On the Ocean 43 



The general peace prevailing in Europe allowed 

 the British to turn their energies altogether to 

 America; and in no place was this increased vigor 

 so much felt as in Chesapeake Bay, where a great 

 number of line-of-battle ships, frigates, sloops, and 

 transports had assembled, in preparation for the 

 assault on Washington and Baltimore. The de 

 fence of these waters was confided to Capt. Joshua 

 Barney, 35 with a flotilla of gunboats. These con 

 sisted of three or four sloops and schooners, but 

 mainly of barges, which were often smaller than the 

 ship's boats that were sent against them. These 

 gunboats were manned by from 20 to 40 men each, 

 and each carried, according to its size, one or two 

 long 24, 1 8, or i2-pounders. They were bad craft 

 at best ; and, in addition, it is difficult to believe that 

 they were handled to the fullest advantage. 



On June ist Commodore Barney, with the block 

 sloop Scorpion and 14 smaller "gunboats," chiefly 

 row galleys, passed the mouth of the Patuxent, and 

 chased the British schooner St. Lawrence and seven 

 boats, under Captain Barrie, until they took refuge 

 with the Dragon, 74, which in turn chased Barney's 

 flotilla into the Patuxent, where she blockaded it in 

 company with the Albion, 74. They were after- 



36 He was born at Baltimore, July 6, 1759; James, with 

 habitual accuracy, calls him an Irishman. He makes De- 

 catur, by the way, commit the geographical solecism of being 

 born in "Maryland, Virginia." 



