Notes for James Barron II: BARRON, James, naval officer, was born in Virginia in 1769. He began his career in the navy of his native state during the war of the revolution, entered the navy of the United States in 1798 as a lieutenant, and was promoted to a captaincy in the year following, for important services on board the United States, under Commodore Barry, to the command of which frigate he afterwards succeeded. After an active and useful service of nine years, during [p.204] which he acquired a high reputation for courage and seamanship, he hoisted his flag on board of the Chesapeake, as commander of the Mediterranean squadron. The ship had been hurriedly fitted for sea, in anticipation of a war with France, its stores had been hastily trundled on board, and its men were wholly undisciplined; when just outside of Hampton roads, on June 22, 1807, Captain Barron encountered the British frigate Leopard, some ten miles east of Cape Henry. The Chesapeake was hailed by the Leopard and Captain Humphrey sent on board an officer with Admiral Berkeley's instructions to search the frigate for deserters from the British navy. Commodore Barron refused to allow him to do so, and just eight minutes after the British officer left the Chesapeake with the commander's response, the Leopard, being then less than two hundred feet distant, poured her whole broadside of solid shot and canister into the American frigate. The vessels were not, on the whole, unequally matched, but the Chesapeake, taken by surprise, was wholly unprepared to fight. The gun deck was encumbered with lumber, the cables were not yet stowed away, four of the guns did not fit perfectly to their carriages, and only five of the powder horns used in priming the guns were filled. The Leopard followed up its advantage by discharging three full broadsides into the Chesapeake, by which three men were killed and eighteen wounded. At the end of fifteen minutes of unresisted massacre, the commander of the American vessel struck his flag, and, as it touched the taffrail, one gun was fired from the Chesapeake. An English officer then came aboard, and, mustering the ship's company, picked out and carried off Ratford, a British sailor, together with three other deserters not included in Admiral Berkeley's order to Captain Humphrey. Informed by Commodore Barron that the Chesapeake was his prize, Captain Humphrey declined to take possession, declaring that with the seizure of the deserters his duty had been accomplished. The Chesapeake returned to Norfolk, and Barron's conduct was investigated by a naval court martial. The outcome of his long trial was a decision that he was blameless in every particular, except in failing to instantly prepare for action on reading Admiral Berkeley's order. For this mistake, which his own orders from the secretary of the navy extenuated if they did not warrant, Barron was condemned to suspension for five years from the service without pay. Even after returning to duty he was excluded from active sea service, principally through the influence of Commodore Decatur. Barron challenged him and in 1820 they met and Decatur was killed and Barron severely wounded. This unfortunate affair increased Barron's unpopularity and the remainder of his life was passed in "waiting orders." He became senior officer of the navy in 1839, and died at Norfolk, Va., April 21, 1851. ========================= Commodore James Barron had barely reached open water on his ship Chesapeake when he was confronted by a powerful British frigate, Leopard. The Chesapeake was poorly equipped and had an unexperienced crew, as well as far inferior weapons to those of the British warship. The British demanded the return of four British deserters who were supposedly on the Chesapeake. Commodore Barron refused to comply with the order and the Leopard opened fire on Chesapeake, killing three and wounding eighteen. Barron ordered the flag lowered and Chesapeake surrendered. Barron's ship had only fired one gun. Barron was born in Virginia about 1768 and grew up in a family of naval heritage. He spent some years on his father's ship, then joined the Navy as a Lieutenent. He was successful on his first tour on the frigate United States. Barron was promoted to Captain and commanded the frigate Essex under the his brother's squadron. Barron was later given command of the USS President. Then after five years he was promoted to Commodore and given control of the USS Chesapeake. This confrontation between the Chesapeake and the Leopard took place on June 22, 1807 and is considered one of the major events which led to the outbreak of the War of 1812. Barron was court-martialed on charges of premature surrender of his ship. He insisted that his ship was defenseless against the more powerful British vessel. Still, he was found guilty for "neglecting, on the probability of an engagement, to clear his ship for action." Barron was suspended for five years without pay and he would never again hold a significant command in the U.S. Navy. He spent the next ten years abroad. Barron returned to the U.S. after the War of 1812 with the intention of reentering the Navy. He was met by much criticism, however, especially from Commodore Stephen Decatur, and officer under Barron earlier in his career. Barron challenged Decatur to a duel which took place on March 22, 1820 in Bladensburg, Maryland. Barron was severly injured in his leg but also fired a fatal shot at Decatur, who died several hours later. Decatur's death only worsened Barron's criticism. Barron died in Norfolk, Virginia on April 21, 1851. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ An account of this tremendous storm was given in the biography of Commodore James Barron, An Affair of Honor, by William Oliver Stevens. Barron's grandfather witnessed the hurricane first hand while stationed at Fort George. The account is as follows: A threatening sky was observed to the southeast over the Chesapeake Bay. The wind increased which soon brought the rain. As the hours wore on the wind and rain increased in fury. Sometimes the downpour slackened. One could hear the sand picked up by the wind from the beach outside and blasted against every object that still withstood the gale. All the while the rising tide was rapidly being piled up to a height never seen before in that area. The waves were pounding on the shore, finally to the very foot of the outside wall at Fort George. A large tree crashed over on its side with its roots in the air and was driven against the land side of the Fort. With the impact the wall yawned and broke. Shortly afterwards the seawall lurched and sank at the point where it was exposed to the wave fury of the storm. Finally the outside wall of the fort gave way, and the filling of sand poured out, leaving the inner wall exposed to the blast without support. When this too fell apart and collapsed, the barracks took the full force of the wind. About sundown, the storm slackened and in another hour the rain and wind had diminished to such a degree that it was clearly spent. The next morning Commodore Barron swept the distant waters with his spy glass. He was astonished to see across Hampton Roads a wide, sand promontory which had not existed there before. A sand spit had been thrown up during the fury of the storm, which was the beginning of Willoughby Spit. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Among the prominent citizens or natives of Hampton were George Wythe (see Williamsburg); James Barron, commodore of the American Navy during the Revolution; Commodore Samuel Barron, commander of a United States squadron in the Tripolitan War; another Commodore James Barron (see Norfolk); and Commodore Lewis Warrington, commander of an American squadron during the War of 1812.
More About James Barron II and Mary Anne Wilson: Marriage: 1829
Children of James Barron II and Elizabeth Mosely Armstead are:
James Barron II (b. Abt. 1769, d. 21 Apr 1851)
Notes for James Barron II: