Final answer:
The British soldiers boarded the USS Chesapeake to search for British military deserters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British soldiers boarded the USS Chesapeake in search of British military deserters. At the time, Britain was engaged in a conflict with France, known as the Napoleonic Wars. They needed more soldiers and believed that some British navy deserters had joined the American navy. The British also had the authority to search American ships for British deserters according to the British-United States treaty. However, the American captain of the USS Chesapeake, James Barron, refused to allow the British to search the ship, which led to an altercation and the British soldiers boarding the ship.
Learn more about Reason for British soldiers boarding USS Chesapeake