Description:Although this notice proclaims a "glorious victory" for Captain Broke of the HMS Shannon, some battles were far from over.
The War of 1812
During 1812-3, Britain and the United States began official hostilities, although the 36-gun frigate USS Chesapeake had already been involved in a skirmish with the Royal Navy during 1807.
On this occasion, the captain of the HMS Leopard had suspected the Chesapeake of harbouring British deserters from the war with France. When the Chesapeake's captain refused to allow the Leopard's captain to perform a search, Leopard fired on the American ship, killing 3 men and wounding 18.
But because of the refusal, the notice's authors describe the Chesapeake as "insolent."
When war broke out, the Chesapeake captured five British merchant ships in the Atlantic Ocean - so when the Chesapeake herself was captured, many people greeted the news jubilantly.
However, the people of the Potteries would celebrate the outbreak of peace with more enthusiasm, as years of war with France and the United States had severely damaged business and therefore employment opportunities.
About this document
This document was collected by Burslem pottery manufacturer Enoch Wood and is now among the collections at Stoke-on-Trent Museums.