President-Little Belt Affair

British and French harassment of United States merchant vessels, including British impressment of American seamen, resulted in U.S. naval patrols along the Atlantic coast early in the 19th century. The 44-gun USF President, commanded by Comm. John Rodgers, sighted an unidentified foreign warship off Cape Henry and followed it southward on 16 May 1811. Communication problems created confusion, and the ships exchanged broadsides. The foreign ship, identified the next morning as the 20-gun British sloop Little Belt, was badly damaged. This incident amplified disagreement about freedom of the seas, which contributed to the U.S. declaration of war against Britain in June 1812.