As soon as we appeared off the harbor, our captain, who was permitted to visit the barque when he pleased, as she was in charge of the admiralty officers, went on board and hoisted the American ensign; this being contrary to the common usage of prizes, an officer was immediately despatched from the guard-ship, with a most indecent message to the captain, ordering him to haul down that yankee flag. He at first positively refused claiming the right, as an American, to show his colors, but he was overpowered and obliged to submit. The Barque's sails were unbent, and much of the running rigging unrove; the crew were sent ashore from the man-ofwar, but I was sent on board the Barque, to wait on, the king's officers, as they were called; there were two of them, an Irishman and a blue-nose, and both of them regular sots; they had access to the gin, of which they drank freely, and were often drunk.
Prizes came in every day, although on our arrival, there was but one there. She was a long, rakish, Baltimore clipper, taken by the Cleopatra frigate. The prize was from Vera Cruz, with a large amount of specie on board, bound to Baltimore, and under what pretext she was taken I could not learn. In three weeks from our arrival, there were twenty-five American vessels sent in as prizes. A large portion of the men belonging to these prizes were impressed and claimed as British subjects, and no doubt many of them were. The people of Halifax, and more particularly, the naval officers, seemed to have a very contemptible opinion of American sailors. Calling them grass combers, lubberly fishermen, and log haulers, saying also, that were it not for English sailors, our ships could not pursue their voyages.
On this subject I shall have something to say at another time. Our trial was to commence on the thirtieth day from the libel; but by compromise, our captain was to pay a certain sum, which, by so doing, Ave could leave Halifax as soon as we could get ready; but if we stood trial, should, in all probability, be detained through the winter. And in order to meet this proposition, we were permitted to land, and sell a quantity of gin free from duty. Accordingly, we hauled into the wharf for this purpose, also to get the Barque ready for sea. On the day that we hauled in, the English fleet arrived from Hampton-roads — after the fracas with the U.
S. Frigate Chesapeake. And that night, such was the inveterate hatred towards Americans, the rabble came down the wharf along-side the barque, insulting us, by throwing stones and brickbats upon our deck. We of course were obliged to submit to this patriotic indignity. A particular and correct account of the Chesapeake affair, may be found in the books treating upon the origin of the late war with England. But as it may be, that the reader cannot obtain such a book, I will briefly relate it, according to the best of my remembrance. The British fleet consisted of the Leopard, 50, Capt. Humphrey s,Frigates, Jason, Melampus, and Chichester. Halifax and Squirrel, sloops of War. This fleet, and the U. S. frigate Cheaspeake lay together in Hampton-roads.
The Chesapeake commanded by Com. Barron, was destined for the Mediterranean, to join the American fleet off Tripoli. Three men from one of the English boats, deserted while at Norfolk, and to obtain money for a frolic, shipped at the U. S. rendezvous under assumed nam The recruiting officer afterwards positively declared] that when he shipped these men, lie did not know that they were English deserters; for if he had known it he should not have received them. And even after they had entered, if a proper application had been made to him they would have boon released; and if necessary, he would have taken the loss of the advance money upon himself. It appeared that one of the deserters, Jenkiu Ratford, grossly insulted one of his officers in the street at Norfolk, and 1 think it was reported that he struck the officer.
All three were sent on hoard the Chesapeake, after their liberty had expired. As soon as Captain Humphreys had received official information that these men were on board the Chesapeake, he addressed a note to Commodore Barron, requesting that the men might be returned to their ship. To this request Commodore Barron would not consent, and on the following morning got his ship under way and when abreast of the Leopard, the latter gave her the contents of one division from the main deck, and every gun was shotted. As the Chesapeake was not in a condition to fight, her cables having been hauled out of the tiers and strung along on the main deck guns, they were taken up to make room for a quantity of provisions intended for the fleet in the Mediterranean, and had not yet been put below.