A Voice from the Lower Deck

Samuel Leech's memoirs of his adventures at sea represent one of the few articulate accounts of life in the sailing navy by an ordinary seaman. Just twelve years old when he left home, the young Leech had a romantic view of seafaring which was soon dashed by the crushing reality of life aboard the Macedonian. Indeed, his reflections on floggings, excessive drinking, the press gang and autocratic rule of captains provide a colourful backdrop to the main narrative. The memoirs are made doubly fascinating because Leech contrived to fight in the War of 1812 on both sides, being coptured by the Americans after the battle with the USS United States and, to his surprise, he found the American navy little better, witnessing constant floggings and capricious command.