"Don't give up the ship!"
The USS Chesapeake attacks HMS Shannon outside of Boston harbor.
One of the most useless and worst fought actions of the War of 1812.
Chesapeake had a poorly trained crew, and her tactics was straight out of Hollywood, a direct attempt to board Shannon.
Lawrence was a very frustrated officer. He wanted the command of the famous, and larger, Constitution. Getting the smaller ship was taken as an insult.
This attack was unnecessary, Shannon was low on provisions and would leave for her base in Newfoundland soon, and ignored Lawrence s orders to take British transports and merchants. Another frigate wouldn't help the War effort.
Lawrence was a hard luck officer, often missing opportunities. His judgement may have been effected by Nelson's great friend Cuthbert Collingwood. During the Barbary War, Lawrence commanded a small 12 gun brig. Collingwood in Dreadnought a 98gun ship of the line took sailors who didn't have papers.
This seems to have deeply effected Lawrence.
"These things must be done delicately-- or you hurt the spell." - The Wicked Witch of the West.
"We've got the torpedo damage temporarily shored up, the fires out and soon will have the ship back on an even keel. But I would suggest, sir, that if you have to take any more torpedoes, you take 'em on the starboard side." Pops Healy, DCA USS Lexington.