If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Hampton
Last Address Norfolk, VA
BURIAL- Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery Portsmouth, Portsmouth City, Virginia
James Barron was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including USS Essex and USS President. As commander of the frigateUSS Chesapeake, he was involved in the Chesapeake–Leopard affair in 1807 which led to the surrender of his ship to the British and resulted in him being court-martialed for his actions during incident.
After criticism from some fellow officers, the resulting controversy led Barron to a duel with Stephen Decatur, one of the officers who presided over his court-martial. Suspended from command, he pursued commercial interests in Europe during the War of 1812. Barron finished his naval career on shore duty, becoming the Navy's senior officer in 1839.
Other Comments:
Killed Commodore Stephen Decatur in a duel on March 22, 1820.
In 1820, Commodore James Barron challenged Decatur to a duel, relating in part to comments Decatur had made over what he considered Barron's poor conduct in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair of 1807. Decatur had served as one of the members of the Court Martial that had found Barron guilty of unpreparedness in the affair, and had barred him from a command for the next five years.
Barron's second was Captain Jesse Elliott, known for his antagonism to Decatur. Decatur asked his supposed friend Commodore William Bainbridge to be his second, to which Bainbridge consented. However, Decatur unknowingly had selected a man who had harbored a long-standing jealousy of Decatur.
The two officers fought at Bladensburg Duelling Field in Bladensburg, Maryland (now in Colmar Manor, Maryland), on 22 March 1820. Before the duel, Barron spoke to Decatur in words of suggestive conciliation, but the seconds did nothing to halt the altercation. Decatur, an expert marksman with a pistol, intended only to wound Barron. However, Decatur was mortally wounded by a shot in the abdomen. (Decatur had likewise inflicted a severe, though not mortal, wound to Barron's hip.)
Frigate:
Built by Christian Bergh, East River, New York
Launched 10 April 1800
USS President sailed from New York, 5 August 1800, CDR. Thomas Truxtun ,in command
Assigned as flagship of Commodore Richard Dale in the Mediterranean in 1801 and 1802
Cruised in the Mediterranean in 1804 and 1805. participating in the actions against Tripoli
Cruised off the eastern coast of the United States from 1809 to 1812
Sailing from Annapolis, MD., 12 May 1811, President and met and fired on sloop HMS Little Belt
President sailed from New York, 21 June 1812, with USS United States, USS Congress, USS Hornet, and USS Argus on a cruise in the North Atlantic
23 June, 1812. President fell in with frigate HMS Belvidera, and after a running fight of 8 hours Belvidera, escaped
Putting into Boston, she sailed again 3 October 1812 for the North Atlantic returning to Boston 31 December
President sailed from Boston, 30 April 1813, on a cruise off the coast of Europe
23 September 1813, President captured schooner HMS Highflyer, off New York and arrived Newport, R.I., 27 September 1813
President sailed from Providence 4 December on a cruise to the West Indies, returning to New York IS February 1814 and was blockaded there for almost a year by a British squadron.
President sailed from New York 14 January 1815 under CAPT. Stephen Decatur, and the next day was captured by HMS ships Endymion, Majestic, Pomone, and Tenedos
Final Disposition, taken into the Royal Navy and was broken up at Portsmouth, England, in 1817