties and had 4 men carried off

EWIKI
13.12.1812Cruised in the Atlantic taking five British Merchantmen prize
9.4.1813Returned to the United States
1.6.1813Left Boston to engage Shannon (38)
1.6.1813Chesapeake vs Shannon
1.6.1813Taken by Shannon (38)

Fleets
From	Until	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1802	1803	American Mediterranean Squadron 1802-1803	Richard V Morris

Notes on Ship

Casualties and DamageW057

In the action against the Shannon the Chesapeake had sixty-one killed or mortally wounded, including her Captain, First and Fourth Lieutenants, master, Boatswain and three Midshipmen, and eight-five wounded, including her both the other Lieutenants, five midshipmen and the Chaplain.

During the fifteen minute engagement the Chesapeake was struck by the following shot (From a table in Roosevelt)

39	eighteen pound
25	thirty-two pound
2	nine pound
306	grape
362	Total shot

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

DANFSUnknownWeb Site

BWAS-1793Rif WinfieldBook

B020William JamesBook

W005William JamesWeb Site

EWIKIVariousWeb Site

W057James BarronWeb Site

ref:1203Dudley W KnoxBook

W049Dennis SegelquistWeb Site

W053VariousWeb Site

ref:1144 Book

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