James Barron
Commodore, U.S. Navy

James Barron was born on 15 September 1768.

He performed well in the U.S.-France Quasi War and the Barbary War, and commanded the USS Chesapeake when it was overtaken by the HMS Leopold on 27 June 1807. The British demanded that Commodore Barron hand over four alleged British Navy deserters, and after first refusing, Commodore Barron capitulated to the British.

He was subsequently court-martialed for his quick surrender, and was suspended from the Navy for five years. Upon his return to the Navy in 1812, he was blocked from advancement and sea duty. He blamed Commodore Stephen Decatur for his frustration, and eventually killed him in a duel in 1820. Commodore Decatur was a genuine hero of the War of 1812, and his death ensured James Barron a negative place in U.S. history.

Death and Burial

Commodore James Barron died on 21 August 1851. He is buried at the Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery in Portsmouth, VA.