More Gratuitous Royal Navy Geekery Posting

Today is the anniversary of the frigate duel fought off Boston in 1813 between U.S.S. Chesapeake, commanded by Capt. James Lawrence, and H.M.S. Shannon, commanded by Capt. Philip Broke. The battle lasted no more than fifteen minutes or so, during which time the Shannon simply out-gunned the Chesapeake. Captain Lawrence was mortally wounded in the first minutes of the fight. His final order was "Don't give up the ship!"

Captain James Lawrence

Captain Philip Bowes Vere Broke

Patrick O'Brian fans will know that this battle is vividly described in The Fortune of War, in which O'Brian places Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin aboard the Shannon just before the climactic duel (having opened the story with them aboard H.M.S. Java, commanded by Capt. Lambert, when she was taken by U.S.S. Constitution, commanded by Commodore Bainbridge). As always, O'Brian's technical description of the battle is riveting. Further, his description of the psychological importance of this victory to the Royal Navy, coming as it did on the heals of three successive and virtually unthinkable single-ship action defeats at the hands of the American Navy, is superb and is a splendid example of how a work of fiction can teach important historical fact. (This psychology is explored further in O'Brian's next book, The Surgeon's Mate.)

In hunting around, I discovered a song commemorating the battle (from the British perspective, of course).

O the Chesapeake so bold
Out of Boston she was towed
To take an English frigate
Neat and handy, O;
And the people in the port,
They came to see the sport,
Whilst the music played up
Yankee doodle dandy, O.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

Now the British frigate's name,
0 that for the purpose came
To cool the Yankees' courage
Neat and handy, 0,
Was the Shannon, Captain Broke,
With his men all hearts of oak,
Who for fighting was allowed to be
The dandy, 0.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

Just before the fight began,
Said the Yankees with much fun:
We'll tow her into Boston
Neat and handy, 0;
And then afterwards we'll dine
With our sweethearts and our wives,
And we'll dance the jig called
Yankee doodle dandy, 0.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

Now the fight had scarce begun
When they flinch-ed from the guns,
Which they thought that they would fight
So neat and handy, 0;
Then brave Broke he drew his sword, crying:
Now my lads we'll board
And we'll stop them playing
Yankee doodle dandy, 0.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

They no sooner heard the word
Than they quickly jumped on board,
And haul-ed down the ensign
Neat and handy, 0.
Notwithstanding all their brag,
Soon the glorious British flag
At the Yankee's mizen-peak it looked
The dandy, 0.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

Here's a health, my boys, to you,
With your courage stout and true.
Who fought the Chesapeake
So neat and handy, 0;
And may it ever prove
That in fighting as in love
That the true British sailor
Is the dandy, 0.
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!
Hi! Yankee doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy!

Here is a midi-file of it.