Shannon was on patrol outside Boston harbour. Chesapeake, aware that Shannon was waiting, came out. The ships were fairly closely matched, the American being only slightly larger.
The Americans confident in the 'tradition' that American frigates defeat British frigates in single ship actions came up to windward on the starboard quarter of the Shannon. Superb, practiced gunnery from the British frigate severely mauled the American which lost control and backed into the British ship she was boarded. The whole action lasted about eleven minutes.

North Atlantic approx. 90miles East of Boston. (North Atlantic)

H.M.S. Shannon was on blockade patrol outside Boston harbour. For nearly a year Captain Broke had burned every prize captured so that he would not need to reduce the size of his crew and thereby weaken his ship. Broke was very keen on gunnery and had tried and tested many innovations in his ship. He had made many innovations both to the weapons themselves and to the ways of using them, and he had received a number of rebukes from the Admiralty for his unauthorised alterations which had upset the Board of Ordnance. Broke was desperate, as were all Royal Navy captains, to meet an enemy on more or less equal terms and redeem the honour of the Royal Navy, and Britain. He was aware that the Chesapeake was in Boston and maintained his patrol close in to ensure she did not slip out undetected.

U.S.S. Chesapeake was of slightly larger tonnage, a larger crew and more of the 32pdr carronades. Her commander, Captain Lawrence, had been promoted into the Chesapeake following his success over H.M.S. Peacock when in command of the ship sloop Hornet. He had only taken up this new command two weeks before the action. All America had celebrated the number of single ship frigate actions in all of which the British had come of worst. Lawrence was keen to add his name to the list of honoured captains.

The first sighting of the Chesapeake from the Shannon was just after midday on 1 June 1813. Broke knew he must not fight so close into the coast where, if his ship was seriously damaged he could be boarded by boats from the shore. He therefore set course for the open sea. At 5.10pm Shannon beat to quarters and awaited the American attack. Broke's instructions were clear; main deck fire into main deck, quarter deck into quarter deck.....'kill the men and the ship is ours.'
The Chesapeake had all the advantages in their approach from windward and could have chosen to manoeuvre to rake the Shannon from astern. Lawrence however chose the more conventional attack approaching from windward on the starboard quarter of his enemy.
As the Chesapeake began to overlap the British ship the Shannon's guns, trained aft at their extreme bearing angles, fired as they came to bear. The American ship was systematically destroyed from stem to stern by rapid accurate gunfire. The chase guns on their traversing and elevating carriages had been given their specific targets of wheel and headsails, these they rapidly destroyed. Chesapeake managed to land 25 hits with round shot and 130 others, Shannon landed 56 round shot and 306 of grape. So damaged was the Chesapeake that she luffed up out of control and began to close with the British frigate stern first. As the ships collided Broke lead a boarding party which soon took the ship. The most unfortunate incident was when the Shannon's covering fire for the boarding party in a moments confusion hit a group of her own men on the forecastle of the Chesapeake with well aimed grape shot. The group included Mr Watt, the Shannon's first Lieutenant. Broke was also seriously wounded by a cutlass. Lawrence died of his wounds very soon after the action.

The immediate result of the battle was that Chesapeake escorted by Shannon sailed into Halifax harbour on the 6th June to a tumultuous welcome.
Lawrence who had died of his wounds was given a full military burial and his first lieutenant who only survived him a few days was buried near him. Broke was at death's door for many weeks and, although he recovered in time, he never saw active service again. Such was the significance of his victory that he was showered with honours.
One of the longer term effects of the battle was to cause a rethink about gunnery in the Royal Navy. Broke's influence mainly through his letter writing but also by personal contacts was enormous. The founding of the world's first school of naval gunnery, H.M.S. Excellent in 1830, can be directly attributed to Broke and the influence he gained by defeating the Chesapeake.

H.M.S. Shannon

Number engaged :

284

Casualties :

84 (29.58%)

U.S.S. Chesapeake

Number engaged :

395

Casualties :

146 (36.96%)