Liberty on the Waterfront: American Maritime Culture in the Age of Revolution

6. Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights

6 Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights Samuel Leech knew the horror of naval warfare. When he was fourteen years old he served as a powder boy attached to the fifth gun of the main deck of the HMS Macedonian. On October 25, 1812, his sleek frigate was pounded by the American frigate United States in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Although the ships were rated similarly, it was not an even match; the United States broadside contained 786 pounds of metal to 546 pounds for the Macedonian ; the United States had 478 men aboard, the Macedonian had 301. In the ninety-minute contest more than one-third of the British crew were killed (forty-three men) or wounded (sixty men). The Americans suffered only seven killed and five wounded. Although the United States was damaged in the battle, the Macedonian “lost her mizzenmast, fore & maintopmasts and mainyard & was much cut up in her hull.” Somehow the Americans were able to bring this shell of a ship back to the United States as a prize.1 Leech went beyond these statistics in his memoir, providing a vivid account of what it was like to survive this battle. The crew was both excited and anxious when the American frigate first appeared on the horizon. As the ships closed the captain ordered the Macedonian cleared for action, and “the whole dread paraphernalia of battle was produced.” The crew, after a few minutes of confusion, stood at the ready to do its “best service” for the country. It was dif- ficult to see anything from Leech’s post. As the ships neared each other, three of the Macedonian’s cannon went off. The captain ordered the men to hold their fire. The “motionless suspense” was broken by the dull thud of cannon from the American vessel. “A strange noise” that “sounded like the tearing of sails” whizzed over their heads. It was the wind of the enemy’s shot. Soon both ships roared with cannon fire,“trembling” the ship. Metal shot struck the sides of the Macedonian, and “the whole scene grew indescribably confused and horrible.” Leech compared it to “some awfully tremendous thunderstorm , whose deafening roar is attended by incessant streaks of lightening, 164 • REVOLUTION carrying death in every flash, and strewing the ground with the victims of its wrath.” It “was rendered more horrible than that, by the presence of torrents of blood which dyed our decks.”The men shouted with excitement and feverishly worked their guns. As Leech ran back and forth with his powder, he witnessed a scene that became seared into his memory. Suddenly he saw blood “fly from the arm of a man stationed at our gun,” although he saw nothing strike him.The cries of the wounded filled the gundecks. The two boys of the gun next to him fell almost at the same time. One “was struck in the leg by a large shot; he had to suffer amputation above the wound. The other had a grape or canister shot sent through his ancle” and had to lose his foot. Another boy’s powder caught fire and the flame burned away most of his face. As the boy stood there in agony with both hands lifted, a passing shot instantly cut him into two. The wounded were carried down to the surgeon with his dreaded saw and bloodied operating table.The dead were quickly tossed overboard. Leech noted one man with his hand cut off by shot “and almost at the same moment he 28. Samuel Leech vividly described the hell aboard the Macedonian during the battle with the United States. “United States capturing the Macedonian.” Painted by T. Birch, engraved by S. Seymour (Philadelphia, 1815). Philadelphia Maritime Museum. Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights • 165 received another shot, which tore open his bowels in a terrible manner. As he fell, two or three men caught him in their arms, and, as he could not live, threw him overboard.” Leech “distinctly heard the large blood-drops fall pat, pat, pat, on the deck” as a wounded man was carried past him. The American fire was devastating. “The large shot came against the ship’s side like iron hail, shaking her to the very keel, or passing through her timbers, and scattering terrific splinters, which did a more appalling work than even their own deathgiving blows.” Amidst the chaos “the work of death went on in a...