William Henry Allen
| William Henry Allen | |
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Lieutenant William Henry Allen, USN
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| Born |
October 21, 1784 Providence, Rhode Island |
| Died | August 18, 1813 (aged 28) Plymouth, England |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1800–1813 |
| Rank | Master Commandant |
| Commands held | USS Argus (1803) |
Master Commandant William Henry Allen (21 October 1784 - 18 August 1813) was an American naval officer during the War of 1812.
Allen was born in Providence, Rhode Island and was appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy on 28 April 1800. Between 1800 and 1807, he served successively in George Washington and Philadelphia. On 17 February 1807, he was promoted to lieutenant and was transferred to Chesapeake.
On 21 June 1807, he participated in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair in which the Chesapeake was boarded by the British and four sailors were taken captive on suspicion of being deserters from the Royal Navy. Allen was credited with firing the only gun discharged in her own defense by the American ship. The incident was a key development in building American resentment toward the British which eventually resulted in the War of 1812.
By 1812, Allen was first lieutenant of the frigate United States, under the command of Captain Stephen Decatur, and took part in the engagement with HMS Macedonian. At the conclusion of that capture, he was named to command the prize crew which took Macedonian into New York.
On 24 July 1813, he was promoted to master commandant (equivalent to the modern day Navy rank of commander) and took command of the brig Argus. On 14 August, he led his ship in the engagement with HMS Pelican during which he received mortal wounds. A round shot cut off his right leg, but he remained at his station until he fainted from blood loss. After Argus' surrender, Allen was taken to the hospital at Plymouth's Millbay Prison where he died on 18 August 1813.
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