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The ''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' Affair was a naval engagement that occurred off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, on 22 June 1807, between the British warship and American frigate , when the crew of ''Leopard'' pursued, attacked and boarded the American frigate looking for deserters from the Royal Navy. ''Chesapeake'' was caught unprepared and after a short battle involving broadsides from ''Leopard'', her commander, James Barron, surrendered his vessel to the British after firing only one shot. Four crew members were removed from the American vessel and were tried for desertion, one of whom was subsequently hanged. ''Chesapeake'' was allowed to return home where James Barron was court martialed and suspended from command. The ''Chesapeake–Leopard Affair'' created uproar among Americans and strident calls for war with Great Britain, but these quickly subsided. President Thomas Jefferson initially attempted to use this widespread bellicosity to diplomatically threaten the British government into settling the matter. The United States Congress backed away from armed conflict when British envoys showed no contrition for the ''Chesapeake'' affair and delivered proclamations reaffirming impressment. Jefferson's political failure to coerce Great Britain led him towards economic warfare: the Embargo of 1807. ==Background== In the spring of 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, several British naval vessels were on duty on the North American Station, blockading two French third-rate warships in Chesapeake Bay. A number of Royal Navy seamen had deserted from their ships and local American authorities gave them sanctuary. One of the deserters, a Londoner named Jenkin Ratford, joined the crew of . Ratford had made himself conspicuous to British officers by shouting at them on the streets of Norfolk, Virginia. Other deserters were reported to be at the Gosport Navy Yard, then commanded by Stephen Decatur. Decatur received a letter from the British consul ordering him to turn over three men alleged to have deserted from . The consul claimed the men had enlisted in the U.S. Navy, which was recruiting a crew for ''Chesapeake'', then at the Washington Navy Yard outfitting for a voyage to the Mediterranean.〔 Vice-Admiral Sir George Berkeley dispatched his flagship, the fourth-rate warship , with written orders authorizing him to board and search the United States warship to recover any deserters.〔 Berkeley ordered ''Leopard''s captain to search for deserters from , , , , , and the cutter . 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chesapeake–Leopard Affair」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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