The War of 1812

U.S. Shipping Caught in the Crossfire

Secretary of State James Madison informs James Monroe, the American minister to Great Britain, that British minister David Erskine has communicated “the late British order against the trade between the ports of France and others... ”The March 26, 1807 letter is accompanied by a copy of the British order and Madison’s response to Erskine. (GLC03490.01, GLC03490.02, GLC03490.03) In a lengthy follow-up letter written five days later, Monroe deems the January 7, 1807 order-in-council a “violation of those rules of law and of justice which are binding on all nations” and instructs Monroe to make “representations to the British Government ... in order to produce a proper revision of the order.” If Napoleon’s Berlin decree will not apply to U.S. trade, then Monroe should “insist on an immediate revocation of the [British] order.” Accompanied by a copy of Madison’s letter to British minister David Erskine. (GLC01096.01,GLC01096.02)

 In 1806 and 1807, Napoleon tried to ruin Britain’s economy by cutting off its trade with continental Europe. His “Continental System” ordered the seizure of any neutral ship that visited a British port, paid British duties, or allowed itself to be searched by a British vessel. Britain retaliated by issuing an order-in-council forbidding trade with French ports and other ports under French control.

HMS Leopard mauls the USS Chesapeake

Secretary of State James Madison discusses the “outrage on the frigate Chesapeake” and America’s political response to it. The recipient of the letter, William Jarvis, was the United States chargé d’affaires and consul to Portugal. (GLC05101)

“The Message of the President to Congrs has been already sent you in several copies. You will find by it that the result of our demand on the British Govt. of satisfaction for the outrage on the Frigate Chesapeake had not been rec’d nor have any accts. from London subsequent to the arrival of the vessel which carried it, thrown light on the answer which will be returned…”

On June 22, 1807, the frigate USS Chesapeake was sailing from Hampton Roads, Virginia, under the command of Commodore James Barron. Although this was to be the flagship of the U.S. Navy’s Mediterranean Squadron, it had only recently come out of storage and was not combat-ready. The Chesapeake was confronted by the British frigate HMSLeopard, and ordered to turn over three sailors who were allegedly deserters from British ships. When Barron failed to comply, the Leopard fired three broadsides (unanswered), which killed three American crewmen, injured another 18, and damaged the Chesapeake sufficiently to force surrender. A British officer boarded and removed four sailors, three of whom were Americans who had volunteered to serve with the British navy. The Chesapeake then limped back to port. The severity of the damage to the ship and the American citizenship of the sailors greatly wounded American pride and further ignited anti-British sentiment.