Details:

New-York Herald (New York, New York), December 25, 1811. Complete issue featuring extensive coverage of the celebrated “Little Belt Affair,” one of the most significant diplomatic incidents preceding the War of 1812. The front page is devoted to the official proceedings of the Court of Inquiry convened to investigate the May 16, 1811 naval engagement between the United States frigate USS President, commanded by Commodore John Rodgers, and the British sloop HMS Little Belt. The issue contains testimony from officers and crew regarding the exchange of gunfire, witness examinations, official correspondence, and the circumstances surrounding the controversial encounter. Additional contents include domestic and foreign news, commercial reports, shipping intelligence, and period advertisements.

Folded as issued with expected age toning, scattered foxing, and moderate handling wear. Several edge chips and short tears are present, most notably at the upper right corner, with minor losses confined primarily to the margins.

The Little Belt Affair occurred on May 16, 1811, when Commodore John Rodgers’ USS President encountered the British sloop HMS Little Belt off the coast of Virginia. Following a tense nighttime exchange over identification, gunfire erupted between the two vessels, leaving numerous British sailors dead or wounded. Both nations blamed the other for firing the first shot, and the incident quickly became an international controversy. Occurring less than a month before the expiration of the British Orders in Council crisis and amid escalating tensions over impressment and maritime rights, the affair intensified anti-British sentiment in the United States and is widely regarded as one of the principal events leading to the declaration of the War of 1812 just six months later.

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Reference sku: 11669 1416805-1