The Naval General Service medal awarded to William Downham, an Ordinary Seaman in the Shannon at the capture of the American frigate Chesapeake off Boston Harbour in June 1813

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Shannon Wh. Chesapeake (William Downham.) extremely fine £10,000-£14,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

View
Collection

Glendining’s, November 1956; Dix Noonan Webb, June 1998.

Confirmed on the roll as Ordinary Seaman aboard H.M.S. Shannon. 42 clasps issued for the capture of the American frigate Chesapeake off Boston Harbour in June 1813.

The most famous frigate action during the war with America and perhaps of the whole Napoleonic era. In 1813, the Shannon, Captain P. V. Broke, had for some time been watching the American frigate Chesapeake, of the same force in guns but superior in the number of her crew, lying ready for sea in Boston Harbour. The British Captain had sent a challenge to Captain Lawrence of the Chesapeake to come out and try the fortune of war, ship to ship; at about 1 p.m. on the 1 June, the American frigate weighed anchor and stood out of Boston Roads to meet the Shannon. At 50 minutes past four, the action commenced, the ships being not more than a stone’s throw asunder, Boston lighthouse bearing west at about six leagues’ distance. After the exchange of a few broadsides, by which the Chesapeake suffered considerably, her tiller ropes being shot away and her wheel broken, she fell aboard the Shannon, whose anchor became hooked in the mizen chains of her opponent. A sharp fire of musketry followed when Captain Broke, observing the enemy to flinch from their guns, at the head of his boarders sprang onto the quarter-deck of the Chesapeake exclaiming ‘Follow me who can,’ and with slight resistance drove most of her crew below. The Americans kept up a heavy fire from their tops, till the men stationed in them were killed or driven on deck; and made a determined but fruitless attempt to rally, but in about 15 minutes from the beginning of the action, all hostilities ceased and the Chesapeake was the prize of the Shannon.

The loss of the victors was 1st Lieutenant Watt, two other officers, and 23 men killed, and Captain Broke and 58 men wounded, out of a crew of 330 men. The Chesapeake out of a crew of at least 386 men, had her Captain, First and Fourth Lieutenants, Master, Lieutenant of Marines, three Midshipmen, and 53 men killed or mortally wounded, and nearly 90 officers and men wounded. Captain Broke being severely wounded, Lieutenant Provo W. Wallis assumed the command, and with the two frigates sailed for Halifax, arriving there on 6 June. The gallant Captain Lawrence had died two days before on board the Chesapeake, and was buried at Halifax with all the honours of war. At the request of the American Government, his body was exhumed shortly afterwards and taken to Boston, where it was re-interred with great solemnity. Shortly afterwards on his return to England, Captain Broke was created a baronet, and by the Corporation of London was voted the Freedom of the City, and presented with a sword of the value of 100 guineas, in addition to a gold medal.