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Frigate:
Built at Gosport Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. between 1794 and 1800
Launched, 2 December 1799
Commissioned USS Chesapeake, 22 May 1800, CAPT. Samuel Barron in command
Chesapeake sailed from Norfolk, 5 June 1800 to patrol against enemy cruisers and privateers in the West Indies
Placed in ordinary, 26 February 1801, at Norfolk
Reactivated in April 1802, Chesapeake was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron to protect American shipping from the Barbary pirates, departed the Mediterranean, 6 April 1803, arriving at Norfolk to be laid up in ordinary
Chesapeake departed Hampton Road, 22 June 1807 and encountered HMS Leopard seeking British deserters among the Chesapeake crew
USS Chesapeake's commanding officer refused the British request to muster his crew for inspection by the British
Leopard fired upon the unprepared Chesapeake resulting in 3 American seamen killed and 18 wounded
Chesapeake struck her colors and Leopard took off four supposed deserters
Late in 1812 USS Chesapeake sailed for the West Indies capturing and taking as prizes a number of British merchantmen
Chesapeake having returned to the US again set sail in May 1813
HMS Shannon had challenged USS Chesapeake to a ship to ship duel
USS Chesapeake encountered HMS Shannon outside Boston Harbor, 1 June 1813, where the more experienced Shannon bested Chesapeake in the bloodiest naval battle of the War of 1812
Chesapeake was sold at auction to a private buyer in Plymouth, England and broken up
Specifications:
Displacement 1,244 t.
Length 152' 8"
Beam 41' 3"
Depth 20' 1"
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 340
Armament
thirty 19-pdrs
twelve 32-pdrs
Propulsion sail
