338 BARRON in the Virginia navy during the revolution. The son was commissioned lieutenant on the organization of the United States navy in 1798, and the next year promoted to be captain, and under the command of his elder brother, Com- modore Samuel Barren, was ordered to the Mediterranean, where he became known for his skill in seamanship as well as his scientific attainments. On June 22, 1807, the frigate Chesapeake, 38 guns, Capt. Gordon, bearing the broad pennant of Com. Barron, got un- der way from Hampton Roads, bound to the Mediterranean, and was almost immediately boarded by a boat from the British ship Leo- pard, of 60 guns, Capt. Humphreys, conveying a despatch, signed by Vice Admiral Berkeley, ordering all captains under his command, should they fall in with the Chesapeake any- where on the high seas, to search her for cer- tain deserters from the British navy, concern- ing whom correspondence had taken place in Washington between the British minister and the secretary of state, their surrender being refused on the ground that they were Ameri- can citizens who had been impressed into the British navy. Com. Barron refused to submit to this extraordinary demand, and in a very few moments afterward the Leopard fired a broadside into the Chesapeake. The American ship was in no condition to return it ; besides her inferior force, she was in utter confusion on first coming out of port, and although the guns had been loaded, rammers, wads, matches, gun locks, and powder horns were all wanting. The Leopard continued to fire until Barron, finding that no resistance could be made, or- dered the colors struck. A single gun was fired by the Chesapeake just as her colors were hauled down. There being no matches at hand, it was discharged by means of a coal brought from the galley. The ship received 21 shot in her hull, and 3 were killed and 18 wounded; among the latter were Com. Barron and his aid, Mr. Broom. Four men claimed as English were taken out of her, and she returned to Hampton Roads the same evening. Intense excitement was created throughout the country by this outrage. Barron was court-martialled under four charges, which embraced 22 speci- fications. He was entirely acquitted of three of the charges, but was found guilty of two specifications of a charge "for neglecting, on the probability of an engagement, to clear his ship for action," and sentenced to be suspend- ed for five years, without pay or emoluments. The court closed its finding on the subject of the personal conduct of the accused in the fol- lowing language: "No transposition of the specifications, or any other modification of the charges themselves, would alter the opinion of the court as to the firmness and courage of the accused; the evidence on this point is clear and satisfactory." Admiral Berkeley's conduct was disavowed by the British government, and he was recalled from his command. Capt. Humphreys was placed on half pay. Two of the alleged deserters were afterward returned ; one had been executed, and the fourth died. Barron entered the merchant service during his suspension, and remained abroad till 1818, when an attempt was made to restore him to duty. This was resisted by many officers, in- cluding Decatur, who had been a member of the court martial, and after a long and bitter correspondence Barron sent Decatur a chal- lenge. The duel was fought at Bladensburg, March 22, 1820. Both fell at the first fire. Decatur died the same night, and Barron re- covered after months of great suifering. Dur- ing the latter years of his life he held several important commands on shore. The command of the squadron in the Pacific was tendered to him, but declined. liAKKOV Siiiiiui'l, an American naval officer, brother of the preceding, born in Hampton, Va., about 1763, died Oct. 29, 1810. In 1798 he commanded the brig Augusta, which was pre- pared by the citizens of Norfolk to resist the aggressions of the French. During the war with Tripoli he took a conspicuous position, and in 1805 commanded a squadron of 10 ves- sels, his flag ship being the President, 44. The bashaw of Tripoli was Yusuf Caramalli, a usurper, who had deposed his brother Ilamet. Mr. Eaton, the consul at Tunis, was apprised that it might be of great service to secure the cooperation of Hamet in the war against his brother. Commodore Barron received per- mission to follow this policy, and accordingly sent three vessels of the squadron, the Hornet, Argus, and Nautilus, with Mr. Eaton and Hamet, which captured the town of Derne on the Tripolitan coast, April 27, 1805. Eaton now pressed Com. Barron for further supplies and reinforcements against Tripoli, but they were denied on the ground that Ilamet Cara- malli ought to be able to effect his object by means of the ordinary cooperation of the squad- ron. Com. Barron was perhaps influenced in this decision by other considerations. Capt. Bainbridge, with his officers and men, were at this time held in rigorous captivity in Tripoli, and it was well known that the reigning bashaw had threatened a bloody retaliation. Com. Barron soon afterward relinquished his command to Capt. John Rodgers in conse- quence of extreme ill health, and returned to the United States. He was considered an ex- cellent officer, and died much respected just as he had been appointed to the command of the navy yard at Gosport, Va. I! IKKON, Samuel, nn American naval officer, born in Virginia. He entered the U. S. navy as midshipman in 1812. He was attached to the Brandywine when she conveyed Gen. La- fayette to France in 1825 ; was promoted to be lieutenant in 1827, commander in 1847, and captain in 1855. At the breaking out of the i civil war he was appointed chief of the bureau j of detail in the navy department. He had al- ready accepted a commission in the confederate navy, and soon went south, and was placed in
