v A le
;UN|vEfisirr\
L I & R A toy
THE BURNING OF THE " PHILADELPHIA.-'—Page 122
Of~
WITH DECATUR AND SOMERS
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
THE GALLANT EXPLOITS OF DECATUR ^SOMERS
IN THE "LUCKY LITTLE ENTERPRISE^^'NAUTILUS1
JOHN DE MORGAN
. \ i
ILLUSTRATED By/~
E.B.COMSTOCK
Mc LOUGHLIN BROS.
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1908,
By McLouglilin Brothers
New York
" The praises we owe
To valor and skill, we gladly bestow,
And may grateful the sons of Columbia be
To DECATUR, whom Neptune crowns
Lord of the Sea."
Chap. Page
I The Algerian Pirates ....... .'5
II Dale's Squadron . . .13
III Spanish Insult Resented ... iK2
IV The Plucky Schooner "Enterprise ' I
V Midnight Call to Quarters t1
VI The Code of Honor ....... 18
VII "Fire!" .......... ~)5
VIII The Cruise of the "Boston" ..... .5!)
IX The Loss of the "Philadelphia" . .68
X Commodore Preble ....... FO
XI The Ketch "Mastieo" ... F.1)
XII The Strength of Tripoli ... 9a
XIII The Call for Volunteers .... ](),",
XIV The Plan of Campaign .111
XV The Deed Accomp'shed . 11
XVI The Plucky Little (iunboats ..... h>!
XVII The Burial at Sea . 1:5.5
XVIII A Desperate Chance . 14L2
XIX rl'he End of the War . 1.51
Appendix . 153
CHAPTER ONE
TIIE ALGERIAN PIRATES
" The Dey of Algiers, not afraid of his ears,
Sent to Jonathan once for some tribute:
' Ho! ho! ' says the Dey, ' if the rascal don' pay,
A caper or two I'll exhibit.
I'm the Dey of Algiers, with a beard a yard long;
I'm a Mussulman, too, and of course very strong:
For this is my maxim, dispute it who can,
That a man of stout muscle's a stout Mussulman.' "
COME along, or we shall be too late."
"What makes you so excited, I never saw
you in such a fever before."
"Don't you know? Have you been so long on
your father's bouerie that you don't know the news ?"
The speaker was a well built young man who, by
his every movement showed that he was city bred,
while his companion was dressed in the garb of a
farmer's son, and manifested none of the feverish
excitement of his cousin, for the two were first cousins,
3
4 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
the father of one remaining on the bouerie, or farm,
the other branching out as a merchant in Pearl street.
The country cousin was visiting his city relatives for
the first time.
Before an answer could be given to the question
young Medford asked his cousin, a shout, followed
by tremendous cheering was heard.
What a tumult!
The very buildings, by echoing the noise, seemed
to shake and tremble and the merchants came from
behind their counters and stood at their shop doors
to see the cause of the tumult.
Presently a crowd of boys and young men, ay and
older men too, were hurrying towards the Bowling
Green, carrying on a chair, shoulder high, an effigy.
As these young New Yorkers reached the centre
of the green, they halted and one, who was evidently
a ringleader, shouted:
" What shall we do with the heathen ?"
The Medford cousins pushed their way into the
thickest of the throng so that they might not miss
word or gesture.
As they got nearer, they saw that the effigy was
dressed in an outlandish costume made up of a red
table cloth, and a turban of made a long strip of muslin
wound several times around what was intended to
be its head.
"The Dey of Algiers, what shall be done to him ?"
"lie is a pirate," shouted the boys in chorus.
"What shall be done to a pirate?"
TIIE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
6
" Hang him!"
"Drown him!"
"Burn him!"
The last suggestion seemed the most popular for
at once a circle was cleared and the effigy was placed
in the centre. Faggots of wood were brought from
the neighboring houses, and the boy, selected as ex¬
ecutioner, took a tinder box and placed it on the ground
before him, and commenced to strike a flint with a
piece of steel until a spark fell on the tinder and a
smouldering commenced. Then the boy blew the
smouldering tinder into a blaze and ignited some
oiled rags which he placed under the faggots. A big
blaze shot up into the air and in a few minutes the
effigy was burning.
The boys danced and sang as the flames crackled,
and each seemed to feel in high glee at the result of
their work.
" What does it all mean ? " asked the young country¬
man.
"I don't rightly know, but I wish I were the Presi¬
dent "
"IIo, ho! Ha, ha! President forsooth, my city
cousin, and pray what for P "
"You may laugh, but I have heard my father say
that if the President did his duty he would send a lot
of ships and capture the Dey of Algiers and bring
him here and hang him."
"I would fain know more, if there is fighting to
be done, shall we, my coz, take part in it?"
6 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
In a few minutes the effigy was burning.
"I mean to take a hand
in it, but I fear me that
we have grown too fond
of peace — "
"Young man,don't say
that, peace is more glor¬
ious than war, but even I,
peace love as I am,
^ think we may be too
) peaceful at times."
The speaker wore a
kind of semi-uniform
; which showed that he
had fought in the war
of the Revolution
and still held some
slight military
rank.
"Colonel, my
cousin would de¬
sire to know some¬
thing of the cause
of this scene."
" Come and sit
thee down, and I
will tell thee,"
answered the vet¬
eran.
The boys were
delighted to accept
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
7
the invitation and the three straightway sat them¬
selves 011 one of the benches which were on the
edge of the bowling green.
"After peace had been dec ared between the United
States and Great Britain, we thought that it was our
duty to be so peaceful that no nation should ever
say we loved to fight," the veteran began.
" We sold our war ships, we melted our guns, some
of them into church bells, and then we sent our mer¬
chant ships into all parts of the world.
" We were proud to know that the Stars and Stripes
floated in every sea, and we dreamed all sorts of nice
things. We did not know that we were being laughed
at."
"Laughed at, sir, who dared to do that?" asked
the elder Medford.
" Let me tell you a story, I heard it from Commodore
Barry. One of our ships was riding at anchor, its
flag flying at the masthead, when a British Consul
looking at it said to a companion: 'A very pretty
piece of bunting, but what does it amount to ?' His
companion replied, 'It is the flag of a new nation.'
'A toy nation, not a real one,' answered the Consul,
'for a real nation would have a navy to protect its
commerce.' So you see my young friends that
because we were without ships of war we were laughed
at."
The crowd of boys had burned the effigy to ashes
and had dispersed leaving the three in almost undis¬
puted possession of the bowling green.
8 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"But that does not tell me why the effigy of a
heathen prince was just burned," said the younger
Medford.
"Then let me tell you. In 1785, the Dey of Algiers
saw the Stars and Stripes floating proudly from the
masthead of some vessels entering the Mediterranean,
and he knew that the vessels could easily be captured,
so he sent out his pirates, for the Dey maintained his
kingdom by piracy, and seized the ships, selling the
crews into slavery.
"We had to bear the insult for we had no navy,
so the poor sailors had to remain in slavery in
Africa.
"President Washington in the first Congress asked
for the formation of a navy, and the law makers would
very likely have given authority to create a navy had
not war been declared between Portugal and Algiers,
and it was hoped that the Algerian pirates would be
crushed, but peace was suddenly arranged, and the
pirates were free to prey upon our commerce. In
less than seven weeks four ships had been captured,
and two hundred American sailors had been sold into
slavery at Tunis and Tripoli."
"I have heard my father say how excited every
one got."
"Yes, even Congress was aroused, the whole country
was on fire and in every seaport arose a demand for
vengeance. You are too young to remember that
time, though it is not so long since."
"Did Congress do anything?"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 9
"Yes, it ordered six frigates to be built, and if a
fairy wand could have been used to call into existence
well equipped war ships, all would have been well,
but building a war ship is a slow process and though
officers were appointed and crews engaged, the
frigates only slowly began to shape themselves into
things of beauty."
"Was there a war ? "
"No, for before our ships were ready a treaty was
negotiated with Algiers by which we were to pay an
annual tribute to the Dey of Algiers, and he promised
not to interfere with our ships."
" Was it right for us to pay tribute ? "
" What right had this Dey, as you call him, to make
us pay for sailing on the sea?" asked the younger
Medford.
" My dear young friend that question we all wanted
answered, but all we could get to know was that
Congress thought it right, and during the next eight
years we paid the Dey of Algiers over one million
dollars."
" And so we paid for peace ? "
"Yes, but I have heard that when the tribute was
delayed once the Dey got so angry that only by giving
up a splendid frigate could his anger be appeased."
"I heard Commodore Barry tell father that had
he been captain of the frigate he would have scuttled
it rather than it should fall into such hands."
"Does the Commodore visit you often ?"
" Whenever he is in New York he always comes."
10 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"I do wish he would visit you before I go back
home," said the younger cousin.
The hour was getting near that when the boys would
be expected home for early supper, and so, bidding
their new friend good evening and expressing a hope
they might see him again, they left him.
The patriotism of the young men was aroused, and
they were not satisfied until they had learned the full
story of the insults offered to the young Republic.
At the house of Merchant Medford many true
patriots were warmly welcomed, and from some of
these the cousins heard the story of wrongs inflicted
by the African powers located on the Mediterranean
Sea.
They were told how Captain William Bainbridge,
commanding the frigate "George Washington" was
ordered, in May 1800, to carry the tribute to Algiers.
Bainbridge was a thorough patriot, and disliked his
mission immensely, but being a good officer he under¬
took it without sign of a murmur.
On arriving at Algiers he was treated with great
indignity and contempt. Bainbridge bit his lips but
did not answer as he would have enjoyed.
"Take my ambassador to Constantinople," ordered
the Dey.
"Pardon me, but I am in the service of the United
States," the Yankee captain replied.
"You pay me tribute, by which you become my
slaves," said the Dey insultingly.
"We are not your slaves, we are a free people."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 11
"Free men never pay tribute to another power."
"I am not responsible for what my government
does, but I am under orders and—"
"You are under my orders while you are here,
and I order you to do my bidding."
Bainbridge protested, but to no avail. He knew
he was powerless; his frigate was anchored under
the guns of the Dey's castle, the guns on which were
heavier than any he possessed, and to refuse meant
the capture of the "Washington" and slavery for
himself and his men.
lie obeyed the order, but at once sent a despatch
home in which, after telling of the insult, he said:
"I hope I may never again be sent to Algiers with
tribute, unless I am authorized to deliver it from the
mouth of our cannon."
Bainbridge never expected that before many suns
had risen and set, he would be sent with good ships
and better men to prove that Americans were not going
to be slaves to Algerian pirates.
Before Bainbridge arrived home, the other Barbary
States were clamoring for tribute. If Algiers could ob¬
tain it why not Tunis and Tripoli ?
The Bey of Tunis became insolent and stripped the
residence of the American minister of all its most
valuable furniture.
General Eaton, the minister, protested but he was
only laughed at. Tripoli and Tunis demanded blood
money and each emphasized its demand by capturing
American vessels and selling the crews into slavery.
12 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
One day the Bey of Tunis sent for General Eaton
and ordered him to have sent from the United States,
at once, ten thousand stand of small arms.
Eaton began to argue and demur.
"I did not send to you for advice, but to order
you to obey my demands,"
Again Eaton protested and declared that the
United States had already paid vast sums of money
in tribute.
"When are these demands to cease?" he asked.
"Never!" replied the Bey.
Following the example of the Bey of Tunis, the
Bashaw of Tripoli cu down the American flagstaff
in front of the esidence of the American consulate,
and sent out his cruisers o prey upon American ships
wherever they could be found.
It was the news of these cont nued indignities and
insults that aroused the people so much and led to
hundreds of scenes like that of which we told at the
beginning of the chapter.
The story of how the pirates were humbled and the
Stars and Stripes honored in hat far off European
sea will be told in this true romance, and aga'n we shall
tread the deck wi'h Decatur and Somers and Stewart
and Bainbridge and learn how gloriously they ful¬
filled the prom'se of their early career on board the
"UNITED STATES," of which many, if not all,
our readers have read in "A YANKEE SHIP AND
A YANKEE CREW."
CHAPTER TWO
dale's squadron
AM getting tired
of inaction," ex¬
claimed Stephen De¬
catur as he sauntered
along Walnut Street arm in
arm with his dearest friend
Richard Somers.
" I fancy that we shall not be idle long."
"What makes you think so?"
"Mumblings, rumblings, grumblings," said Somers
laughingly.
"You are an enigma, Somers."
"Perhaps so, but I feel it in my bones."
"Feel what?"
"That we shall soon be on the deck of some good
ship and flying before the wind."
"I hope you are right—why, isn't that our good
friend Winthrop?"
"Sure, and I wonder where he is off to in such a
hurry."
"lie is on the department staff, lucky dog."
13
14 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Lieutenant Winthrop had caught sight of his two
friends, and forgetting his dignity took off his cap and
threw it in the air.
" Well luffs, you are just the very men I was search¬
ing for."
"Is that so, why you surprise me," exclaimed
Stephen Decatur.
"You may laugh, but I tell you that you are both
lucky dogs."
"In what way ?"
"Commodore Richard Dale is in New York."
"And we are in Philadelphia."
"You will not be here long."
"What are you driving at? Have you some ink¬
ling of a change ?"
"Look here, my brave luffs, you are to report to
the Commodore in New York within forty-eight
hours."
"I wish that were true."
Then it was that Lieutenant Winthrop took from
some hidden place in his tunic two square folded
sheets of blue paper, carefully sealed and addressed.
These he handed to the two lieutenants with the
remark:
"I was on my way to deliver these when I stumbled
across you."
The young men looked at the missives and saw that
they were addressed to Commodore Richard Dale
at Fraunce's tavern in the city of New York.
When they had recovered somewhat from their
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 15
surprise, Winthrop handed to each anothe square
of paper, folded after the manner of the time. The
wording was identical in each case:
"You are to report for duty to Commodore Dale
at once."
That was all save the official signature and the
peremptory words, "By order."
"To serve under Dale, what glory!" ejaculated
Decatur.
"Yes, what have we done to deserve so great a
honor ?"
Richard Dale was one of the most noted men in
the new navy. He had been the first lieutenant under
Paul Jones, the glory of the navy, in the immortal
fight between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the
British ship "Serapis."
The young men spent very little time in making
their farewell visits, and early on the following morning
were seated on the box of the good coach by which
they were to travel to Trenton.
As the coach left the city of Brotherly Love, Somers
stood up and looking back murmured:
"Farewell loved city, may thy future be as glorious
as thy past."
"What are you talking about, Somers?"
The young lieutenant remained silent and Decatur
said rather sharply:
"One would think you never intended coming
back."
"I may intend to come back, but Heaven only
16 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
knows whether I shall ever tread those streets
again."
Decatur did not like his friend to be melancholy
and to try to rouse him he sang a few lines of a rollick¬
ing song.
"Don't please. Give me a few minutes to myself
and then I'll shout with you."
Was it a premonition ? Did something tell the
young lieutenant that he would never see the city
again ? But did that same small voice tell him that
the name of Somers would be writ so large in the
city's records that it could never be forgotten ?
The journey to New York was uneventful, and
when the city was reached the darkness of night had
covered its streets with a heavy pall through which
the yellow candle lights and flickering lamps looked
sickly.
Early next morning they hurried to Fraunce's
Tavern and reported to Commodore Dale, who
greeted them most heartily.
Decatur was appointed first lieutenant of the frigate
"Essex," commanded by Captain Bainbridge, while
Somers was assigned to the "Boston," commanded
by the eccentric but heroic Captain McNeill.
"I wish we could have been together."
Dale overheard the remark and smiled as he
answered.
"I can't have 'two grand first luffs' on the same
ship."
"I did not mean you to hear, sir."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
17
"I know that, but I
can understand. If you
cannot be shipmates
you'll both be in the
same squadron, and both
will share in the cruise
to Europe."
The small squadron
under the command of
Richard Dale con¬
sisted of the "Pre¬
sident," Captain
James Barron; the
"Philadelphia,"
Captain Samuel
Barron; the "Es¬
sex, " Captain Bain-
bridge, and the
" Enterprise " under
the command of
Lieutenant Com¬
mandant Sterrett. -
T heCo m m odore
made the "Presi¬
dent "his flag ship.
Captain McNeill
of the "Boston"
was a peculiar char¬
acter having great
influence with the
"The time seemed too precious for words."
18 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
authorities. He loved to be a free lance, to go where
he pleased and do as he liked. This independence
made him impatient when under orders and some¬
times rendered him almost mutinous. In this pro¬
jected cruise to the Mediterranean he had obtained
permission to meet the other ships in the European
sea instead of at Hampton Roads.
Within a week the "Boston" was to sail, and one
night, about nine o'clock, she weighed anchor and
slipped out of the harbor into the lower bay. The
parting of Decatur and Somers was almost pathetic.
They stood hand in hand on the deck silent, each
knew the other's thoughts, and the time seemed too
precious for words. In a few minutes the gang
plank would be drawn in and then these two would
be parted perhaps for ever.
The tears trickled down Decatur's cheeks while
the calm, self-contained Somers merely pressed the
hand of his friend the harder. The signal was given,
the men stood ready to haul in the plank, and only
awaited the word from Somers. A sob almost choked
him, all his stolidness left him and throwing his arms
around his friend's neck he hugged and kissed him
passionately. Then he ran up the plank and his eyes
were too blinded for him to see the sorrowful lieutenant
on the dock. But if he could not see Decatur neither
could that brave young fellow see him, the mists of
grief blinded their eyes and i was not until the
"Boston" had passed the Island now known as
Governor's that Decatur saw the frigate dimly like
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 19
20 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
a ghost in the darkness losing itself in the night
shadows beyond.
When Decatur reached the deck of his own ship,
he caught sight of Midshipman Thomas McDonough,
who strangely resembled Somers. To the surprise
of the modest middy, the first lieutenant clasped his
hand and said with a tearful voice:
"Let me be your friend, my boy."
McDonough never forgot that speech, but years
after when he name of McDonough was hailed as
the hero of Champlain and one of the nation's greatest
officers he would say:
"Whatever I may be, I owe it all to the kindly
words of Decatur who begged to be my friend."
A few days later the "Essex" sailed, in company
with the "President" the "Philadelphia" and the
schooner "Enterprise." They made quick time for
a squadron o the Mediterranean, and on a lovely
night which on the calendar was marked July the
first, hey passed Europa Point and stood toward
the lion-like form of the Rock of Gibralter that rose
in all the grandeur of a majestic sentinel before them.
Commodore Dale walked the deck of his flag ship
impat ently. He had been given " sealed instructions,"
and had only just broken the seal. He found that
instead of making war on Algiers and Tripoli and
Tunis and compelling them to respect the Stars and
Stripes, his squadron was to act as a convoy for
American vessels, until they were far enough out at
sea to escape the pirates.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 21
The squadron anchored under the shadow of the
famous rock of Gibralter. Here they found two of
the worst of Tripolitan cruisers at anchor; the one a
ship of twenty-six guns, the other a brig carrying
sixteen guns. Dale learned that the captains of these
vessels were noted for their cruelty to prisoners and
that no American was safe if he fell into their hands.
He therefore resolved to keep the two under his eye,
and ordered the "Philadelphia" to remain at Gibralter,
while the other vessels scattered. The "Essex"
was to cruise along the northern shores of the Mediter¬
ranean, gathering up all the American merchantmen
and convoying hem out through the Straits into the
Altantic. The "President" and the "Enterprise"
made sail to Algiers to convince the ruler of that state
that it would be unwise to offend the United States
too much.
TIIE "Essex," though a small vessel of thirty-
two guns, was perfectly appointed, and was
of handsome model and appearance; her crew was
drilled to the highest possible state of discipline and
efficiency. When she cast anchor at Barcelona, she
became the talk of the city and her officers were
lionized by the proud Castilians. In the port was a
Spanish war ship, a xebec of twenty four guns. This
xebec was the pride of the Spanish navy for she was
the swiftest of all the xebecs in the Mediterranean.
A xebec is an armed vessel built for speed, carry¬
ing three masts, on which square or lateen sails could
be set. The bow and stern are remarkable for the
small angle they made with the wrater. The sides
were low, and the upper deck of great convexity,
22
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 23
that the water might flow oft' through the scuppers.
As this rendered them inconvenient for walking on,
gratings were laid at the sides of the deck to avoid
the convexity. The crew walked dry on these
gratings while the water flowed out underneath.
The "Essex" was so much the superior of the
xebec that comparisons were made and even pro¬
phecies were indulged in that some day a Spanish war
ship might encounter in hostile array an American
ship and that the pride of Castile would be humbled.
Up to the hour of the arrival of the "Essex" the
officers of the xebec had been lionized. Her captain
boasted "the claims of long descent," for in his veins
ran the blood of a race which had more than once given
Spain a king. But when the "Essex" arrived the
people turned their backs on their countrymen and
heaped honors on the Americans.
Lieutenant Decatur had been entertained by the
mayor of the city and was returning late at night when
the Spaniard ordered the boat to lay to. Decatur
bade his men pull for the "Essex." A shot was fired
across her bow, and Decatur stood up in his boat and
demanded to know by what right the Spaniard had
fired.
An insulting reply was made, and the Spaniard
insisted that as the xebec was stationed there to be
a guard to the harbor, he had a right to stop and
search every boat in the harbor. When Decatur
demanded an apology it was given, but in an insulting
manner.
21 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
The next night Captain Bainbridge was served
in the same way, and he demanded through the
American Consul an apology and damages. While
awaiting a relpy from Madrid, the Spaniards again
insulted the Americans by firing over Decatur's boat.
"I'll not stand this," the young lieutenant angrily
exclaimed the next morning when acquainting his
captain of the insult.
"What can you do, Decatur?"
"Make the lieutenant of the xebec apologize or
fight.-
"You can act as you think best, only do not embroil
our nation."
A boat was ordered lowered and young Decatur
was taken to the xebec. He went on deck alone and
demanded to see the first lieutenant and find out
who had so insulted him.
"No officer of this ship insults honest men," an¬
swered the officer.
" Do you mean that I was not insulted ?"
"I know nothing about that."
" Then you insinuate that I am not honest ? "
"Take it as you please."
"Your name, sir, for I shall show you that an
officer of the United States navy will take insults from
no man."
" What navy did you say ?" sneeringly asked the
Spaniard.
"The United States."
The lieutenant of the xebec turned to a young
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 25
officer and bade him fetch a gazetteer so that he could
find where the United States were. Insult followed
insult, and Decatur again demanded the name of
the insulting officer.
"I am Lieutenant Don Carlos Braganza, of the
Spanish navy."
"And I am Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, of the
United States navy."
"I would like to accept your challenge, Mr. Decatur,
but a Spanish officer can only fight with equals."
"I stand corrected," answered Decatur calmly,
" I ought to have sent one of my gunners."
" What do you mean ? "
"Just this Don Carlos Braganza, that an American
citizen is the equal of any man on earth whether he
be king or grandee."
"You insinuate that I am inferior, I would have
you know sir, that no man lives who is the equal of
a Spanish noble."
Answer followed answer and then Decatur clinched
by declaring that a day would come when even all
Spanish kings would acknowledge the superiority of
the United States.
The laughter with which this boast was received
fairly made the rigging tremble, and Decatur felt
the hot blood rise to his face, but not one word would
he say in reply.
The Spanish lieutenant felt that he had gone too
far, for the American ship was superior to his in
strength and gunnage, so he said almost humbly:
26 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"I did not order anyone to fire on your boat, the
officer who did so must answer for himself."
" What is his name ? "
"He is not on board—"
"But he left a message," chimed in a junior officer.
"He left a message and that was that if the Yankee
should make any inquiries I was to tell the Yankee
that he was only sorry that he had not loaded the gun
with ball and sent the boat to the bottom."
Lieutenant Braganza could not stop the flow of
language which had poured from the lips of his junior.
Decatur appeared to take no notice, he was too much
of an officer to do so, for it is not naval etiquette to
notice anything said by a junior in the presence of
his superior.
"You say the officer is not on board?"
"I said so."
"When will he return?"
"I cannot say."
Decatur walked to the taffrail and called to the
men in his boat:
"Return to the 'Essex' and tell Captain Bain-
bridge that I am going to remain on this ship until
I get satisfaction and wipe out the insult to our flag. "
"Ay, ay sir!"
The boat pulled away and the Spanish lieutenant
was as mad as any bull he had ever seen in a bull
fight.
"You cannot stay here."
"But I am staying."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
27
"I order you to leave the Xebec."
"I shall obey no order of yours until I have had an
ample apology for the insult to the United States
flag."
"Unless you leave I shall order you in irons as a
spy and—
"Do so, and the United States will not only sink
your xebec but will wipe Spain itself off the map."
Lieutenant Braganza knew not what to do, so like
a wise man he sought his captain and left the daring
young American in his hands
The captain very calmly saluted Decatur and then
in a very polite voice said:
"You serve the United States of America, a nation
with which Spain is at peace?"
" I have that honor."
"You consider you have been insulted by one of
my officers ?"
"No, captain, an insult to myself would not cause
me to waste one minute's time, the insult was to the
flag of my country."
"Are you in command of the United States frigate ?"
"No, sir."
"Are you commissioned by your captain to demand
an apology ?"
"No."
"Then I do not recognize your right to remain here.
You say the insult, real or imaginary, was offered
not to you but to your ship, which you are not com¬
missioned to represent."
28 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
s-w.&
' I hope I may never be too old to
avenge an insult offered to my country.
"Pardon me, captain—"
"Pardon me, I speak ac¬
cording to the comity of
nations."
"I care nothing for that.
The subject of a monarchy is
different, a citizen of
a Republic has a
right to avenge an
insult offered to its
flag."
"You are young,
when you are older
you will act more
discreetly."
"I hope I may
never be too old to
avenge an insult
offered to my coun¬
try."
"Be that as it
may, it is useless
your staying here,
the officer will not
return to the ship
to-day."
"Is that the truth ?"
The blood rose to
Spaniard's cheeks as
he replied:
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 29
"I am a Castilian officer."
Drawing himself up proudly Deeatur retorted:
"And I am an American officer."
The officers saluted and then Decatur asked:
"His name, please?"
"Lieutenant Puerez."
"Thank you, I shall seek him on land."
Captain Bainbridge had sent the boat back with a
message to Decatur to return at once.
The Spaniard conducted the young American to
the side of the ship and watched him descend to the
boat. As the oars dipped the water the Spanish
captain muttered:
"Poco barba, poco saber!" which being interpreted
into American means, "Little beard, little wisdom!"
Captain Bainbridge welcomed the young lieutenant
back to the "Essex," but told him that the matter
must be allowed to rest, for the Captain-General of
Catalonia had heard of the insult and sent a special
envoy to Captain Bainbridge asking him to avert
a meeting:.
Decatur was too good an officer to argue with his
captain, but he could not help saying,:
"But, Captain, this insult was to our flag."
"I know it, but the officer was an ignorant fellow
who did not think of the consequences."
"The more reason why he should be chastised."
Bainbridge reminded his young lieutenant that a
duel could not be limited to the two combatants,
it would become a subject for diplomatic correspon-
SO THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
dence and might even embroil the two nations in war,
and that the United States did not want to make
enemies.
The ending of the affair was not pleasing to Stephen
Decatur, but he submitted with as good grace as
possible.
Decatur learned later that Captain Bainbridge
had reported the insult to Commodore Dale, who in
turn laid the matter before the American minister
to Spain who never permitted it to rest until the
fullest apologies had been made by Spain for the
indignities to which the naval officers had been sub¬
jected.
After having collected a large number of American
merchantmen, and taken them safely out of the reach
of the Tripolitan cruisers, the "Essex" showed her
colors in the principal Barbary ports, and rejoined
the flagship in time to return to the United States
in December.
THE PLUCKY
SCHOONER
ENTERPRISE
WHILE the
"Essex" had
been employed in peaceful work, and only showing
its teeth in menace, the little schooner "Enterprise"
had carried off the honors by fighting the one pitched
battle of the year in the Mediterranean.
The little craft, after accompanying the "President"
to Algiers was ordered to Malta.
While on the way thither she fell in with a poleacre-
rigged ship flying the Tripolitan colors. Closer in¬
spection showed her to be a notorious corsair which
had waged a long and merciless warfare on American
merchantmen.
The "Enterprise" proudly ran up the Stars and
Stripes at the peak, while the "Tripoli" replied by
unfurling the Tripolitan flag.
The "Enterprise" had only twelve light guns, while
the "Tripoli" had fourteen heavy ones and was con-
manded by the veteran Rais Mahomet Sous.
si
32 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Lieutenant Commandant Sterrett noticed that the
"Tripoli" had been lying apparently in wait for some
unlucky merchantman. Iler yards were on the caps
when she floated idly on the water, as if her captain
was too lazy to hoist them in the proper place. But
when she was within gunshot distance, a change took
place. All was animation on the deck of the corsair.
The yards rose like magic to the head of the top¬
masts, and the courses dropped to the deck and were
sheeted home.
Without waiting for a hail the "Tripoli" pointed
a long gun across the bow of the " Enterprise" and fired.
Sterrett's face flushed. The hour he had longed
for had come.
"Beat to quarters!" he cried in a loud voice.
The first lieutenant was a cautious man and did
not share all his captain's enthusiasm.
"You are not going to tackle that frigate ?" he asked.
"I am, sir, and what is more that frigate or my ship
will have to lower its colors before I am through, and
it will not be the Stars and Stripes that will come
down."
The sharp rattle of the drum beating to quarters
echoed through the rigging of the schooner, and the
men quickly responed to the call. They were at
their posts at the guns and by the sheets and hal¬
liards as quietly as though they had been automatons.
"Pardon me, captain," again interposed the lieuten¬
ant, "Are you aware that is the 'Tripoli' and that she
carries more and heavier guns than we do?"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 33
"I know it, and if her guns were ten times as many
as we carry, I should not hesitate, for no man shall
fire on the United States flag while I am serving under
it."
The lieutenant caught the enthusiasm; he no longer
made any objection but fervently seconded every
move made by his captain.
The "Enterprise" carried one long gun and eleven
small ones.
"Cast loose the long gun."
In less than a minute the long gun was cast loose
and loaded. Sterrett looked over his men anxiously.
He awaited his opportunity.
He caught sight of the captain of the first gun crew
and called to him.
"Take your place by the long gun. I reckon you
are the sharpest sight on board."
"I'll do my best, captain."
"Take a sight. Where do you think you can
strike her ?"
"Anywhere you say, captain."
In those days sighting was not done on the scientific
principles of to-day, no electric signals, 110 checker¬
board connection with the gun as in our modern iron¬
clads. The sighting was done by the naked eye,
and the signal for firing given by word of mouth or
the waving of a hand.
The gunner took his time, and then at the moment
he desired, the shot sped on its way with a sharp hum,
and Sterrett watched its course through his glass,
34 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
It was a pretty sight to watch the cloud of spray,
followed by another and yet another as the shot
skimmed over the waves, its velocity decreasing as
it neared the enemy.
There was a faint crash of timber borne across the
water and everyone knew that the "Tripoli" had
been struck.
Sterrett saw his advantage, and getting his schooner
in a raking position, poured a broadside into the
enemy.
The aim of the American was superior to that of
the Tripolitans and so made up for the lighter arma¬
ment.
For two hours the battle continued, and the roar
of cannon and the rattle of small arms was incessant.
The day was calm and clear, with the still warm
air prevalent in the Mediterranean. The breeze was
scarcely enough to carry away the sulphurous smoke
of the guns which formed a dense black cloud like a
foul spot on the fair surface of that beautiful sea.
It was almost impossible for the gunners to see to
take aim, but Sterrett called to Hamilton the captain of
his first gun and asked him if he could see to take aim.
" Ay, ay, sir. A good gunner with a good gun knows
by instinct where to fire."
"Can you take down her mizzen-mast?"
" I can try, sir."
"Gunner I did not ask you to try, I want certainty ?
can you do it?"
Ay, ay, sir.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 35
" A puff of smoke, to lowed by a crashing and snapping of timber."—Page 36
36 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"That's better. Let her rip."
Hamilton's face was a rosy red as he received the
order to fire; he was proud and the acknowledgment
of his prowess was pleasing to him. He aimed his
long gun carefully, and in a trice a puff of smoke was
followed by a crashing and snapping of timber, and cheer
followed cheer as the Americans saw the mizzen mast
of the "Tripoli" go over the deck into the blue waters
of the calm Mediterranean.
The fire of the enemy ceased and the Americans were
preparing to board the prize when they were astonished
to receive another broadside and see the colors of the
Tripolitans again hoisted.
A wild cry of rage burst from the crew of the "Enter¬
prise," as they again went to quarters; and if they had
fought well before they now fought desperately.
The Tripolitans were no cowards.
Every man was ready to die for his flag.
Bringing the "Tripoli" alongside the "Enterprise,"
they strove again and again to board, only to be beaten
back. Two raking broadsides from the "Enterprise"
seemed to cripple the enemy beyond repair and her
flag was lowered.
"I do not trust them," said Sterrett.
"But they are crippled."
"May be, if so they shall have a chance to prove their
honor."
Ordering all men to remain at the guns, he signalled
for the "Tripoli" to come under the quarter of the
"Enterprise."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 37
No sooner had the enemy done so than she renewed
the conflict for the third time, by attempting to board.
"No quarter for the treacherous dogs!" shouted
the crew of the "Enterprise."
"Fight on and send them to the bottom!"exclaimed
Lieutenant David Porter.
The rest of the battle was entirely in favor of the
plucky little Yankee schooner. Several times she
raked her opponent, doing great damage. Quite a
number of shots took effect between wind and water,
and the cry arose on the deck of the "Tripoli"that
she was sinking.
The "Enterprise" kept at a safe distance and skil¬
fully sailing close, chose a good position so that she
could pour a terrible and murderous fire into the
enemy.
The treachery of the Tripolitans brought on them
terrible punishment, for the Americans were enraged
and fought like furies. At last the flag was again
struck, but the " Enterprise" fired another broadside
into her antagonist.
Rais Mahomet Sous, a venerable old man with a
flowing beard, appeared in the waist of his ship,
sorely wounded, and bowing very submissively, cast
the Tripolitan colors into the sea.
"Cease firing!"
Lieutenant David Porter, whose name in later years
became a synonym of courage, murmured, though just
loud enough for his captain to hear:
"We ought to exterminate the treacherous dogs!"
38 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"Don't let us forget that we are Christians,"
Sterrett answered.
Captain Sterrett had a new difficulty to overcome
He had no knowledge that Tripoli had declared war
on the United States, and, therefore he could not law¬
fully take prizes. Cut inasmuch as he had positive
proof that the "Tripoli" had robbed many American
merchantmen, he felt justified in dismantling the
enemy.
" Lieutenant Porter, select a crew and board the
'Tripoli,' render her useless as a corsair and do your
work like a man and a good citizen."
It was with a great amount of satisfaction that
Porter and the jackies he took with him forced the
Tripolitans to cut away their masts, to throw overboard
all their cannon, cutlasses, pistols and other arms;
and then to make the dismantling more complete, the
sails were cut into pieces, the ammunition either wetted
or thrown into the sea and the " Tripoli" was stripped
to a girtline. One jury-mast and one small sail was
alone left,
David Porter looked at the heartbroken Mahomet
Sous and in a voice tremulous with emotion, as he
pointed to the many dead and wounded lying on the
deck of the "Tripoli," said that the "Enterprise" had
not lost a single man.
"Go," said Porter sternly, "go tell the Bashaw
of Tripoli and the people of your country that in
future they may only expect a tribute of powder and
shot from the United States."
TIIE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 39
In a letter written by Rich¬
ard Somers to Stephen Decatur,
he told him of the great victory
of the schooner "Enterprise,"
and said that when the captain
of the defeated ship
reached port, the
Bashaw was very
J . /,~ f
angry. He ordered
Mahomet Sous to be %
led through the streets
of Tripoli tied on
the back of a donk¬
ey, with his face to
the donkey's tail, this
was the deepest in¬
sult that could be
offered to a Mussul¬
man, but when the
weary captain nearly
fainted with shame
and exhaustion, he
was lifted from the
animal's back and
had to undergo the
torture of the bas¬
tinado. Five hun¬
dred blows with a
heavy rattan fell on
his bare feet, while "a" C°W
40 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
the crowd jeered, some laughing and others mocking
him.
Somers told his friend that the people of Tripoli
were getting frightened of the Americans, and he
hoped that the Government would allow Commodore
Dale to follow up the victory.
But, alas, the government would not allow the
brave Commodore to rescue the hundreds of Americans
held by the Bashaw, the Dey and Bey* as slaves, and
for some time Americans could be seen chained to¬
gether and wearing iron collars on their necks, work¬
ing in the streets of Algiers.
*The Turkish titles, Bashaw, Bey, and Dey, mean really the same, that is
" Lord" or " Ruler; " but each power adopted a distinctive title, thus, Bashaw
of Tripoli, Bey of Tunis, and Dey of Algiers.
CHAPTER FIVE
MIDNIGHT CALL TO QUARTERS
HE expedition to the Med¬
iterranean under Richard
Dale was bu the muttering which
precedes the storm. Dale re urned
to the United States in December
1801, and the reports he gave of
the insolence of the Barbary Powers changed public
sentiment, and made the people resolve to compel,
at least, a respect for the flag of the Republic.
Dale had left the "Philadelphia" and the "E sex"
in the Mediterranean to protect, as far as possible,
American merchantmen. The "Philadelphia" was
to rendezvous at Syracuse and appear occasionally
before Tunis and Tripoli; and the "Essex "was to
hug the Gibralter Rock to watch the Tripolitan cruisers
which had been dismantled, and also to closely ob¬
serve the entrance to the Mediterranean, in case
any cruisers should attempt to pass into the Atlant c.
41
42 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Decatur often went on shore and sometimes his
favorite midshipman, Macdonough, would accompany
him. Decatur found that the English had not lost
their enmity towards the United States and when it
was known that Richard Dale had been in command
of the expedition, many of the Tory sympathizers
found delight in offering insult to young Decatur. It
was hard for an Englishman to forget that Dale had
been a lieutenant on the "Bon Homme Richard"
when it defeated the "Serapis," and anything which
reminded the English of Paul Jones was very much
like a waving a red flag before an angry bull.
Decatur got into several scrapes through his out¬
spoken patriotism and even his Captain thought that
it would be better if he went less frequently on shore.
As we are not writing a biography of Stephen
Decatur, but rather an accurate account of the glorious
deeds of the young navy, those escapades must be
passed over.
The tedious and far from pleasant work of the
"Essex" was relieved by the arrival of Commodore
Richard V. Morris, in the frigate "Chesapeake,"
on the 25th of May, 1802. On the 17th of June the
"Essex" sailed for New York, where she arrived on
the 22nd of July.
Giving himself a respite of only three weeks the
young officer joined, as first lieutenant, the frigate
"New York," thirty-six guns, commanded by Captain
James Barron, and sailed in her for the Mediterranean
on the first of September, 1802.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 43
The crew was entirely new to the service, and it
was whispered that they were none too loyal. To
teach them how to perform their duty and at the same
time win their hearts was the work Decatur had before
him. One who knew this young officer well wrote that
"Decatur seemed, as if by magic, to hold a boundless
sway over the hearts of seamen at first sight-" Such
a conquest could only have been gained by a just
regard for their rights a watchful care of their com¬
fort and a sympathy in their feelings.
Never did seamen have a more lenient chief but not
one iota of discipline was omitted, he ruled with a
gentle sway rather than with an iron rod.
One thing was noticeable on every deck Decatur
trod, and that was the encouragement he gave to
singing. The boatswain of the "New York" had
been in the merchant service for some years and
possessed a good voice and Decatur induced him to
teach the crew a number of chanteys, such as were in
vogue in the merchant marine. The chanteys are
of three kinds, each adapted to a special part of the
vessel's work — the "capstan" chantey, the "halliard"
chantey and the "sheet, tack, and bowline" chantey.
The true chantey is a song with a solo part and one or
two choruses. The solo part consists of a line of
rhyme which is repeated by the solo man after the
first chorus has been shouted.
One of the choruses which the boatswain taught
the crew was the "sheet, tack and bowline" chantey,
which ran thuswise:
44 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
" Haul upon the bowline, the fore and maintop bowline.
Haul the bowline, the bowline haul."
When this was shouted in unison by the ten men
on the rope, the effect was inspiriting, and the men
hauled with a right good will.
Another chantey which Decatur loved to hear was:
" How happy is the sailor's life,
From coast to coast to roam:
(Chorus) He loves to range,
He's nowhere strange;
He never will turn his back
To friend or foe;
No, masters, no!
(Solo) How happy is the sailor's life."
Never was a crew better drilled, and Decatur was
highly complimented by those in authority.
Knowing how necessary it was for the crew to res¬
pond to the call to quarters promptly, Decatur would
frequently give the order when most of the crew would
be below deck.
The "New York" was lying becalmed one night
two weeks after she had sailed when "eight bells"
midnight was struck. At a silent signal from Lieuten¬
ant Decatur the drummer poised his stick an instant,
then sounded the long roll, or alarm, which he at once
followed by the quick beat to "general quarters."
Instantly the scene changed from one of calm peace-
fulnsss into what might have looked like confusion.
The men leapt from their hammocks, passed a few
turns of the lashings around them, then threw them
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 45
into their
sprang to
nettings,
their stations
at he guns.
A moment more and
another beat of the drum
and a bright flash and roar
from the forecastle gun
bursts upon the still¬
ness and gloom of
the night, followed
quickly by a broad¬
side battery.
Each gun would be
fired once, a blank
charge, but enough to
show that the gun was
in good order and
ready for service.
There is silence and
order; the battle lan¬
terns flash along the
deck and show a well
disciplined crew stand¬
ing at quarters, every
man equipped with
cutlass and pistol,
silently awaiting the
signal. The powder-
monkeys have brought
a supply of ammuni- "The drummer then sounded the long roll,
46 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
tion, powder bags each containing one charge, shot
of the required size, sponges are ready for cleaning
out the gun, rammers are standing close at hand
and everything is ready for the order.
Then the first lieutenant, with an orderly carrying
a lantern, made a thorough inspection fore and aft
and below, to see that nothing is lacking which would
be required in an action.
Satisfied with his inspection, the drum is again called
into requisition, and the powder monkeys carry back
the powder and shot, everything is returned to its
place, the men cap their guns and go below, unsling
their hammocks, and once more there is silence on
board.
One writer tells us that Decatur accomplished this
entire action in the shortest space of time ever known
then. He writes: "At the touch of the drum, the ship
had been changed into readiness for battle, every
officer and man at his station, armed, expectant, silent,
and all in less than three minutes."
It was discipline and drill like this which made the
Yankee gunners superior to all others, and made an
English Admiral at Gibralter say: "With men like
those Yankee gunners and officers like Decatur, the
Untied States can become invincible."
The squadron, to which Decatur was now attached,
consisted of five frigates, the "Chesapeake," "Con¬
stellation," "New York," "Adams," and "John
Adams" and the schooner "Enterprise." The squad¬
ron was fully equipped, well officered and manned;
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 47
and ample arrangements were made for supplies of
provisions, stores, funds and the establishment of a
hospital. The crews were enlisted for two years,
instead of one, and Commodore Morris was given
greater powers than had been conferred on Dale.
Commodore Morris assembled his squadron at
Malta in January, 1803, sailing from that place on
the thirteenth of the same month for Tripoli, with
the intention of negotiating peace, or, failing in that,
to begin the war in earnest.
A terrific storm, rain, wind and furious changes
coming suddenly, endangered the ships, and for eleven
days it seemed that not one of the squadron could
survive the heavy gale. But fortune favored the
Yankee ships, and they were able to put back into
the harbor of Malta.
CHAPTER SIX
THE CODE OF HONOR
IT is proper that an episode, which
occurred just after the squadron
put back into Malta, should have a chapter to itself,
for it was the means of, in a manner, changing the
life of Stephen Decatur.
Midshipman Joseph Bainbridge,of the "New York,"
with one of his messmates, being on liberty ashore,
visited the theatre.
No sooner was their presence noted than some
English officers began to make sneering remarks,
intended to provoke the young Americans. One of
the Britishers remarked that the war with Tripoli
was bound to be a farce because said he:
"Those Yankees will never stand the smell of
powder."
"Shall we take any notice of the insult?" Bain-
bridge asked his messmate.
"I'd like to make him smell powder," was the
answer.
The sneering remarks continued and Bainbridge
48
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 49
and his friend went into the lobby to consult about
the notice they felt ought to be taken of the insults.
The Britishers followed, and as they walked up and
down the lobby, the individual who had made the most
offensive remark, walking in the contrary direction,
ran rudely against Midshipman Bainbridge. The
offence was repeated three times. Convinced that
the insult was premeditated, Bainbridge quickly raised
his arm, shot out his hand and the officer was sprawl¬
ing on his back.
Bainbridge was only a boy, a foreigner who ought
to have been the recipient of courtesy from officers
of a supposedly friendly power, while his insulter was
a man of high degree and holding the responsible
position of secretary to Sir Alexander Ball, the Gov¬
ernor of the Island.
This man was a noted duellist, ever looking for
an opportunity to practice, and he thought the Ameri¬
can middy a good subject. It was fashionable to
look upon Americans as unruly children, and so
insults were quite frequent.
On the following morning a challenge from the
duellist was received by Bainbridge on board the
"New York."
The young midshipman was unskilled in the use
of the pistol and was ignorant of the code of duelling,
lie was about to accept the challenge, and make use
of his skilled younger friend as a second when the matter
reached the ears of Decatur. lie sent for Bainbridge,
and told him that his antagonist was a professed duel-
50 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
list and that, unless he was very careful, his life would
be a very short one.
"What am I to do, sir?"
"You must accept the challenge, but I will act as
your friend."
"Will you?"
"Certainly I will, for I am not going to see one of
my officers murdered."
As the friend of the challenged party, Decatur
selected pistols for the weapons, and, to the alarm
of the challenger's friend, fixed four yards as the
distance, and the word to be given, "Take aim,"
and to fire at the word "Fire."
"Ten paces must be the distance," said the other.
"Four yards it shall be."
"But this looks like murder, sir."
"No, sir; this looks like death, but not murder.
Your friend is a noted duellist; mine is wholly inex¬
perienced. I am no duellist, but am acquainted with
the pistol. If you insist on ten paces, I will fight your
friend at that distance."
"We have no quarrel with you, sir." the English¬
man exclaimed.
"I will not modify my terms. At four paces my
friend shall meet your friend; if you want ten paces
you will have to accept me as a substitute."
The Englishman swore under his breath, but had
to accept the terms offered.
Decatur had read human nature very correctly.
He rightly thought that the Englishman had practiced
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 51
THe Engluhman fell mortally wounded."—Page 53
52 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY FIRATES
at ten paces until
it became almost
impossible for
himto take a false
aim, whereas at
four paces he was
likely to be nerv¬
ous.
The parties
met.
Decatur gave
the word: "Take
aim!"
The two anta¬
gonists kept their
pistols extended for
many seconds until
Decatur saw a slight
tremor in the Eng¬
lishman's arm, then
he gave the word:
"Fire!"
Bainbridge's
shot
his
The
** As passengers on the * Chesapeake, they
returned to the United States.
passed through
adversary's hat.
Englishman missed the
American entirely.
Decatur whispered
lo Bainbridge that un¬
less he fired lower he
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 53
could not save his life. Aloud lie asked if the English¬
man was ready to offer an apology as he was
guilty of the first offence. The answer was emphat¬
ically,
"No!"
The combatants were again placed face to face,
the word given as before, and the Englishman fell
mortally wounded below the eye.
Before we blame these young men for the duel we
must remember that the civilized world at that time
yielded obedience to what was known as the "code
of honor" and it was rendered obligatory on every
military man to resist an encroachment on his honor
and that of his country.
Decatur in coming to the aid of Bainbridge had
exercised coolness and judgment to place his inex¬
perienced friend on an equal footing with the man who
had fought many duels.
Sir Alexander Ball demanded that Decatur and
Bainbridge should be given up to be tried by the civil
courts for breaking the laws.
To avoid further unpleasantness CommodoreMorris
sailed away from Malta and proceeded to Algiers.
There he removed his flag from the "Chesapeake"
to the "New York," taking Lieutenant Isaac Chaun-
cey as flag captain. He was very anxious to have
Decatur stay as first lieutenant but on second thoughts
he ordered Decatur and Bainbridge home, and as
passengers on the "Chesapeake," they returned to
the United States.
54 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Soon after his arrival, Decatur was placed in temp¬
orary command of the new brig "Argus," of sixteen
guns, which he was to take to the Mediterranean,
and transfer to Lieutenant Isaac Hull, his senior
officer, whom he was to succeed in command of the
"Enterprise."
THE squadron narrowly escaped being seriously
weakened by the threatened loss of the "New
York" in April, 1803.
The event so nearly tragic is worthy of remembering
because it showed of what gallant stuff the Yankee
sailors were made.
It was when the vessel was off Malta, on her way
to Tripoli in company with the "John Adams,"
and the "Enterprise. "
The drums had just beat to grog; the sailors were
in line, tin cup in hand, on the main deck, waiting
their turns at he grog tub.
Suddenly a loud explosion was heard.
Every man stood aghast.
The lower part of the ship was filled with smoke.
"The magazine is on fire!"
The cry rang through the ship and for a moment
55
56 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
confusion reigned supreme. There was no one to
command, for at grog time all discipline was relaxed
and each sailor was left to his own occupation.
A few moments more and panic would have ensued
and then there would have been no chance of saving
the good ship.
Captain Chauncey rushed on deck.
A drummer excitedly passed by him.
"Drummer, beat to quarters," commanded the
Captain.
The drummer forgot his fear, stood for a moment
silent, then the resonant roll of the drum was heard.
Every man responded to the call. Grog cups were
thrown down by some, others quickly drank the con¬
tents and hurried to their posts.
The men had regained their self control, and went
quickly to their stations at the guns ready to meet
the enemy if one there should be.
"Lower the boats," was the quick order of the
captain.
For a moment panic seemed imminent. The men
crowded out upon the bowsprit, the spritsail yard,
and the knightheads. One sailor leaped into the sea.
Captain Chauncey was calm, and as he stood silent
amid the confusion the men began to be ashamed
of their momentary fright.
"Volunteers follow me," Chauncey shouted, and
then added, "If we are to be blown up we might as
well go through three decks as one."
A loud cheer greeted this remark.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 57
Order was re¬
stored.
Captain Chaun
cey did not stop
to see the result
of his words, but
quickly plunged
down the smoky
hatchway.
A blinding smoke
almost suffocated
him, but close be¬
hind him was Lieu¬
tenant David Por¬
ter and several
other officers.
They groped
their way through
the smoke to the
seat of danger.
With wet blank¬
ets and buckets of
water they began
to fight the flames.
As their efforts
began to be
crowned with suc¬
cess in deadening
the fire, David
Porter ran on deck, ..
lunged down the imolcy hatchway."
58 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
and quickly formed two lines of water carriers. For
two hours every man, officers and enlisted sailors,
marines and powder monkeys, worked like Trojans.
Not a man flinched, not one showed the white
feather. Whatever trepidation they had shown at
first was but the momentary weakness which comes
to every human being at the first flush of danger.
The ship was saved for the time, but Chauncey
thought it advisable to signal the "John Adams."
"Hoist the signal, 'Ship on fire,' " shouted the
captain.
The quartermaster feared that the danger was still
great and swiftly ran up the signal, but, alas, he had
taken the wrong signal, and instead of announcing
a fire, the flag read "Mutiny on board."
Captain Rodgers of the "John Adams" seeing this
signal, beat his crew to quarters, and with shotted
guns and open ports took up a raking position astern of
the "New York," ready to quell the supposed mutiny.
The quartermaster had found out his mistake.
Some of the crew were inclined to lynch him thinking
that he had done it purposely, but he hauled down
the signal and ran up the right one and just in time,
for the "John Adams" meant business.
The explosion was found to have been a very serious
one, for many of the bulkheads were blown down and
nineteen officers and men injured, fourteen fatally.
How the explosion was caused was never discovered,
but Captain Chauncey took extra precautions to
guard against the disaster being repeated.
THE CRUISE OF
" THE BOSTON "
IT will be remembered that Richard Somers was
assigned to the "Boston," a fine sloop of war
carrying twenty-eight guns, and commanded by
Captain McNeill.
This Captain McNeill was the son of Hector Mc¬
Neill whose gallant exploits in the Revolutionary
navy endeared him to all. His son loved the sea, was
proud of his country, but was very averse to obeying
orders. He was a splendid and brave man, but his
independence made him one of the oddities of the
navy.
When Somers reported to him as first lieutenant,
feeling sore at being parted from his friend, Stephen
59
60 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Decatur, he found Captain McNeill sitting in the
cabin, looking very unconcerned. Somers in a letter
to his friend said, "I found the captain to be a red¬
headed old fellow, with a squint. He talks through
his nose, and what he says is like himself, very peculiar.
"Well, Mr. Somers," he drawled out, "so you are
a first luff eh ?"
"Yes, sir."
"And I suppose you are looking forward to a gay
time in the Mediterranean ports, with all that squadron
that Dale has got to show off with."
"Yes, sir," Somers answered, thinking it only polite
to say so.
"Well, sir, make up your mind that you won't
have a gay time, at least not with that squadron."
"I want work, sir, not pleasure," Somers replied.
"Young man I don't believe you. I can read your
thoughts. You would like to be on the 'President'
with the Commodore's pennant flying above you."
Somers did not reply.
"The flag ship goes into port and every girl in the
port at once makes up to the officers, and dancing
and gayety is the order of the day; but look at that
pennant, Mr. Somers, for it will be a long time before
you see it again."
"I thought, sir, that the 4Boston* was one of the
squadron ? "
"You thought, eh? Well keep your thoughts to
yourself until you are captain of the watch and then
think and act—act—ACT," he shouted, each repe-
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 61
tition of the word "act" being louder than the pre¬
ceding one.
Richard Somers soon found that, although nominally
the "Boston" was to be a part of Dale's squadron,
the captain had managed to obtain permission to
sail to the Mediterranean alone, and to join the other
ships there.
Somers was introduced to his brother officers and
soon learned that it was their opinion that the " Boston"
would not see the flag ship until the expedition was
over.
"But we are to join Commodore Dale in the
Mediterranean," Somers said.
"Just so, but the Mediterranean is rather a large
place in which to rendezvous."
"Yes."
"And Captain McNeill will chase all over the sea
looking for the flag ship, especially in places where
she is sure not to be."
"Purposely ?"
"Who can say?"
While Dale's ships were cruising about the Mediter¬
ranean, giving convoy and ready to begin hostilities,
as soon as called upon, the "Boston" was not sighted.
It was true that the "Boston" had just left a port,
when the flag ship arrived, or else arrived there just
after the "President" had gone. Commodore Dale
left angry messages for the eccentric captain, but it is
is doubtful whether McNeill ever got them.
In the meantime, he was doing great work, convoy-
62 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
" He mever uw anything the Captain did not want him to »ee
vessels and fighting
Tripolitan pirates,
Somers found that
life on board was not
by any means an
easy one.
He became attach¬
ed to the Captain and
soon understood his
bluff ways, lov¬
ing him, it may
be, all the more
for his thorough
independence.
"If the Cap¬
tain had been a
pirate, he could
not have been
more indepen-
dent," said the quar¬
termaster in a burst
of confidence.
The captain of the
maintop, an old sailor
who answered to the
name of Jack Bell,
was a favorite of the
Captain, and he had
the best eyes of any¬
one, for he never saw
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 63
anything the Captain did not want him to see. Jack
Bell had a good voice and many a tedious hour
did he beguile away by his songs, many of them
being praise of his captain. One, which he sang
after the first victory over a Tripolitan criusier, was
as follows:
"Where are you from? bold McNeill cried,
Which made the pirates wonder;
Then with a gun they quick replied,
Which made a noise like thunder.
Like lightning we returned the joke,
Our matches were :o handy;
Brave McNeill's bull-dogs nobly spoke
The tune of Doodle Dandy."
It was poor poetry, but it always pleased the fore¬
castle, and Captain McNeill whenever he heard it
would wink with his squinting eyes as much as to
say, "Didn't I tell you that I am appreciated?"
Another song which Jack Bell was fond of singing,
which he says he picked up at Gibralter, was quite
applicable to the situation, though rather hard on
the marines who were always termed "landsmen"
by the sailors.
" When we sail with a freshening breeze,
And landsmen all grow sick, sir,
The sailor lolls with his mind at ease,
And the song and glass go quick, sir.
Laughing here,
Quaffing there,
Steadily, readily,
Cherrily, merrily,
Still from care and thinking free,
Is a sailor's life at sea."
64
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
" When the sky grows black and the winds blow hard,
And landsmen skulk below, sir,
The sailor mounts o the topsail yard,
And turns his quid as he goes, sir.
Hauling here,
Bawling there,
Steadily, readily,
Cheerily, merrily,
Still from care and thinking free,
Is a sailor's life at sea."
Although this song would be sung to the men in the
foks'l, it would echo to the quarter deck, and often
the officers would move nearer to listen, and unite
with the sailors in cheering the singer.
One day a sail was reported off the starboard
quarter, and Jack was sent aloft to look out. Four
sails loomed up on the horizon, and Somers exclaimed:
"The squadron at last."
But after a long look out, Bell reported that of the
four ships, not one is square enough in her rig to be
a war ship and that he thought they were French
transports.
"I am sorry, gentlemen," exclaimed Captain Mc¬
Neill, "I had hoped we had sighted the Commodore's
squadron, but it is evident we have no such luck."
Every stitch of canvas was set, and the "Boston"
pointed due north increasing the distance from the
sighted ships very rapidly.
For a time the "Boston" blockaded the port of
Tripoli and was joined by the "Constellation."
McNeill had been caught at last, but only for a few
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
65
Pouring a broadside into the boats."—Page 66
66 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
hours, for during the darkness of night, he slipped
away leaving the "Constellation" alone in front of
the port.
In his hurry to get away Captain McNeill ran into
a flotilla of seventeen Tripolitan gunboats, which,
as he found out very quickly, were within the range
of a strong battery on shore.
He did not lose his nerve, but began peppering away
at the battery on shore, dismantling one of the guns,
and by a lucky shot, destroying the magazine. Then
he turned his attention to the gunboats, handling them
with such severity that they were glad to get nearer
the fort and to a position where it would be madness
to follow.
He could not resist getting into a raking position,
and pouring a broadside into the boats, sending one
of them to the bottom and setting another on fire.
As the captain occupies a unique place in the
naval history, an anecdote may not be out of place.
When the "Boston" was in the harbor of Messina,
a Swedish man of war was there also, and the authori¬
ties gave a banquet to the officers of the two ships.
McNeill was very abstemious, while on the other
hand the Swedes were great drinkers. When the
bottles were being passed, McNeill sat back in his
chair scowling and looking far from pleased, and in
a few minutes he was fast asleep.
He snored, he snorted in his sleep, but no one
seemed surprised for all were too intent on the wine,
which was extra rich in flavor and body. For two
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 67
hours the eccentric captain slept, and then rousing
himself, he bawled out;
"Haven't those Swedes got through their guzzling
yet?"
Captain McNeill cruised about for two years, at
the end of which time he was compelled to return,
for the enlistment of the seamen was only for that
period.
When he arrived home, he reported that Dale's
squadron must have been lost for he had sailed every¬
where and never once seen the flagship.
He had done such good work that his strange con¬
duct was forgiven and he was even thanked for the
manner in which he had caused the flag of the United
States to be respected.
Somers was glad to get back, though he had learned
to respect his eccentric captain. Very pleasing to
him was the news that the government was building
four small schooners, each to carry sixteen guns, and
that two of them were to be commanded by himself
and Stephen Decatur.
Somers managed to steal enough time to visit the
Decaturs and Winthrops, and his ears were set tingling
by the stories he heard of Decatur's good fortune.
"I would like to be with him," he said, "I would
gladly be a first luff with him as captain."
To his great delight Decatur returned home, and
spent several pleasant days in the company of his
dearest friend.
CHAPTER NINE
THE LOSS OF
THE " PHILADELPHIA"
IIILE Decatur was on
the ocean taking the
Argus " to the Mediterranean,
an event occurred which while a great blow to the
navy of the United States, was the indirect means of
making the name of Stephen Decatur known through¬
out the entire world.
Tripoli was well fortified and ably protected. The
first glimpse obtained of the city was one that could
never be forgotten. With its many gilded domes
and minarets, its mosques and palaces, most of which
could be seen from the sea, the city presented a fairy-
like picture, and when the sun shone on it a thousand
rays of glittering splendor lit up the sky. A sunbeam
would fall upon a gilded dome to be cast back in an
intensified reflection on another glittering dome or
minaret.
The ruler—Bashaw, to give him native title, was
furious because a nation which had only been born,
68
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 69
so to speak, yesterday should be able to inflict such
dire disaster on the ancient African power.
As the sun glinted from the many hued roofs of
the city they fell on the "Philadelphia" which was
lying just off the city. It was the most dreaded of all
our ships, for it was strong, and its Captain, the
renowned Bainbridge, was known as one of the
bravest of all the men who had walked the deck of a
war ship in those waters. His crew was of like
calibre and the Bashaw was heard to say that he would
give half his wealth if the "Philadelphia" could be
captured.
Commodore Preble had just arrived on the scene
with orders to carry on the war with vigor, for the
United States had at last realized that war to be
successful must be waged without mercy.
A Tripolitan schooner had rendered itself very
obnoxious to the Americans by firing at one of the
ships and then sailing away. The schooner had the
advantage of speed over the frigate "Philadelphia,"
but Bainbridge determined to teach the Tripolitan
a lesson.
The plucky schooner, commanded by one of the
most wily of the Tripolitan commanders, had set out
to draw the "Philadelphia" under the guns of the
forts and so ensure its destruction or surrender.
Bainbridge saw the maneuver and was equally resolved
that he would not fall into the trap set for him.
When the enemy saw that it had failed, the schooner
was headed out of the harbor and its sails set for a
70 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
cruise along the coast. Crowding on all sail Bain-
bridge prepared to follow. The coast was treacherous
many shoals and rocks abounding which were not
marked on the charts. Soundings were taken con¬
stantly and the "Philadelphia" was making eight
knots an hour when the voice of the man at the lead
called out in a deep monotone:
" Eight fathoms!"
The frigate was safe in that depth of water, and
she sped on in pursuit of the enemy.
"Seven fathoms!"
Bainbridge stood, his arms across his breast, his
face set, his lips closed in deadly earnestness.
"Six-half!"
"Helm hard a-port," Bainbridge shouted.
Orders were given to brace the yards, and bring
the ship to the wind.
The order was given one minute too late. A harsh
grating sound was heard, and the next minute the bow
of the "Philadelphia" shot up five feet or more out
of the water, with such force that the masts were nearly
wrenched out of their moorings.
Men rushed to the davits, ready to lower the boats
when the word came.
No one thought there was the slightest chance of
saving the ship.
The roll of the drum called them to quarters, and
instantly every man responded, knowing only that
he was an American sailor, and that it would be better
to die fighting than to seek safety in flight.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 71
Volumes have been written about the glorious cour¬
age of Admirals and Commodores, of Captains and
Lieutenants and every word of praise has been de¬
served, but how little we read of the tremendous valor
of the drummer boy, who remains cool enough to
beat his roll call in the thick of the battle, when
the shots are raining on the deck like hail and
the cannon's roar shakes every timber; when the
black smoke of the powder obscures the vision so
much that the drummer can not even see the face of
the man who gives him the order; in the height of a
tempest when the ship rocks and rolls and the rigging
rattles until it makes the bravest heart quake, when
the thunder rolls and the lightning plays fantastic
revels along the decks and among the shrouds, when
the sea washes over the deck sweeping nearly every
portable thing overboard, when all seems lost, the
drummer boy gives his rat-tat-to as calmly as though
he was standing on deck when the ship was at anchor
in some port, and a reviewing party was on board.
Let us do justice to the grandeur of the courage
of the drummer, who is ever ready to beat his drum,
whose heart never quails and whose rattling roll call
brings peace out of panic, harmony out of discord.
Bainbridge knew he could rely on his drummer,
and he also knew that so long as his men could hear
the roll of the drum, there was no danger of them
forgetting that they were American seamen, whose
duty was to their country.
The sails were set back, the anchors thrown over-
72 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
board, the guns run aft, hoping thereby to force the
frigate off the rock and into deep water.
The Tripolitan saw the "Philadelphia's" plight
and opened a raking fire on her. Bainbridge replied
with a quarter-deck cannonade, but the ship careened
so that the guns were well nigh useless.
It was realized that resistance was impossible and
that it was equally impossible to get off the rock. Bain¬
bridge knew that to attempt to resist capture meant
the loss of many men with no possible chance of
effecting any good. lie called the men together and
in a voice broken with emotion said:
"Men we must surrender. If we had the slightest
chance of success I would cut my tongue out rather
than say what I am forced to do. If I thought that
by the sacrifice of even half your lives, I could save
the good frigate I would not only order resistance, but
I would be in the lead and pray heaven that my life
might be the first to be offered on the altar of my
country. I am about to order the flag of our land to
be lowered. I grieve—"
Sobs broke from him and he could not continue.
Strong men completely broke down and like children
wept as though their hearts would break.
The quarter-master went forward to lower the flag,
but his hands trembled so that he could not loosen
the halliards.
"I cannot do it, sir," he cried out in the agony of
grief. "I never thought I should be called upon to
lower our flag."
THE TAMING OF THE BA11BARY PIRATES
"I will do it my¬
self," said the Cap¬
tain, "I was wrong
to think of asking
anyone to do it. Let
the hateful work be
mine."
This is the true
story of how Captain
Bain bridge lowered
the flag of the " Phila¬
delphia," and how¬
ever many may have
censured him not
one who knew the
facts would have had
him act differently.
A loud shout went
up from the schoon¬
er, and was taken
up 011 shore.
"Allah il Allah!"
It sounded almost
like blasphemy to
use the name of the
Deity in such a con¬
nection, especially
when those who in¬
voked it were nothing
better than blood
"Tripolitans poured over the taffrail.
74 THE TAMING OF THE BAHBARY PIRATES
thirsty pirates having no respect for the laws of God
or man.
In a few minutes hordes of Tripolitans poured over
the taffrail and then began a scene of plunder which
placed the enemy outside the pale of civilization.
Many Turks were in the service of the Barbary
Powers and these men were far worse than the Tripoli-
tans, for they did not respect any of the laws which
were supposed to govern civilized nations.
Not content with taking the swords away from the
officers, they stripped off their epaulets, took the
watches and trinkets, clothing and even shoes from
the officers of the ill-fated "Philadelphia."
A further indignity had to be endured. Fearing
that some valuables were being secreted, the piratical
horde compelled the officers to turn their pockets
inside out so that if any money had been concealed
it would fall to the deck. Captain Bainbridge man¬
aged to save a locket which contained a portrait of
his wife, whom he loved with all the ardor of his
nature.
The Bashaw was ashamed of the manner in which
the gallant Americans had been treated, and ordered
the money to be returned. The prisoners were placed
in a large house and treated with great consideration.
For one whole week the fair treatment continued
and even Bainbridge began to think that the Tripol¬
itans were not as bad as they had been painted. He
was soon to be undeceived.
On the morning of the eighth day, just after the
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 75
Muezzin had proclaimed the hour of morning prayer,
the Bashaw sent for Captain Bainbridge.
The American bowed with courtly dignity, feeling
that he was the representative of the Republic and
that the ruler of even an African country must be
treated with deference.
"I have sent for you," said the Bashaw, "because
I wanted to make the acquaintance of so brave a
man."
Bainbridge did not speak but merely bowed.
"Have you any complaints to make of your treat¬
ment ? "
"No, your highness."
"You knew when the American ship was cap¬
tured— "
"Wrecked, your highness."
"Wrecked first, but none the less captured, you
knew that you would become prisoners?"
"Yes, prisoners of war."
"Prisoners, never mind of what nature. You have
seen the power of Tripoli; you have seen that the
Prophet hath given us the key to the Mediterranean,
and it is our duty to demand a tribute from those
nations using our sea for commerce."
"Your ports, your highness, you mean. The sea
is the Lord's and the fulness thereof."
The Bashaw took no notice of the speech but
continued:
"Will you order your nation to submit and conclude
a peace with us ?"
76 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY TIRATES
"I have no power to order my country to do any¬
thing, and I shall not advise any such thing as you
propose."
"Will you not recommend that your people pay
tribute to Tripoli?"
"I shall not."
"Is that your answer?"
"It is."
"You have been treated as a brave man, you shall
now be shown how the followers of the great Prophet
treat dogs of Christians. You shall crawl on your
hands and knees and beg for mercy before I have
done with you."
"Take care, your highness. You can treat me as
you please, but the United States will demand a
reckoning."
"Seize him, bind him!" the Bashaw cried in rage.
Instantly Bainbridge was seized and his arms bound
by his side, his legs secured with leather thongs so that
he could not move of his own volition.
Then the Bashaw spat in his face and cried out in
angry fury:
"So I will treat you, you dog!"
Orders were given for the incarceration of Bain¬
bridge and his officers in a most loathsome dungeon.
They were huddled together worse than cattle, and
not treated half as well.
With insufficient food, with vile odors of the dungeon,
with the filth of the surroundings it was hoped their
spirits would be broken, and when after ten days of
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 77
this treatment, Bainbridge asked for permission to
write to Commodore Preble, who was then at Malta,
acquainting him with the loss of the "Philadelphia,"
the Bashaw granted the permission, providing that
the letter should be revised by him.
"Allah il Allah!" exclaimed the Bashaw, "The
American is subdued, he will advise a tribute."
Bainbridge wrote his letter and the Bashaw danced
with joy, then he fell flat on hi face and thanked the
Prophet that Tripoli had broken the spirit of the proud
American. Bainbridge had written in such a manner
that he conveyed to Preble the strength of the defences
of Tripoli, but in such a manner that the Bashaw was
delighted and restored the officers to their previously
pleasant quarters.
When Commodore Preble received the report, which
the Bashaw took care should be soon, he was at first
in a fury of passion, for it seemed to him that Bain¬
bridge had suddenly became a coward.
"He ought to be shot as a traitor," he exclaimed,
as again he read the report.
He threw the letter on the table and paced up and
down his cabin. Ilis face was purple with rage, he had
counted so much on Bainbridge, and therefore was
the more disappointed.
He took up the letter again, thinking that he would
destroy it and so save Bainbridge if possible, for he
loved the brave captain with a sincere affection.
He looked at the letter again and again, and then,
a smile crossed his face.
78 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"Why did he write so few lines 011 a page?" he
asked himself.
As he formed the question, he remembered an old
trick the school-boys of Philadelphia used to indulge
in, and wondered whether Bainbridge had made use
of it.
He took the letter to the fire and held it close to
the heat. Gradually the blank spaces between the
lines became filled with writing and the astonished,
but now gratified, Commodore read that Bainbridge
urged him to organize a movement to destroy the
'Philadelphia," so that she could not be used in the
enemy's navy.
Bainbridge gave such implicit directions that the
Commodore exclaimed to his lieutenant:
"There isn't a more sterling patriot in all the
world than Bainbridge."
The officers were told that Bainbridge had actually
disclosed a plan of campaign and made the Bashaw
forward it to headquarters.
"How did he do it?"
"Wrote between he lines in lemon juice, which
made the writing; invisible until heated. It was an
old trick in our boyhood days."
" What do you propose ?"
"If we cannot recapture the frigate,we must destroy
it."
"Yes, but who will do it?"
"You may well ask the question, lieutenant, for
it means death to whoever undertakes the work."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 79
Such was the glorious patriotism of those men that
every man, without hesitation, begged to be chosen
to undertake the hazardous enterprise.
"We will go to Syracuse and make our plans."
OREIGN nations were beginning to laugh at
tlie harmless antics of the navy in the Mediter¬
ranean, for though many daring deeds had been per¬
formed and the younger officers had proved their
courage, the conduct of the so-called war was unworthy
of a great nation. Whatever the strength of the
Barbary Powers, they were insignificant as nations.
The United States government had not wished to
wage war at all, and the expeditions were more for
the protection of merchantmen than to carry on a war.
But other nations did not view the matter in that
light, hence squibs of all kinds, satires and sarcastic
remarks were hurled at the nation. Quite a number
of duels were fought by the younger officers of our
navy to uphold the honor of the American service.
Commodore Dale had been sent to the Mediterra¬
nean with instructions which bound him hand and
foot, Commodore Morris followed him, and was granted
extended powers and more discretion was allowed him
but he had not sufficient force to make his power
felt. Morris was an able man, but rather too much
80
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 81
inclined to evade taking chances, and when he arrived
home, after the arrival of Preble, he was actually
condemned for lack of courage, and suspended. It
was not long, however before this adverse and cruel
verdict was reversed and Morris restored to his rank.
Preble was assigned to the Mediterranean command
and had an increased number of ships placed at his
command.
Edward Preble was a sturdy New Englander, born
in Maine on the 15th of August, 1761. He early
evinced a love for the sea and engaged in the merchant
service. In 1779 he became a midshipman in the
naval service in the state ship "Protector," He
afterwards became lieutenant in the sloop-of-wrar
"Winthrop," and remained in her during the war
for independence. He was the first lieutenant ap¬
pointed in the new naval establishment in 1798, and
soon afterwards made two cruises in the brig "Picker¬
ing" as commander. In 1800 he was made captain
and placed in command of the "Essex," in which he
sailed to the East Indies to convoy American vessels.
In consequence of ill-health he withdrew from active
service until Congress assigned him to the command
in the Mediterranean.
The men in the Mediterranean looked forward to
his advent as likely to give them some active service.
Preble was essentially a man of action. One little
incident which occurred almost as soon as he had
arrived in the "Constitution" at Gibralter will give
an idea of the man he was.
82 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
It was getting dusk when the look-out reported a
large vessel alongside, and the hail from the " Constitu¬
tion" brought only a counter hail from the other. It
seemed as though each vessel had hailed at the same
time and no answer was given by either. Commodore
Preble went on deck. lie took the trumpet from
the hand of the quartermaster and shouted:
"I now hail you for the last time. If you do not
answer I'll fire a shot into you."
There was something emphatic in such a speech,
but, to the astonishment of Preble, the answer came
back:
"If you do, I'll return a broadside."
"I'd like to see you do it," answered Preble, "I
now hail you for an answer. What ship is that ?"
"This is Ilis Britannic Majesty's ship 'Donegal,'
eighty-four; Sir Richard Strachan an English commo¬
dore. Send a boat aboard."
"This is the United States 'Constitution,' forty-
four," answered Preble; "Edward Preble, an Ameri¬
can commodore; and I'll not send a boat on board
of any ship. Blow your matches, boys!"
The Englishman saw a conflict coming and answered
that a boat would be sent aboard the American.
The truth was that the stranger was an English
frigate, the "Maidstone," thirty-eight guns, but in no
condition for a fight. A boat was sent and the officer
was commissioned to offer Preble every apology.
The very fact that Preble, with only forty-four guns,
would defy a ship which boasted eighty-four guns
" If you do not answer, I'll fire a shot into you."—Page 82
84 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
was proof enough that at last there was a Yankee
commodore who would stand no insult.
Joseph Israel, a young lieutenant, played a joke on
a Sicilian doctor, which again illustrated what sort
of a man Edward Preble was. The Commodore had
won for himself the nick-name of "Old Pepper,"
and it was learned that he was rightly named.
The Commodore sent on land for a surgeon to
act on board the "Constitution," and this particular
Sicilian doctor responded to the call. He was entered
on the ship's books and ordered to get his uniform
and report in the evening.
Lieutsnant Israel, who dearly loved a joke, told the
simple minded doctor that it would be proper for him
to wear a cocked hat and two epaulets, and to be sure
to have side-arms. This would, in naval etiquette,
place him on an equality with the Commodore.
There was considerable suppressed mirth on deck,
when the little doctor went below, to report to the
Commodore. The mirth did not last long, for pre¬
sently a loud yell was heard below and the next minute
the Sicilian dashed out of the cabin followed by the
Commodore himself.
At first the wildest excitement prevailed, for Preble
presented the appearance of a raving lunatic, and
even his lieutenants hesitated whether he ought not
to be seized and held as a maniac, for the Sicilian
doctor had entered the cabin at a time when Preble,
dressed in a bath-robe and slippers, was in the act of
shaving himself. lie had lathered his face well with
THE TAMING OF TIIE BAIiBARY PIRATES 85
soap and had taken up the
razor, when the doetor
entered.
Preble turned, and
saw the little Sicilian
dressed as a Commo¬
dore, bowing and scrap¬
ing in the fashion of
his country. Preble tried
to speak, but the soap
got into his mouth ancl
caused him to splutter.
The doctor was alarmed
and thought the razor
had been seized as
a weapon to be used
against him, and so
ran from the cabin
followed by Preble,
who determined to
get an expl mation.
The doctor shrieked
with fright, and the
Commodore used a
number of oaths, in¬
dulging in a habit to
which, alas, he was
addicted.
" What do you
mean by dressing as
" The doctor shrieked with fright."
8(> THE TAMING OF THE BARBAIIY PIRATES
a Commodore?" he shouted. "I'll withdraw your
appointment, and I'll give you a taste of the cat. How
dare you come into my presence with two epaulets
and side arms, you little pill-mixer ?"
The doctor was so alarmed, and he could scarcely
be blamed, that he rushed to the side of the ship
and sprang into the water, striking out as fast as
possible for land.
"Lieutenant Israel did you tell that fellow to appear
like that?"
Israel was little, he was one of the youngest officers,
but he was courageous and he replied:
"He asked me if he would look well in a cocked
hat and I said 'yes,' and I did tell him that if he had
a cocked hat, he ought to have two epaulets, and then
I added that it would be in keeping for him to carry
side-arms, that is the truth, Commodore."
"Old Pepper," laughed, he could not help it. He
enjoyed a joke, when it was at some other person's
expense, but did not relish it when he was the victim,
but he could not help laughing.
"Go below, sir, and do not come on deck until I
send for you."
Poor Israel had to obey, but he knew he deserved
punishment.
It was not two minutes that he was in disgrace,
for the Commodore, still with his face covered with
white soap lather and the razor in his hand, stood at
his cabin door and called;
"Mr. Israel!"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 87
a A >>
Ay, ay, sir.
"Come here, you young rascal, I want to talk to
you."
Israel looked very sheepish when he went into the
cabin, but the Commodore told him not to apologize,
and then bluntly said:
"There was a stranger on board, who is he?"
"Lieutenant Decatur, sir."
"Where did he come from?"
"The United States, sir. He had just come on
board to report that he had safely brought the ' Argus'
to join your squadron."
"And he saw me like this! I have a good mind
to put you in irons for so insulting me, or being the
cause of such insult. Send this lieutenant to me."
Stephen Decatur entered a moment later, and with
a courtly bow, said:
"Commodore I have the honor of reporting to you.
My ship, the 'Argus,' lies a cable's length away, all
well on board."
"Are you the son of my old friend Stephen De¬
catur ?"
"Yes, Commodore."
"He had another boy, I think."
"My brother James, sir, is on board the'Argus,'
he is assigned to the 'Constitution.'"
"You are both welcome, and I am sure that no
Decatur will ever do aught but bring honor to the
flag."
These episodes in the life of one of the commanders
88 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
of our gallant Yankee ships in those days of the
nation's infancy will give an idea of the sterling worth
of the men who risked their lives for the grand cause
typified by the Stars and Stripes.
secured by the smallest vessels. If we had to confine
our story to the bigger ships, the "Constitution"
and "New York," the "Philadelphia" and the
"Chesapeake," the story would be anything but
exciting.
One of the first acts of Commodore Preble was
to give the command of the schooner "Enterprise"
to Lieutenant Decatur. The "Enterprise" carried
twelve light guns and a crew of about eighty men.
Decatur was not pleased with the condition of the
schooner and was not sorry that the rendezvous was
fixed at Syracuse, for he thought he could get an
opportunity to put the schooner in fettle.
It so happened that a severe gale condemned the
89
90 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY FIRATES
squadron to remain longer in the harbor than had
been intended.
Syracuse was but a decayed and melancholy place,
in which the traces of past magnificence, when the
city had a quarter of a million inhabitants, and was
esteemed the greatest and most beautiful of Grecian
cities, were too painfully contrasted with the wretched¬
ness and decay of that day. The poor remnant of
the city was well placed, the climate was delightful,
the soil as fertile as when Sicily was the granary of
the Roman empire.
It was in this harbor that Preble assembled his
squadron.
Let it not be imagined that a sailor's life in port,
or in fact at any time, is an easy one, for while life
on a merchantman is hard, there is still more to be
done on a war ship.
The discipline of the ship requires that every
man must be at work on something when he is upon
deck, except during the time when he is not on watch.
Even talking is not allowed during the hours of duty,
hence, it may be, the universal practice of singing.
It may be interesting to go on board the "Enter¬
prise" and see what the day's work consisted of. The
morning commenced with the deck-watch washing
° o
down and swabbing the decks. Then the scuttled
butt had to be filled with fresh water, the rigging
coiled up, and this had to be done before the drum
beat for breakfast.
A ship is like a delicate piece of machinery, which
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 91
requires constant attention or it is soon out of repair.
After breakfast the different watches commenced
work, some cleaning guns and others attending to the
preparation of the ammunition, that is putting the
proper charges of powder in bags, getting the shot
placed in convenient positions so that the powder
monkeys could get everything needful without delay.
Then the seamen set to work examining the run¬
ning rigging, that which had become unfit for use
being got down and new rigging rove in its place.
The standing rigging is overhauled daily, repaired
as needed, or replaced; wherever any of the
numerous ropes or the yards are chafing the rig¬
ging, chafing gear, as it is termed, has to be put on.
Then Decatur found that the whole standing rigging
needed tarring down. This in itself is an arduous
work and far from pleasant. Taking a small bucket
of tar and a bunch of oakum, the sailor goes aloft,
beginning at the masthead, and working down,
tarring the shrouds, backstays, standing parts of the
lifts, the ties, runners and everything in sight; then
the sailor goes out to the yard-arms and comes in,
tarring the lifts and foot ropes. When it is remem¬
bered that every part of the rigging has to be thus
attended to, it can be easily seen that the sailor's
life is not an easy one.
It will be interesting to recall how the sailors were
fed in those early days of the navy. The meals
were served on the berth and gun decks. The food
consisted of hard tack and fresh beef when in port,
92 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
and salt pork and salt beef when at sea, pea soup and
burgoo, or as some called it skillagallee, which con¬
sisted of oatmeal boiled to the consistency of hasty
pudding. Once a week flour and raisins were served
with which they made plum duff. At noon each
day each able bodied man received a gill of rum and
two gills of water, and at four o'clock half a pint of
wine was served, the boys receiving only half rations
of grog, but to make up for this a small sum of money
was given them as an equivalent for the other part
of the grog.
On the 17th of December Commodore Preble
sailed from Syracuse for Tripoli, in the "Constitu¬
tion," having the "Enterprise" with him.
Decatur, now acting captain, was more vigilant than
ever. He was as daring as Paul Jones and as firm
and uncompromising as Preble himself. It was his
delight to constantly harrass the enemy so that, if he
could not capture the ships, he could at least keep
them in a state of excited nervousness.
On the morning of the 22nd of December, Thomas
McDonough called out that a sail was visible, and that
it looked like a Tripolitan.
Decatur lost no time in going on deck.
"It is a small vessel, sir."
"Ay ay, Mr. McDonough, it is a ketch, we must
have it, it may prove to be useful."
"Is it worth the trouble, sir?"
"Ay, McDonough, who can tell what it may be
worth to us?"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 93
"But it is sailing under the protection of the guns
of the harbor," said the first lieutenant cautiously.
"So much the better, we will snatch it out of their
hands."
Sail was crowded on and the "Enterprise" quickly
overhauled the ketch, which proved to be the "Masti-
co," bound for Constantinople with female slaves
for the sultan.
The "Mastico" was a broad, strongly built vessel
of two masts, the main and mizzen;it was well armed,
and though so strongly protected, had all the appearance
of a state yacht.
"Signal her," ordered Decatur.
The first lieutenant approached his captain and
said:
"She is defiant, she has hoisted the Tripolitan
colors, shall we run up the Spanish?"
"No! No! No! Up with the Stars and Stripes.
We will fight openly and let the best boat win."
The ketch carried four guns, and one was fired
across the bow of the "Enterprise."
" Cheeky, to say the least. Does she think she can
fight us ?"
"No," answered Decatur, "her object is not to
fight us but to draw on us a fire from the long guns
in the harbor. We must use some strategy."
Decatur managed to get the ketch between the
harbor and the "Enterprise" and then, when it was
least expected, he brought the schooner in a raking
position so that it was at right angles with the bow
94
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
1 They fell on their knees and begged for their lives.
of the ketch and then
fired a broadside which
swept the deck of the
enemy.
The fight was short.
The tactics of the
schooner were success¬
ful and shortly the
Tripolitan flag was
hauled down.
A boat was sent
from the "Enterprise,"
with Midshipman Mc-
Donough in command,
to receive the formal
surrender.
A number of girls
screamed lustily when
brought on deck, for
they thought they were
to be thrown overboard
or killed. They fell
on their knees and
begged for their lives.
McDonough did not
understand one word
they were saying, but
called an interpreter to
tell them they would not
be harmed.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 95
"Tell them," said lie," that no soldier or sailor under
the Stars and Stripes would ever do harm to a woman."
The poor slaves were pacified and promised that
they would be put on shore at the first port reached.
As the "Enterprise" sailed for Syracuse, Decatur
saw the " Philadelphia " lying in the harbor protected
by the heavy guns, and flying the enemy's colors.
The sight made his blood boil and he exclaimed:
"That was my father's ship. Oh, the horror of it!
We must capture, or destroy her."
SO strongly imbued with the desire to rescue the
frigate from the enemy, was Decatur that he
put on all sail and hurried o meet the flag ship.
His first lieutenant was a cautious, though exceed¬
ingly brave, man. lie realized that it would be by
no ordinary means that the "Philadelphia" could be
retaken from the enemy.
At the mess table he said:
"We should require a stronger fleet than we have
to either rescue or destroy her, for Tripoli is so well
defended that it is almost impregnable."
"Do you know the strength of the enemy in the
harbor?" Decatur asked.
"Tripoli, captain, is well defended by walls and
scientifically constructed batteries, having one hundred
96
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 9?
and fifteen heavy guns and
manned by twenty-five thousand
Arabs and Turks."
"You are a gazetteer,
my good lieutenant, but
what know you of the
naval protection ?"
"There are nine¬
teen gunboats with
ten guns each, and
two galleys carrying
eight guns each;
two schooners each
with eight guns and
then the 'Philadel¬
phia ' has all her
guns shotted and
manned by Turks
and Tripolitans."
Decatur looked at
the officer, long and
searchingly.
"If I did not
know your honesty,
I should wonder
how you became so
well posted."
" I will tell you."
"Do so, for I am
CliriOUS. "What ship is thai?"
98 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"On the ketch there was a pilot, Salyatore Catalano
by name, who pleaded so hard that we should shoot
him, that I became interested and questioned him
closely. lie admitted that he had tried to desert,
because he hated the Tripolitans, and that, if he ever
fell into their power again, he would be tortured
with the bastinado until he died. I promised him
protection and liberty, if he would help us."
"And did he promise?"
Not only did he promise, but he gave me a map
of the harbor showing all the shoals and quicksands,
which, had the frigate possessed, she would have been
saved."
"Tell me more of this man."
"He is a Corsican, and you know the Corsicans are
taught as soon as they can talk to hate the Tripolitans.
lie told me the strength of the enemy, and suggested
that we should gather all our ships and make a fierce
onslaught on the harbor from every point at once."
"What ship is that?"
Decatur had been straining his eyes in the direction
of a distant sail all the time the officer had been
speaking.
"Our flag ship, sir!"
A loud shout went up from the officers, for they had
thought it might be days before they were within
hailing distance of the "Constitution."
Spreading all sail, the swift-sailing schooner "Enter¬
prise" was soon alongside the flag ship, and, a boat
being lowered, Decatur was quickly on board the
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 99
" Decatur was quickly on board the frigate."—Page 98
100 THE TAMING OF THE BARBAllY PIRATES
frigate and reporting to Preble the capture of the
ketch and the valuable information he had obtained.
The Commodore listened very patiently to his
enthusiastic friend, but when Decatur exclaimed:
"Give me permission, and I will rescue the 'Phila¬
delphia' or destroy her so that she may not become
an enemy's ship," Preble shook his head.
"You are impulsive. The risk would be too great,
but I will think what is best to be done, and if I decide
to make any move, you shall have command of the
expedition."
Before Decatur left the flag ship, there was a joyous
re-union, for Lieutenant Charles Stewart came on
board to report to the Commodore. lie had just
reached the Mediterranean in command of the " Siren."
Stewart was overjoyed to meet Decatur, for he had
heard that the "Enterprise" had been captured by
a Tripolitan frigate and all the men on board killed.
Whilst the squadron was detained at Syracuse in
consequence of another gale, the officers of the various
ships frequently met on board the "Constitution"
and enjoyed the hospitality of the Commodore.
At these dinners the plan of campaign against the
Barbary powers was fully discussed, and all agreed
that the destruction of the " Philadelphia " was the most
important object to be attained, in order to open the
harbor, of which she occupied the centre.
Lieutenant Stewart offered his services to the
Commodore to take part in the destruction of the
frigate, but the Commodore told him that he was
THE TAMING OF THE B ARB All Y PIRATES 101
already pledged to Decatur, but that lie would accept
the offer of Stewart to co-operate with his old time
friend.
Stewart wanted the "Siren"to be used, and Decatur
suggested the "Enterprise," but Preble decided that
both vessels were too valuable to be allowed to take
such a risk. Alter considerable discussion, it was
decided to use the ketch which Decatur had captured,
and Preble renamed her the "Intrepid."
It may not be amiss, as this is a true story of the
war in the Mediterranean, to quote the actual letter of
instructions which Commodore Preble sent to Lieuten¬
ant Decatur, omitting that which will be developed
in the story
"United States Frigate Constitution,
"Syracuse Harbor, January 31st, 1804.
"Sir:—
"You are hereby ordered to take command of the
prize ketch, which I have named the 'Intrepid,' and
prepare her, with all possible despatch, for a cruise
of thirty-five days, with full allowance of water and
provisions for seventy-five men. I shall send you five
midshipmen from the 'Constitution,' and you will
take seventy men, including officers, from the 'Enter¬
prise,' if that number can be found ready to volunteer
their services for boarding and burning the 'Philadel¬
phia,' in the harbor of Tripoli; if not, report to me,
and I will furnish you with men to complete your com¬
plement. It is expected you will be ready to sail
102 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
to-morrow evening, or some hours sooner, if the signal
is made for that purpose. . . .The destruction of the
'Philadelphia' is an object of great importance, and I
rely on your intrepidity and enterprise to effect it.
Lieutenant Stewart will support you with the boats
of the 'Siren,' and cover your retreat with that vessel.
May God prosper you in this enterprise.
" I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Edward Preble. "
THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
DECATUR, as soon as he had received the letter
of instructions from the Commodore, set to
work planning how to conduct the expedition so that
it might not only be successful, but that no lives should
be unnecessarily sacrificed.
When he spoke to the Commodore, Preble bade him
remember the serious nature of the work.
"Very few, if any of you, will return to your ships,"
he said seriously, "It is only the consciousness that
you are serving your country that must sustain you."
"Will you, sir, select the midshipmen from the
'Constitution ?'"
"No, Mr. Decatur, you will be in command, select
your own men."
"Then, sir, with your permission, I will call for
volunteers."
103
104 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
"Do as you think best, I want you to feel that you
are entirely unlettered."
The officers of the "Constitution" were called on
deck, and the Commodore told them that Captain
Decatur desired six to volunteer to go with him on
an expedition that might be said to mean the death
of all who took part.
Decatur stepped a pace or two forward and thus
addressed them:
"Men, fellow officers, a work has been entrusted
to me which is one of the most dangerous that could
possibly be undertaken. For that reason I prefer
to call for volunteers. Only the strongest of you,
only those who are willing to die in defence of the
country's honor, only those who are prepared to die
within twenty-four hours, should respond."
Perhaps the speech was not eloquent, it was no
burst of spreadeagleism, no bombastic appeal to
patriotic frenzy, but it stirred the heart of every man
who listened to it. After a slight pause, he said:
" Will six men volunteer P Thos^ who are ready
please step forward."
There was a simultaneous movement, every officer
had taken a step forward.
"I only want six men, only six to die, for it is to
that I am inviting you."
Not a man stirred.
"I cannot take you all. I think, it may be well
to take each third man, Mr. Morris, will you start
the counting ?"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 105
"I ask to be excused, I am not first, I think I am
third, sir."
Almost forgetting discipline, those brave young
officers began to argue to themselves, and to try and
change places, for each man wanted to be chosen.
Decatur smiled, and seeing that by no possible
chance could any be induced to retire, called for the
roll, and after glancing over it, he checked off six
names and handed the list to the Commodore.
"Your selection is a good one," Preble whispered.
"Charles Morris."
A loud cheer greeted the young officer as he stepped
forward.
"Ralph Izard, John Rowe, Alexander Laws, John
Davis, Thomas O. Anderson."
As each name was called, the officer stepped forward
and saluted.
"I want to be one," said an officer.
"So do I," added another.
"I can only take the six I have chosen, but should
we fail, I am sure the Commodore will gladly accept
your services."
Decatur had read the names quickly to prevent
any manifestation as each stepped forward.
A similar scene was enacted on the "Enterprise"
a short time afterwards, and from that schooner he
selected:
Joseph Bainbridge, Jonathan Thorne, Thomas
McDonough and the surgeon, Lewis Hermann, to¬
gether with first lieutenant James Lawrence.
106 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Sixty-two men were selected by the brave young
captain to carry out the details of the plan.
Not one name should ever be forgotten. Not one
should have more glory than another. Every man
was a patriot, every man was a hero.
"Please let me go," pleaded a youth as he stepped
in front of Decatur as he was about to leave the
deck.
" Why do you want to go, Jack ?"
The youth slim, but wiry and strong, hesitated
as though at a loss for a reply, and then blurted out:
"I want mainly to see the harbor, I like looking
at new places."
Decatur could not help laughing and the oddity
of the boy's reason for wanting to join the dangerous
expedition struck his fancy, and he bade the youth
report with the rest.
This boy scarcely nineteen years old had performed
many deeds of heroism. He was of a Philadelphia
Quaker family, and had run away from home to enlist
in the navy. Ilis father was horrified, for to him
fio-htin"; was most wicked.
o O
It was tliis young fellow who, when the "Enterprise"
captured the "Mastico," said to a big Turk:
"My religion says it is wrong to fight, but I was
never taught that it was wicked to throw an enemy
into the sea," and immediately he wound his arms
around the waist of the Turk and flung him into the
ocean.
That evening Richard Somers, who was in com-
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 107
mand of the "Nautilus", came on board the "Enter¬
prise" for an hour's conversation with his friend.
"It may be the last time, Dick," said Decatur as
he grasped his friend's hand, "for to-morrow, if
the winds are fair, we start on one of the most perilous
expeditions ever conceived."
"I imagined you spoke of it very lightly."
"To the Commodore, to the officers, yes, but to you
I can unbosom myself and speak as I feel."
" I have a premonition, Steve, that all will be well."
"We shall succeed, is that what you mean?"
"Yes, and that but few lives will be lost."
"I hope you may be a prophet."
"I am glad you have named the ketch the 'Intrepid,'
it is a grand name. When you return, I am going
to ask the Commodore to loan the ketch to me for a
plan I have conceived."
"What is it, Dick?"
"No, my boy, I shall not tell even you. But tell
me, why did you think of the ketch for the work you
are going to do ?"
"She is of a build often seen in these waters, so
we may get in close to the ' Philadelphia' before our
purpose is suspected."
"Excellent! And you are going to destroy that
noble vessel ?"
"Alas, yes. I would like to bring her out. You
know my father was her first captain."
" Will you help me with my scheme when vou come
back ?"
108 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
" What is it ? "
"I already said I would not tell."
"It is a thousand times more hazardous than mine,
or you would not keep it so secret."
"You shall know in good time, but there is my
boat, I must go. The next time I see you, I suppose
you will be covered with glory. I envy Stewart,
for he is going along."
The friends parted, there was a suppressed emotion
which each tried to hide from the other. Decatur
leaned over the taffrail, and watched the boat bearing
his friend as far as his eyes would carry, and then he
turned to look at the ketch which was anchored close
to the shore, with her red flag flying at the fore, show¬
ing that she was taking on powder.
At daylight the next morning, the officers from the
"Enterprise" and "Constitution," the sixty-two petty
officers and men and Salvatore Catalano, the pilot,
were assembled on the deck of the ketch. It was not
until the night of the 3rd of February that the
"Intrepid" and "Siren" parted company with the rest
of the fleet and made for Tripoli. The voyage was
stormy and uncomfortable. More than seventy men
were crowded on the little ketch which had quarters
for only twenty. To add to the discomfort, it was
found that the provisions which had been put on board
were in a bad condition, and after the second day,
they had only bread and water on which to live. So
full of enthusiasm were these brave men that they
never noticed the discomforts, they even talked of
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 101)
the pleasant voy age 111 ey
had taken. On the
7th of February the
two vessels arrived in
sight of Tripoli, and
every preparation was
made to execute the
contemplated service
the same night; then
one of those unaccount¬
able Mediterranean
gales came on to blow,
and the vessels were
obliged to stand out to
sea, in order to gain
an offing and avoid
being seen. The ketch
labored so much that
there seemed a danger
of her foundering, and
for five or six days she
was at the mercy of
wind and wave.
When the weather
moderated, the two
vessels shaped their
course for Tripoli in
sight of which they
arrived on the after¬
noon of the 16th.
'Decatur leaned over the taffrail.
110 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
In order to understand the hazard of Decatur's
proposed attack, it must be remembered that the
"Philadelphia" had forty guns, mounted, double-
shotted and kept ready for firing. A full complement
of men was kept constantly on board of her. She
was moored within half a gun shot of the Bashaw's
castle and the Molehead and Crown batteries, and
within effective range of ten other batteries, the whole
mounting together one hundred and fifteen guns of
heavy calibre. Then in the harbor, there were three
Tripolitan cruisers, mounting together twenty-six
guns, two galleys and nineteen gunboats, all fully
manned and ready for action. And against this
powerful array of guns and batteries Decatur had a
little ketch, not as large as many of our modern sailing
pleasure yachts and only four guns.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN
DURING the voyage Decatur had carefully
and precisely instructed his officers and men
as to the method of attack. The Americans were
divided into several boarding parties, each with its
own officer and work. The whole party, under the
direct command of Decatur, was to board and clear
the spar deck, then the gun deck. Lieutenant Law¬
rence, he, who a few years later made famous the
appeal, "Don't give up the Ship," with Midshimen
Laws and McDonough with ten men were to fire the
berth deck and forward storeroom; Joseph Bainbridge
and John Davis with ten men to fire the wardroom
and steerage; Midshipmen Morris and Izard with
eight men to fire the cockpit and aft storeroom; Mid¬
shipmen Thorn with the gunners and surgeon Her¬
mann were to stay on the ketch, while Midshipman
Anderson was to take command of the cutter, pick up
all boats alongside and prevent as many of the enemy
as possible from swimming ashore.
All were to carry pistols in their belts: but the
111
112 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
fighting, as far as possible, was to be done with cut¬
lasses, so that no noise might give the alarm to the
enemy on the gunboats or batteries. Such was the
plan of campaign which Decatur had planned and
which, as we shall see, was carried out almost to the
letter.
1 he plan of Commodore Preble, as exhibited in
his orders to Decatur, had contemplated that the
boats of the" Siren " should accompany the "Intrepid,"
and take part in the expedition. But Decatur had
talked the matter over with Lieutenant Stewart and
both agreed that it would be better for the "Siren"
to keep at a distance from the ketch, to avoid being
•seen by the enemy.
The hour agreed upon for the attack was ten
o'clock, but it was only about nine when Decatur saw
a favorable opportunity for the task. lie knew the
uncertainty of the weather so well that even half an
hour might endanger the enterprise. He called all
his officers and men around him, and again assigned
to each officer his special service and station, to board
with him, to defend the different decks when the
frio-ate should be carried, to fire her in various direc-
tions and guard the ketch and so preserve the means
of retreat for his brave followers. He addressed a
last word of appeal in behalf of their country, which
they were about to serve and honor, in behalf of their
brother officers and seamen in captivity, whom they
would at once avenge and bring nearer to the day of
liberation.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 113
"You know the dangers
you will have to face," said
Decatur. "Let each man
feel that his own life belongs
to his country. We
must not fail. I pro¬
mise, and those who
know me know I shall
fulfill any promise
made, that I will be
in the lead. I'll not
ask anyone to do that
from which I shall
shrink. If I fall first,
Lieutenant Lawrence
will take my place,
and if he falls, then
let each officer step to
the front in the order
of seniority, and carry
on the work, and my
men, if every officer
has to fall, I know
that the seamen will
continue the work un¬
til not a man is left,
or the 'Philadelphia'
is completely destroy¬
ed. Make no noise
Fire no pistol. We
We must triumph, for Heaven if with us."
114 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
have a great force against us, but our enemy consists
of slaves, while each of us is a free citizen of a
free country. Men, we must triumph, for Heaven
is with us."
THE DEED
ACCOMPLISHED
" The most bold
and daring act
of the age."
Admiral Lord
Nelson.
THE ketch
wassailing
too fast, so Decatur ordered buckets and other drags
to be thrown overboard to drag back so that the
speed might be lessened.
Soon the guns of the batteries, shining and throw¬
ing off the glints of light from the harbor, made the
task seem most formidable. The numerous well
lighted ports of the "Philadelphia" looked like so
many death-dealing eyes, each threateningly directed
against the daring Yankees.
"Conceal yourselves," cried Decatur, and instantly
the men on the "Intrepid" threw themselves flat on
115
116 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
deck or hid behind barrels; only six or eight men, dis¬
guised as Maltese sailors were in sight when the ketch
reached the 'Philadelphia/
Turning to the quartermaster, Decatur ordered
him to steer so that he could foul her at the bow.
"Ay, ay, sir."
A lio-ht land breeze from the southeast caused the
o
"Intrepid" to back and the "Philadelphia" to cant,
becalming the little ketch, and bringing the two vessels
together parallel at a distance of not more than tw enty
yards.
The "Philadelphia" hailed the ketch and ordered
it to keep off.
Catalano, the pilot, was instructed by Decatur what
to answer.
"We are from Malta," he said, "and lost our
anchors in the late gale off Cape Mesurado, we ask
permission to run a warp to the frigate and ride by
you until we can get fresh anchors from Tripoli.
Instead of answer ng, the captain of the "Philadel¬
phia" asked the name of the brig in the offing.
"The "Siren," which was to have been kept out of
sight, had in the cat's paw, or light puff of wind been
driven within view.
The "Transfer" from Malta," answered the pilot.
Catalano knew that the Tripolitans had purchased
the "Transfer" and were hourly expecting her arrival.
While the conversation had been going on, the
quartermaster had run the "Intrepid" right under
the bows of the frigate.
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 117
"Sheer off," shouted the captain of the "Philadel¬
phia" in Arabic, "11" you must make fast I will send
you a rope, and you can secure your boat to the stern."
"All right." '
A boat was pushed off from the frigate, and a rope
was passed up to the "Intrepid."
The ketch was also made fast to one of the ring
bolts of the fore chains. Three of the sailors dressed
as Maltese began to haul at the rope, and the "Intre¬
pid" was drawn gradually to the side of the frigate.
Unfortunately one of the men from the "Philadel¬
phia" who had been on the boat caught sight of
Decatur and remembered him, for he had been a
sailor on the ketch when it was captured, and had
managed to swim ashore.
" Amerikanos!" he shouted lustily.
The cry was repeated on the frigate, and a fear
fell on all.
It was no use now to delay. Decatur sprang at
the main chains of the "Philadelphia," and waving
his hand to the men on the "Intrepid," gave the order
in a clear ringing voice:
"Board!"
Decatur slipped while jumping, and Morris, agile
as a monkey, leaped past him and was the first to set
foot on the deck of the frigate.
Laws endeavored to enter one of the ports, but his
pistols in his boarding belt got caught between the
guns and the port side, and he was the third to reach
the deck.
118 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Quickly in succession, as fast as they could find
space to ascend through the gangways, the ports and
over the rails, al the officers and crew, sixty in number,
were on board the frigate.
While they were mustering on the quarter deck,
the enemy had recovered from the panic into which they
had been thrown and rallied on the forecastle and in
the gangways
Decatur gathered his followers around him, and then
forming a front with his men across the deck, and
placing himself at their head, he rushed, sword in
hand against the enemy.
The enemy was trapped. In front of them was the
ship's rail, behind them a line of well armed Yankees
ready to drive them into the sea.
Most of these Tripolitans and Turks were brave men,
and they offered resistance, but they were taken at a
disadvantage, and those who were not cut down
leaped overboard.
It was an awful sight, but when was war anything
but horrifying ? The Tripolitans fell by the score
and those who leaped into the water had but poor
chance of saving their lives.
Within ten minutes the deck was cleared.
"We have done well," said Lawrence, "now let
us fire the frigate before the batteries open fire upon
US.
"Do you think we have been seen ?" asked Decatur.
"No, but very soon a suspicion may enter their
minds and then—"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 119
"They would not
fire for fear tliey might
kill their own men."
"You don't know
these men," said Law¬
rence, " they would
slaughter every man on
board, if, by that
means, they could save
the ship for their coun-
"You may be right,
Lawrence."
Decatur ordered that
the powder of the
"Intrepid" be trans¬
ferred to the " Phila¬
delphia " and the men
worked like beavers
to get the kegs stowed
where they would do
the most effective work.
In a few minutes, so
well did the men do the
allotted work, the gun
room, the magazine
scuttle, the cock pit
and the foreward store¬
rooms were filled with
combustibles.
' Board I'
120 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
The torch was applied by each crew at the post
assigned.
"Back to the 'Intrepid.'"
So quickly was the work done that the men who
fired the store-rooms and cockpit had scarcely time
to get on deck before their retreat was cut off by the
flames.
Crawling along the deck, calling on Allah, were
three of the enemy who had been wounded.
"What shall we do with them ?"
"Lower them to the ketch," answered Decatur,
"we make war on, but do not murder our enemies."
"But have we time?"
"We must make time, they must be saved even if
some of us are lost."
Before the " Intrepid '* could be cast off from the
sides of the frigate, the flames came pouring out of
the port holes, and flaming sparks fell aboard the ketch
endangering the little vessel, for the powder was
exposed. Axes and cutlasses were swung with a right
good will; and soon the bonds which held the two
vessels together were cut and the ketch pushed off.
Then the sailors bent to their sweeps, and soon the
"Intrepid" was under good headway.
"Now then, boys," cried Decatur, "let us give
three hearty cheers."
All the jackies responded with ringing cheers that
mingled with the roar of the flames that now had the
frame of the frigate in complete control.
"A Decatur was the first, and a Decatur was the
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 121
"The enemy was trapped."—Page 118
1£2 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
last captain of the 'Philadelphia,' so, lads, give three
cheers for the two Decaturs," cried Lawrence, and
the cheers were given as only \ankee sailors can give
them.
Soon Decatur and his brave followers, not one of
whom had been wounded or hurt, were able to con¬
template securely one of the grandest spectacles ever
seen in the Mediterranean. Hull, spars and rigging
were enveloped in flames. As the metal of her guns
became heated, they were discharged in succession
from both sides, serving as a brilliant salvo in honor
of the victory, and not harmless to the Tripolitans,
for as the starboard batteries were fired, every shot
went into the city. So the last shots ever fired from
the "Philadelphia" were aimed at Tripoli.
The town itself, the castles, the minarets of the
mosques, and the shipping of the harbor, were all
brought into distinct view by the splendor of the
conflagration.
Lieutenant Stewart and his men on the "Siren"
watched the conflagration, with the greatest interest,
and Captain Bainbridge, with his fellow captives
in Tripoli, watching from their tower window saw the
spectacle and recognized in it a motive of national
exultation, and an earnest that a spirit was at work
to hasten the day of their liberation
The admiration, which this achievement awakened
in our little squadron, is shown by its effect on Com¬
modore Preble, who in his official report made on the
19th of February, the day after the "Intrepid's"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 123
return to Syracuse, said—"Lieutenant Decatur is
an officer of too much value to be neglected. The
important service he has rendered, of destroying an
enemy's frigate of forty guns, and the gallant manner
in which he performed it, with a small vessel of only
sixty tons and four guns, under the enemy's batteries,
surrounded by their corsairs and armed boats, the
crews of which stood appalled at his intrepidity and
daring, would, in any navy in Europe, insure him
instantaneous promotion to the rank of post captain.
I wish, as a stimulus, it should be done in this instance.
It would be of real service to our navy. I beg most
earnestly to recommend him to the President, that
he may be rewarded according to his merit."
Admiral Nelson, better known as Lord Nelson, the
hero, of Trafalgar, was in command of the British
fleet engaged in blockading Toulon, having his flag
on board the "Victory." When he heard of Decatur's
achievement, he exclaimed:
"It is the most bold and daring act of the age."
Mediterranean was that it was the smaller vessels
which won the most glorious victories, and the names
of the men who were the chie actors in the drama
became the most noted in the history of the navy.
When we recall the names of Stephen Decatur,
Richard Somers, James Lawrence, and Thomas
McDonough; of Charles Stewart, William Bainbridge
and Charles Morris our patriotism is raised to the
highest pitch of enthusiasm, for their deeds then and
in later years are fit subjects for praise and emulation.
No country ever gave birth to greater men or truer
patriots. If space would permit to tell of their glorious
doings, we know that a thrill of pleasurable pride would
124
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 125
fill the heart of each reader and we should all unite
in a pean of thankfulness that we belong to the same
nation which claims them as its heroes.
The brilliant exploit of Stephen Decatur set the
keynote for the year 1804, and for the remainder of
that year, the American ships and American crews
carried on the war with a spirit that has never been
excelled and but rarely equalled
The continuance of the blockade of Tripoli led to
several actions and occasional captures which, taken
alone, were of but little value, but which, in the
aggregate, proved that American guns when fired by
American gunners were well nigh invincible. Thus
the "Siren" commanded by Stewart, who later was
lovingly called "Old Ironsides," after the ship which
he for so long commanded in after years, captured
the "Transfer," which the Tripolitans had bought
from England, and Decatur added to his laurels by
causing several feluccas to haul down their flag and
hoist that of the United States.
Late in July, Preble determined to attack the city
of Tripoli itself, a city which, as we have seen, was
considered almost impregnable.
After mature deliberation, the Commodore resolved
on an attack by the gunboats with the larger vessels
of the squadron in the rear to cover the advance of
the gun boats and to protect as far as possible, those
who were in the van. Preble called on Decatur and
Somers to lead the attack.
On the 31st of August the first attack was made;
123 THE TAMING OF THE BARBAHY PIRATES
and, though only a bombardment of the city was
contemplated, there ensued one of the most desperate
hand to hand naval battles ever recorded in history.
The hot sun poured down upon the ocean, and the
white walls of the city glared with the intensity of the
light and heat. If it had not been for a light sea breeze,
life would have been unbearable. The breeze was
fortunate in another way, for it enabled the gun boats
to run down towards the city.
Decatur's division consisted of three gunboats each
armed with a single long twenty-four pounder; Somers
had the same number of boats and guns, one boat
in his division being commanded by Lieutenant
James Decatur, brother of Stephen.
It was just after two bells in the afternoon watch
that the " Constitution " ran in, about three miles from
Tripoli. She wore ship with her head off the land,
and gave the signal for action.
Four bells had been rung, when the gunboats and
bombboats were cast off, and in a few minutes the
bombs commenced throwing shells into the city.
Immediately the enemy's boats and the batteries
opened a terrible fire, which was returned by the
gallant squadron as it approached within two cables'
length of the rocks and less than three cables' length
from the batteries.
The Tripolitan gunboats, trusting to their superior¬
ity in numbers and size, abandoned their sheltered
position behind the rocks, and came into the open.
At the approach of the gunboats, the Americans diverted
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 127
their aim from the city, and, loading with grape and
canister, turned upon their foes a murderous fire.
Decatur being more to the windward than Somers,
was able to bear down with sails and oars to attack
the eastern division of the enemy, consisting of nine
gunboats. He ordered Bainbridge and Trippe, who
commanded the other two boats, to unship their bow¬
sprits, as it was his intention to board.
Decatur had an opportunity of displaying his
desperate courage. Outnumbered three to one, he
cared not, but signalling his companions to close with
their adversaries, he laid his boat alongside the nearest
gunboat, and, in a few seconds, every American in
his crew was swarming over the enemy's bulwarks.
Taken by surprise, the Turks retreated. The gun¬
boat was divided down the centre by a long, narrow
hatchway; and, as the Americans came tumbling over
the bulwarks, the enemy's crew retreated to the opposite
side. This gave Decatur the opportunity to rally
his men, and, dividing them into two parties, he sent
one party around by the stern of the boat while he
led the other party around the bow. A terrible hand
to hand encounter took place, the enemy was com¬
pletely overpowered, and many who had not fallen
from bayonet thrusts or pistol shots, jumped over the
gunwale into the sea. Many unable to escape cried
for quarter, which no American ever refused. Hasti¬
ly securing his prisoners below decks, and making
the vessel fast to his own boat, he bore down upon
the Tripolitan next to leeward.
128 THE TAMING OF THE BAllBARY PIRATES
It was while shaping his course for this vessel that
Decatur was hailed by the gunboat which had been
commanded by his brother James. He learned that
his younger brother had gallantly engaged and cap¬
tured a gunboat, but that on going aboard after her
flag had been struck, he had been shot down by the
cowardly commander of the gunboat, who had
shammed death in order to effect his purpose. In this
he was successful, for he rallied his men, drove the
Americans away, and carried his craft out of the
battle.
Decatur was nearly crazy with grief. He had loved
his brother with a love that seemed more than ordinary,
and that brother had been basely murdered. Not
shot down in fair battle, that was only an incident
of warfare, but murdered in cold blood by a treacherous
Turk. Casting aside all prudence, he turned his boat's
bow towards the murderer's boat, and urging on his
rowers soon laid the enemy aboard.
"I will avenge my brother," he cried, and then
turning to his men asked their aid in accomplishing
his object.
Cutlass in hand, Decatur was the first to reach the
deck of the enemy. He was followed closely by
McDonough and nine blue jackets. This little force
of eleven men all told had to face forty or more well
armed Turks. As the boarders came over the rail,
they fired their pistols at the enemy and then sprang
down, cutlass in hand.
Decatur scanned the men on deck, and seeing one
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
129
boarding
that he felt sure was
treacherous fellow who
had murdered his
brother he rushed at -
him. The man was
a big fellow, his head
covered with a scarlet
cap, his face half hid¬
den by a heavy black
beard. He was
armed with
huge
pike, with which
he made a fierce
lunge at Decatur.
Our hero parried
the blow, and
made a stroke at
the pike, hoping
to cut off its point,
but the force of
the blow did not
damage the pike,
while Decatur's
cutlass was brok¬
en off short at
the hilt.
With a shout
of triumph, the
Turk again made
the
' He made a fierce lunge at Decatur."
130 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
a lunge at the American. Decatur threw up his arm,
and partially avoided the thrust. The weapon pierced
his breast, but inflicted only a slight wound. Grapp¬
ling with the pike, he tore it from the wound, wrested
it from the Turk, and made a lunge at him, which
he avoided. The two men grappled in a death-like
grip each determined that the other should die; they
fell to the deck, and all around them fought their
followers who strove to assist their commanders.
Suddenly a Tripolitan officer, a fellow towering like
a giant above young Decatur, aimed a blow at the
head of the American officer. Decatur was powerless
to protect himself, and there was only one of his sailors
near by, and he, wounded in both arms, so that it was
impossible for him to lift a hand to save his captain.
But though unable to strike a blow, this young sailor
could make one offering, his life. And to the eternal
honor of this brave youth be it said that no sacrifice
was too great for him to make. He threw himself
between Decatur and the Tripolitan and received the
crashing blow on his own head. This heroic sailor's
name deserves to be inscribed on the records of the
history of his country, and the writer hopes that not
one reader will ever forget the grand heroism of
Reuben James. "Greater love hath no man than
this, that he gives his life for his friends." And it was
his life that Reuben James offered to save Decatur.
But James did not die, he quickly recovered, and when
Decatur called him aft some time later and publicly
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
131
"He threw himself between Decatur and the Tripolitan." — Page 130
132 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
thanked him, and asked him what reward could be
given him, he modestly replied:
"If you please, sir, let somebody else hand out the
hammocks to the men when they are piped down.
That is a sort of business that I don't exactly like."
To return to the battle of the gunboats; the cowardly
captain received his death wound, as he lay struggling
on the deck with Decatur, and his death struck terror
into the heart of his crew, so that they speedily threw
down their arms arid surrendered.
It would require more than one volume to do justice
to the tremendous bravery of the Americans in that
engagement; all the boats were engaged and not one
could claim greater courage than another. Lieutenant
Trippe, who commanded gunboat No. 6, had to fight
a hand to hand battle similar to that of Decatur and
he, too, proved as that an officer he was equally brave.
By this time the wind had veered into an unfavor¬
able quarter, and the flag ship showed a signal for
the discontinuance of the action. The gunboats and
their prizes were taken in tow by the schooners and
brigs and towed out of range of the enemy's shot.
While this operation was going on, the "Constitution"
kept up a rapid fire upon the shore batteries, and not
until the last of the smaller craft was out of range,
did she turn to leave the f ay
Somers was the first to reach the side of the "Con¬
stitution," and he conveyed the sad news of James
Decatur's mortal wound. The Commodore was great¬
ly moved, and had his own barge manned. As soon
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 133
as Stephen Decatur reached the frigate the Commodore
said:
"Take my barge, and bring your brother on board
the "Constitution."
Decatur was too overcome to reply. A second
officer was to go with him, but he was unable to name
his choice, for Somers stepped quickly forward and
said:
"Steve, I am going with you. I loved James as
a brother."
The two friends clasped hands, as they had often
done before, and each was able to read the other's
heart without words.
They soon reached the gunboat, and found James
Decatur lying on the deck, in a little space cleared
for him by the devoted men who had fought with him.
lie was still alive though death had marked him as a
victim. His handsome boyish head was resting on
Midshipman Morris, and the tears of the midshipman
fell silently as he turned his head away to hide his grief.
Tenderly did the sailors lift the unconscious form
of the young lieutenant and place it in the barge.
Morris and Somers supported his head and his brother
grasped the fast chilling hand of the boy he loved
so much.
The rowers pulled rapidly, but with as silent strokes
as possible. When the barge was nearing the frigate,
James Decatur opened his eyes for the first time, and
they rested on his brother. A smile lighted up his
face, and in a sweet and pleasant voice he said:
134 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
" Good night, brother."
There was one little gasp and all was over.
The bodies of thirteen others who had died so
gloriously fighting for their country were also taken
011 board; and the "Constitution," after having in¬
flicted terrible damage on the enemy, hauled off, and
in company with the rest of the little squadron ran
out of gun shot.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE BURIAL AT SEA
AT sunset the whole squadron came to anchor
about four leagues from the city.
The bodies of Lieutenant James Decatur, the only
officer who was killed, and the thirteen seamen were
dressed in their uniforms, covered with the flag they
loved so well and laid upon shot boxes on the quarter
deck.
All night long Decatur and Somers stood guard over
the bodies. Officer and enlisted men, leveled by
death, now of the same rank, and worthy of all honor.
Somers clasped his friend's hand, and often during
the hours of watching, they reminded each other of
135
136 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
the days which seemed so long gone by, when they
had been brother middies on the "United States."
"Do you remember, Steve, Commodore Barry
saying that there was only one thing worth living or
dying for and that was duty?"
"Yes, I remember it well, and the old Commodore
often used to say to me, Stephen, my boy, remember
it is better to die doing one's duty than live to shirk
it."1
Decatur stooped down and raised the corner of
the flag covering his brother's face, and murmured:
"Poor James, he was so young, so full of life, oh,
would it not have been better for me to go ?"
"Why call him poor?" asked Somers, "Rather let
us call him rich, it is those who neglect their duty
that are poor. Is it not true that 'the noblest place
for man to die, is where he dies for man ?' Steve,
we shall be parted again to-morrow. I have a plan
of which I spoke to you; I hope the Commodore will
allow me to carry it out. If I do so, I may never live
to clasp your hand again, if I fall remember that I
shall lose my life willingly if I die fighting for my
country."
Somers did not speak sadly, his face was illumined
with a radiance most beautiful. Was it possible
that he saw in his mind those gates ajar for him ? It
may be, for who can fathom the mysteries of the
human mind ?
JFor the story of Commodore Barry and the Frigate " United States," read
" A Yankee Ship and a Yankee Crew."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 137
As the first rays of the sun rose above the horizon
gilding the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean
and making them look dazzlingly beautiful, the
boatswain's call resounded through the ship:
"All hands to bury the dead!"
The ensign flew at half mast, the yards were set
cock-a-bill; the ropes hung in bights, the sails half-
furled, everything to testify to the sadness and mourn¬
ing which all felt.
Commodore Preble read the very impressive service
of the Episcopal church, and his voice frequently
broke with emotion. When he reached the sadly
solemn words, "We therefore commit their bodies to
the deep, looking for their resurrection when the sea
shall give up its dead," the bodies of Lieutenant
Decatur and the thirteen gallant seamen slid over the
rail and into the sea, causing a ripple of golden and
sapphire radiance to circle round the spot.
The last body had scarcely struck the water, when
the drums beat a double roll, the bugler sounded a
cheerful call and the ship was transformed as if by
magic. The yards were squared, the sails clewed up,
the ropes hauled tight, and the flag which had drooped
at half mast rose to the head of the mast, and as a
gentle breeze stirred, it floated as gaily as ever flag
did before.
There was a grand significance in this change.
The mourning had been for the parting with friends,
138 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
the gladsome change was to show that they were
honored as those who had bravely and grandly done
their duty.
Decatur and Somers walked forward arm in arm,
each had to go back to his ship to continue the round
of duty, each felt that when they parted it might be
long months or years before they met again, or it might
be that on earth they would never clasp their mortal
hands, but only meet in the great Beyond when the
last great trumpet call shall sound.
Another duty had to be performed before the day
waned, for each officer had to report, and though all
the officers and men on the gunboats had performed
wondrous things and shown conspicuous bravery,
the Commodore was not satisfied.
Preble was a man of hot temper and of an irascible
disposition, The escape of six of the enemy's gun¬
boats was a great disappointment to him, and he
almost forgot the magnificent work accomplished,
as he remembered those six boats.
But the Bashaw of Tripoli looked at the fight with
different eyes. He sent a special envoy to Commodore
Preble offering to surrender Captain Bainbridge and
every American prisoner on receipt of five hundred
dollars for each man.
"Tell your ruler that I refuse to consider his offer.
Tell him that I will have every American, and that
not one dollar of tribute will I pay, and that, unless
all are released within four days, I will blow up his
city."
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
139
That night Pre¬
ble made another
attack on the city,
not expecting to
accomplish very
much, but having
in mind the evi¬
dent fear the Bash¬
aw was feeling.
'isk
night
"I'll not
any more
attacks," said Pre¬
ble, "the chances
are against us for
we do not know
the water as well
as our enemies."
Decatur answer¬
ed that the gun¬
boats could take
care of themselves,
and only wanted
a chance to act
independently of
the big ships. This
aroused all the
passion in Preble,
and he took hold
of the young offi¬
cer and shook him,
Decatur put his hand on his sword.'
140 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
exclaiming: "If you can do such wonders why didn't
you bring me more than three boats in that last
fight ? "
Decatur put his hand on his sword, and his career
would have ended ingloriously had not Somers caught
hold of him and laughingly said:
"The Commodore cannot forget that we have not
left our schoolboy days long behind."
It was fire meeting fire, but the calmness of Somers
averted a catastrophe, which both the Commodore and
Decatur would have regretted.
Many hair-breadth escapes were recorded, when
the officers met and compared notes. Richard Somers
was in command of gunboat number one, and, while
directing the attack, stood leaning against her flag¬
staff. He saw a shot flying in his direction. In¬
voluntarily he ducked his head, and the next instant
the flying shot cut away the flagstaff just above him.
When the action was over, Lieutenant Somers stood
by the pole, and found that the shot had cut it at the
exact height of his head. It was that unconscious
ducking of his head that saved his life at that time.
Four days later the Americans made a more deter¬
mined attack, in which every vessel in the squadron
took part. Two of the enemy's gunboats were sunk,
but the guns were not heavy enough to make much
impression on the stone walls of the city . One curious
episode must be recorded. One heavy shot flew in at
the window of the cell in which Captain Bainbridge
was confined, and striking the wall, brought down
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 141
stones and mortar on him as he lay in bed, so that lie
was severely bruised. Instead of resenting this, he
managed to get a letter conveyed to Commodore
Preble, telling him to keep lip the fire, for the Tri-
politans were greatly harasssed by it.
In the same letter, Bainbridge told the Commodore
that the shell fell in the streets, but did not explode.
This led to an investigation, and it was found that the
fuse holes of many of the shells had been stopped
with lead, so that no fire could enter. The shells
had been bought in Sicily, where they had been made
to resist a threatened invasion by the French. It is
supposed that they had been thus ruined by French
secret agents.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A DESPERATE CHANCE
"In haste they board; see Somers stand,
Determined, cool, formed to command,
The match of death in his right hand,
Scorning a life of slavery.
And now behold! the match applied,
The mangled foe the welkin ride:
Whirling aloft, brave Somers cried,
'A glorious death or liberty!
OMMODORE Preble felt keenly his helpless¬
ness. He realized that Tripoli was too strong
for him; his men were as brave as any that ever trod
a deck, his guns were good, but not powerful enough
to batter down the strong walls behind which the
Bashaw's guns stood.
Some such thoughts were uttered by the Commodore
in the hearing of Somers, who emboldened by them,
ventured to crave indulgence, while he unfolded a
scheme about which he had thought much.
"What is it, sir?" asked Preble.
" Why not send an infernal into the harbor to destroy
the shipping and shatter the castle and town?"
"Have you thought how it could be done, sir?"
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES M:i
"Yes, I liave thought of it by day, and dreamed
of it by night."
"Let me hear your plan; stay, shall Captain Decatur
listen ? "
"If you like, sir ?"
"I will signal for him to come aboard, and then he
shall be the only one, beside myself, to hear."
An hour later Decatur, Somers and the Commodore
were seated in the cabin of the "Constitution" and
Preble, tapped the table nervously with his fingers
as he said:
"Now, sir, let us hear your project."
"Commodore, I would suggest that the ketch
'Intrepid' should be fitted up as an infernal, or fire
ship. I would stow at least one hundred barrels of
powder and double that number of fixed shells on
board. Then, in another part of the ketch, I would
have a good supply of well oiled combustibles and
small pieces of wood.
"I would await a favorable opportunity and tow
the 'Intrepid' into the harbor through the western
passage as near as possible to the shipping. When
I had got pretty near the shipping, I would light fuses,
which I would make to burn ten or fifteen minutes,
and at the same time light my combustibles."
Preble had been leaning across the table, his head
resting on his hands, but gradually he had arisen to his
feet, and drawing himself up to his full height asked:
"What would you do such an insane thing as that
for?"
144 THE TAMING OF TIIE BARBARY PTRATES
"So that the enemy seeing the blazing combustibles,
would not attempt to board the ketch. The 'Intrepid'
would drift among the shipping, and when the current
carried her close to the batteries, the uses would
do their work and most of the shipping and probably
the town would be destroyed
"IIow many men and boats would you require?"
"Two boats and twelve men; four men and an
officer in one boat, and six men and an officer in the
other boat would be enough."
"It is the most desperate thing I ever heard of.
Who would undertake it?"
"I would, Commodore, I crave the honor. I told
Decatur that I had a plan; he did not know what it
was, but now you both know."
"But, Somers, suppose that before you were ready,
before you light your combustibles, you were seen and
a superior force was sent out against you; suppose
that you were boarded, we should be giving all that
powder, of which we are badly in need ourselves, to the
enemy."
"Commodore, I have thought of that possibility,
and I know what I should do."
"What?"
"I should run up the Stars and Stripes, wait until
the enemy had gathered close around me, wait until
a strong boarding party was on the deck of the ketch,
and then light the fire."
Somer's face seemed illumined as he spoke.
"You would all be blown up," Preble said slowly,
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 145
his words seeming as though they could scarcely emerge
from his mouth.
"I know, it, sir, but what of that? The country
would gain a great victory, and what would a few lives
matter, if the result was to the glory and honor of our
loved land ?"
"My boy, I am proud of you, but I am afraid that,
if I accept your offer, I shall be guilty of murder."
"Commodore did you not commission Stephen
Decatur to make just as hazardous a raid ? Did you
think you were sending him to his death wilfully?"
"Go, you have full permission, if you can get
volunteers; I will not have one man go under com¬
pulsion. "
As Somers expected, volunteers were numerous, and,
only by the most inflexible decision, could the im¬
portunate ones be kept back. Somers had determined
to take only one officer with him, he taking the com¬
mand of the first boat as well as of the expedition. The
choice fell on Lieutenant Ilenry Wadsworth, whose
nephew won a world wide fame in later years, as the
greatest of American poets, Ilenry Wadsworth Long¬
fellow.
Preble placed at the disopsal of young Somers the
two fastest boats in the squadron to tow out the
"Intrepid" and bring back the crew.
At last the day of the adventure was at hand. It
was September 4th, the day following the last attack
upon Tripoli. The sky was overcast and heavy
clouds gave promise of a dark night.
146 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Somers passed among the officers and men of the
"Nautilus" shaking each hand, and bidding each
farewell. There were few dry eyes on any ship in
that squadron that evening. Lieutenant Charles
Stewart took a ring from his finger, broke it into
three pieces and gave one piece to Decatur, another to
Somers, and the last he pressed to his lips and said:
"As each of us have stood together and fought together,
so we will pledge ourselves by these tokens that neither
one of us will ever be false to our country's cause, but
that we will each willingly give our life, if we can
benefit our people."
The "Argus," "Vixen" and "Nautilus" convoyed
the "Intrepid" as far as the rocks and then left her
to pursue her own course, while they hovered near
to watch the sequel of the enterprise and pick up the
boats on their return.
When the "Intrepid" was a cable's length away
from the other vessels, Somers happened to look at
his crew and found that Lieutenant Israel had smuggled
himself aboard.
"Why did you come, sir?"
"To help, sir. I couldn't stay behind. It is death
or glory, sir."
"Most likely death," answered Somers.
Somers asked the crew to get as close as possible
to him as he wished to speak to them, and did not want
a word to be borne on the breeze to a possible enemy.
"Men, brothers, are within a few minutes of death
or glory, it may be death. Let each one offer up a
THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES 147
prayer to that God who
watches over all His children
and over the destinies of
nations, not only for success,
but for our souls."
The breeze had died out.
The fitful flashes from
enemy's batteries, and
the harsh thunder of
the cannon told the
distant American ships
that most likely the
"Intrepid" had been
seen.
It was true. The
Americans had been
seen. Two Tripolitan
gunboat were close up¬
on the ketch.
"Allah il Allah!"
cried the Tripolitans
Somers looked around
and in the darkness
saw that escape was
almost impossible.
He was like one in a
dream.
"The hour has
come," he said softly,
"Let us be brave
the
' The hour has come."
118 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
enough to meet it." So much was heard by a Tri-
politan who understood the English language and who
lived to tell the tale.
The boarders had their grappling irons ready, and
in a few moments would have been on board the
" Intrepid."
Up went the Stars and Stripes and Somers pointed
to it as it rose to the masthead.
Then through the haze a glimmering light was seen,
by the distant vessels, to be carried across the deck
of the ketch. Suddenly it disappeared. A few seconds
passed. Then there shot up into the sky a magnificent
though dazzling jet of flame.
A moment and there was an explosion, as if the
thunders of heaven had broken loose and concentrated
their energies on that on little speck of the universe.
The ships in the harbor shivered from keel to main
deck, the castle of the Bashaw rocked like a cradle.
The concussion of the air threw men upon the decks
of the "Nautilus" half a mile away. Then the mast
of the ketch, with its sail blazing, was seen to rise in
the air, and fall back into its watery grave. Bombs
with burning fuses fleAv in every direction. The distant
sound of heavy bodies falling into the water and on
the rocks was heard. Every light in the city was ex¬
tinguished, and a great fear fell on all.
A wild wail of sorrow went up from the American
crews on the distant vessels. Then came the hope
that Somers and his brave men might have left the
ketch before the explosion. Every ear was strained
THE TAMING OF TIIE BARBARY PIRATES 1 to
150 TIIE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
for the sound of approaching oars. All through the
night Decatur swung on the forechains of his ship,
flashing a lantern in the hope that some survivor
might see it. The hours passed, and the dawn drove
away the dark clouds, but no living being of that
brave band had been seen.
The shattered wreck of the "Intrepid'' could be
seen within the harbor, and near it two wrecked Tri-
politan gunboats. But of Somers and his brave fol¬
lowers no trace could be found.
It will never be known whether Somers fired the
ketch rather than fall into the hands of the enemy, or
whether the explosion was purely accidental. Many
believe still that the death ship was fired by a shot
from the enemy's batteries, and thus ended the career
of the "Intrepid." But whatever the cause, there can
be no denial of the bravery of the men. The names
of all are honored, while that of Somers became a battle
cry, and has been borne by some of the most dashing
vessels of the United States navy. Even in our latest
war, that with Spain, the Torpedo boat "Somers"
did magnificent work.
Somers died but his memory will ever be held
sacred:
"The waves became his winding sheet, the waters were his
tomb,
But for his fame, the ocean sea was not sufficient room."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE END OF THE WAR
HE tragic but glorious adventure of Richard
Somers may be said to have terminated the
war with Tripoli. After that time it was but a series
of blockades and diplomatic negotiations. The United
States paid the Bashaw sixty thousand dollars as a
ransom for the American prisoners, a concession which
was heartily condemned by many, and was entirely,
as events proved, unnecessary.
Commodore Preble retired, leaving Commodore
Barron in command. Preble did not live to see the
war of 1812, for at the early age of forty-six he died
on the 25th of August, 1807. To his memory a friend
wrote in the same year:
"Lamented chief! though death be calmly past,
Our navy trembled when he breathed his last!
Our navy mourns him, but it mourns in vain:
A Preble ne'er will live—ne'er die again!
151
152 THE TAMING OF THE BARBARY PIRATES
Yet hope, desponding, at the thought revives—
A second Preble—A Decatur lives."
And, as we shall see, those men who were with him
as boys won immortal renown, and we shall tell of
McDonough, the hero of Champlain; of Decatur,
whose career was so auspiciously begun, of Stewart;
of Isaac Hull, who carried the "Constitution" through
many a glorious engagement; of Lawrence whose
dying words, "Never give up the ship" became the
watchword in the battles on the Lakes, and of many
others whose glorious deeds we shall record, as we
bring back to memory " Our old ships and their
gallant commanders. "
APPENDIX
THE BARBARY CORSAIRS
AFTER peace had been signed with Great Britain
in 1783, the small navy was disbanded, the
chief reason being the impossibility of raising funds
for its maintainance. Readers of United States history
know that before the United States became an orga¬
nized nation, a Confederation of States had been
formed, but, so jealously had each state guarded its
individual rights, that the central government was
bereft of power. The maintainance of a navy was
necessarily the work of the general government, and
there was no money to support it. In fact, in 1785
the "Alliance" had to be sold because there were no
funds in the treasury to pay for its needed repairs.
But the people had built up a vast commerce, and
American ships were found on every sea, and the
American flag floated from the topmast of American
ships in every port
In 1785 the Barbary powers, known as Algiers,
Morocco, Tunis, and Tripoli carried on a piratical
war against all nations, but especially against the
United States, because other powers had warships
which might at any moment demand reparation, and
enforce the payment of damages.
When President Washington called the first Con¬
gress, under the present Constitution, together, he
153
APPENDIX
asked for the establishment of a navy, but as Portugal
had declared war on Algiers, and the Algerian pirates
were blockaded in their home ports, American com¬
merce was not interfered with, and Congress hesitated.
In 1793 peace was arranged between Portugal and
Algiers, and at once the pirates put to sea and recom¬
menced preying upon American ships. Vessels were
captured and their crews sold into slavery. Then it
was that Congress awoke to the danger, and ordered
the building of six frigates. Disliking war, the United
States sought every means to be at peace even with
the pirates, and a treaty was signed which practically
gave up our rights to be considered a free and world
power, for an annual tribute was to be paid to the Dey
of Algiers in consideration of his granting to American
vessels the right to sail unmolested in the Medi¬
terranean.
One million dollars were paid to the Dey under
this treaty. The precedent was an unfortunate one,
for the other Barbary powers began to clamor for
tribute, and each claimed the right to seize American
ships and sell their crews into slavery. The practical
union of the Barbary powers to demand tribute was
the cause of their own undoing, for America was
aroused, and the cry went up from every State: " mil¬
lions for defence, but not one cent for tribute."
It was necessary to teach the Barbary powers a
lesson, and we have shown in this true story how it
was accomplished.
Several expeditions were sent out to the Mediter¬
ranean before the final triumph, but the most important
lessons were taught by the "Enterprise" and the
"Nautilus," two of the smallest war ships that ever
humbled a foe, and it is with these two schooners that
our story has most to do.
APPENDIX 3.55
THE " ENTERPRISE
'T^HE schooner "Enter-
prise" which figures
in this story was built at
Baltimore, early in 1789, at
a cost of $16,240; the
armament consisted
of twelve 6-pounders
and the complement
was about seventy
men.
The "En¬
terprise,''
L ieutenant
John Shaw,
commanding,
made its first
voyage in
Dec em ber,
1799, with a
crew of seven¬
ty-six men, bound for
the Windward Is¬
lands. On February 3,
1800, on his return from Curacoa, the "Enterprise"
fell in with the "Constellation," thirty six hours after
her engagement with the French frigate "La Ven¬
geance," and Commodore Truxton sent despatches
by the "Enterprise" to Philadelphia, where she ar¬
rived after fifteen days of storm and heavy seas.
The "Enterprise" sailed again for the West Indies
in March and hauled up at St Kitts, the rendezvous
of the West India squadron.
156
APPENDIX
On April 1, 1800, the schooner had a brush with a
Spanish brig, near the Mona Passage. The action
lasted twenty minutes and both vessels were damaged,
but, before either was completely disabled, the action
stopped, each realizing that a mistake in nationality
had been made.
The "Enterprise" put into St. Thomas for repairs,
and while there, Lieutenant Shaw was challenged to
fight a French lugger of twelve guns outside the harbor,
but the Frenchman failed to keep the appointment.On
the way to St. Kitts the "Enterprise" captured a small
privateer and a few days later the letter-of-marque
"La Seine." This was a fierce engagement, the
Frenchmen losing twenty-four killed and wounded,
while the "Enterprise" had several wounded but none
killed. Two weeks later the 6-gun privateer "Cito-
yenne" was captured, the enemy losing fourteen killed
and wounded, while the Americans had only eight
slightly wounded.
On returning to St. Kitts, the "Enterprise" fell
in with the Frenchman that had challenged her a
month before, and, strange to say, actually captured
her without firing a shot. The next week the" Lucky
Little Enterprise," as she was now called, captured the
French brig "L'Aigle" by boarding; again the loss
to the Americans was very slight. In July of the same
year a most momentous engagement was fought, the
enemy being the French brig "Le Flambeau" carry¬
ing fourteen 9-pounders, with a crew of one hundred
and ten, while the "Enterprise" had only twelve
8-pounders and eighty-three men. After a fierce
fight, the Frenchman was forced to surrender. The
French loss was forty killed and wounded, while the
Americans lost only ten men.
A few days later the "Enterprise'5 chased for five
APPENDIX
157
hours and captured the privateer "La Pauline" of
six guns and forty men, and during the month she
took the "Guadaloupenne," seven guns and forty-
five men; and "L'Amour de la Patrie," six guns and
seventy-two men. So that during a cruise of six
months this plucky little schooner captured seven
privateers, with an aggregate of fifty-three guns and
four hundred and fifty-six men, and four American
merchantmen recaptured.
On returning to the United States, the services of
Shaw were recognized and he was given command of
the captured "Le Berceau" and Lieutenant Charles
Stewart was assigned to the "Enterprise."
In May, 1801, the "Enterprise," then commanded
by Lieutenant Sterett, sailed for the Mediterranean in
the squadron commanded by Captain Richard Dale.
Upon the arrival of the squadron at Gibraltar, the
frigate "President" and the schooner "Enterprise"
were sent to Algiers, and subsequently the schooner
was ordered to Malta. While cruising off the Island,
the "Enterprise" fell in with the Tripolitan poleacre
"Tripoli," of fourteen guns and eighty-five men, and
an action was begun which lasted three hours. During
the engagement the Tripolitan three times surrendered,
but when a boat was sent to take possession, the
enemy twice reopened fire and rehoisted their colors.
This treachery caused Sterett to threaten to sink the
poleacre, and he opened fire upon her, but the Tri¬
politan commander threw his flag into the sea begging
for mercy. The enemy lost fifty killed and wounded
whilst the Americans did not lose a single man.
For this gallant engagement Lieutenant Sterett was
promoted, and Congiess voted him a sword, while
each member of the crew received a month's pay-
To avoid wintering in the Mediterranean, the
158
APPENDIX
"President" and "Enterprise" were ordered back
to the United States. In February, 1802, the "Enter¬
prise" again sailed for the Mediterranean, forming
part of a squadron commanded by Commodore Morris,
and which included the frigates "New York," "Con¬
stellation" and "Chesapeake," and the corvettes
"Adams" and "John Adams." The frigates "Phila¬
delphia" and "Essex" had remained on the station.
During this cruise the "Enterprise," then com¬
manded by Lieutenant Isaac Hull, drove a Tripolitan
cruiser carrying twenty-two guns into a narrow bay
where she was held until daylight, when the frigate
"John Adams" came to the assistance of the schooner
and a hot fire was poured into the Tripolitan, causing
her to blow up in a very short time.
The gallant IIull was succedeed in command by
Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and his gallant exploits
in the "Lucky Little Enterprise" are truthfully told
in our story.
In the summer of 1805, peace having been concluded
with the Deys of Algiers and Tunis, the American
fleet returned home and the "Enterprise" was laid
up in ordinary
In 1809 the schooner was again sent out to the
Mediterranean in command of Lieutenant Trippe,
returning in 1811.
When war was declared against Great Britain in
1812, the schooner was transformed into a brig, armed
with fourteen 18-pounder cannonades and two long
9-pounders, with a crew of 100 men. Master Com¬
mandant Johnston Blakely, who had served as mid¬
shipman in the "Enterprise" under Decatur, was put
in command, with special instructions to look out for
British privateers on the coast of Maine.
Luck had not deserted the "Enterprise," for she
APPENDIX
159
soon fell in with and captured the privateer "Fly."
Shortly afterwards Lieutenant William Burrows, who
had served with Preble in the "Constitution," was
ordered to the "Enterprise," and one month later
both commander and schooner won immortal renown.
An English brig, the "Boxer" had started out with the
proud boast that it would lead the "Yankee Enter¬
prise" into Halifax harbor." Captain Blyth of the
"Boxer" was a brave and gallant man, and he wished
greatly to destroy the luck of the plucky "Enterprise."
The fight was a memorable one. Very early in the
action Lieutenant Burrows was mortally wounded,
and the command devolved upon Lieutenant Edward
McCall, who had never been in action before. The
engagement lasted over an hour and when McCall
accepted the surrender of the "Boxer" he found that
Captain Blyth, had been killed at the first broadside
from the "Enterprise," and that, in all, the English had
twenty-eight killed and fourteen wounded, while the
"Enterprise" had only one killed and thirteen wounded,
three of whom, however, died the next day. Burrows
and Blyth were buried side by side in the old Eastern
cemetery at Portland, where their tombs may still
be seen. Close to them lies the body of Kerwin
Waters, a midshipman on the " Enterprise," who died
from the wounds received in the engagement with the
"Boxer."
Among the old sea songs of the time we find many
references to the fight between the "Enterprise"
and "Boxer," One verse of a patter song ran:
"The 'Enterprise' of our Navy
With a crew undaunted and brave,
Fell in with the British brig 'Boxer'
And box'd her into the grave."
160
APPENDIX
Another song ran in this wise:
"Then next you sent your 'Boxer'
To box us all about,
But we had an 'Enterprising' brig
That beat your 'Boxer' out.
She boxed her up in Portland,
To show the Sons of Liberty
The 'Boxer' of renown."
During the winter of 1813-14, the "Enterprise"
was commanded by Lieutenant James Renshaw and
made an extended cruise southward in company with
the "Rattlesnake."
While off the Florida coast, the "Enterprise" took
three prizes and captured the privateer brig "Mars"
armed with fourteen long nines and carrying seventy-
five men.
On returning to the United States the "Enterprise"
acted as a coast guard vessel until the close of the war.
Lieutenant Lawrence Kearney took the "Enter¬
prise" again to the Mediterranean in 1806 where she
remained three years. In 1821 she was sent to the
West Indies to aid in dispersing and breaking up the
pirates who were infesting the Caribbean Sea. Among
the noted pirates was Lafitte who had distinguished
himself at the Battle of New Orleans and received a
pardon for his courage and gallantry. The war over,
he fitted out the "Pride," a large brigantine, and
resumed his career of piracy. Kearney sought him
out and negotiated with him terms by which he agreed
to confine his piratical acts to the southern coast of
the Gulf of Mexico. In October 1821 the "Enter-
rize" encountered the notorious pirate Gibbs, who
ad a fleet of piratical vessels under his command.
APPENDIX
161
Gibbs was engaged in robbing
the American ship "Lucies,"
the brig "Aristides" and the
English brig "Larch."
Kearney opened fire upon
the pirates, burning two
of them and driving
Gibb's schooner on
shore where she
was also burned,
and, capturing
several of the
pirate schooners,
Kearney took them
to Charleston, S.
C. where they were
condemned.
In 1823 the "En¬
terprise" was
wrecked off the
coast of Curacoa,
but all hands were
saved. Thus ter¬
minated the career
of one of the most
remarkable vessels
in the early navy
of the United
States.
F, Stanhope Hill, in his monograph "The Lucky
Little Enterprise " says, "We find that the 'Enterprise'
took more French privateers in 1799-1800 than any
vessel in the West Indies, while her action with the
'Flambeau' was one of the warmest on record. In
the Tripolitan war she captured the 'Tripoli,' a
162
APPENDIX
cruiser of equal size, in a very desperate engagement.
She captured the 'Mastico' and with that vessel the
commander of the 'Enterprise' with several of his
officers and men, aided by a detail from the 'Con¬
stitution,' destroyed the 'Philadelphia.'
"In the war of 1812 she took the English brig
'Boxer' after a sharp engagement. She escaped from
several English frigates by her superior speed; and of
the five small vessels in the Mediterranean squadron,
the 'Enterprise,' 'Vixen,' 'Siren,' 'Nautilus,' and
'Argus,' the 'Enterprise' alone escaped capture by
the enemy. Finally she rounded out her career by
honorable and successful work against the pirates
in the West Indies.
"After such an adventurous and singularly for¬
tunate career, it is not strange that she earned the
name in the navy of the ' Lucky Little Enterprise.
DECATUR AND SOMERS
STEPHEN Decatur was born in Worcester County,
Md. on the 5th of January, 1779. His father,
Stephen Decatur, was an ardent patriot, and, on the
outbreak of the Revolutionary war, he offered his
services to the Colonial government. At the close of
that war, Stephen, the elder, resumed his career in
the merchant service, but responded to the call of
his country in the war against France, in which war
he served with great credit. It will be seen that
Stephen, the hero of this story, imbibed patriotic
principles from his earliest infancy. After studying
at the Episcopal Academy presided over by the Rev.
Dr. Abercrombie, he entered the University of Penn¬
sylvania, where he continued his studies for more than
APPENDIX
163
a year, but his mind was fixed on the sea, and he
ave up his studies in order to take a position with
lessrs. Gurney and Smith, who were the agents of
the navy in Philadelphia. By this firm he was sent
into New Jersey to superintend getting out the keel
pieces of the frigate "United States," which was then
in process of construction. It was with feelings of
great pride that he was on board that frigate when
she was launched, and when, through the influence
of John Barry, he obtained a commission as mid¬
shipman, a biographer tells us that, "the city seemed
small to him, so elated did he become."
^ In the story "A YANKEE SHIP AND A YANKEE
CREW" the reader will find much of interest con¬
cerning the early voyages of this gallant midshipman.
In 1801 he was promoted to lieutenant and sailed in
the "Essex," then of Commodore Dale's squadron,
to the Mediterranean. On account of an affray
with a British officer at Malta, he was suspended
and returned home. An investigation proved him
to have been blameless and he was appointed to the
command of the "Argus," of Preble's squadron,
then lying before Tripoli. Later he was assigned
to the "Enterprise." At this time he made a dash
into the harbor of Tripoli and burnt the frigate
"Philadelphia" which had been captured by the
pirates. The English Admiral, Lord Nelson, was
commanding the British fleet engaged in blockading
Toulon at the time. When the news of Decatur's
victory reached him he declared it to be "the most
daring and boldest act of the age." He was made
a Captain and Congress presented him with a sword.
Decatur had some extremely hard fighting in the
harbor and neighborhood of Tripoli, and in all cases
showed the greatest daring and bravery.
164
APPENDIX
The war with the Barbary Powers ended in 1805,
and Decatur returned home. He was appointed to
superintend the building of gunboats. During this
time of peace, he fell in love with Miss Susan Wheeler,
the only child of a weathy merchant of Norfolk, Va.
In 1815 he attempted to escape from the blockade
in the frigate "President," but his ship struck the
bar at Sandy Hook, and after a vigorous contest with
four of the enemy's ships, he surrendered and was
taken to Bermuda with his frigate, as a prize. He
was soon paroled and in May, 1815 sailed from New
York with three frigates, one sloop, and six brigs
and schooners to operate against Algiers. He cap¬
tured two important vessels; but the war soon con-
The marriage was a
very happy one though
the young officer was
not to remain home
long. He succeeded
Barron in command
of the "Chesapeake."
In 1812 he was in com¬
mand of a squadron
off the Atlantic coast,
and on October 25th,
in the " United States "
Stephen Decatur
captured the English
frigate'' Macedonian.''
In May he found him¬
self blockaded in Long
Island Sound, and was
forced to remain for
more than a year in
the harbor of New
London.
APPENDIX
165
eluded by a treaty abolishing all tribute demands and
the release of all prisoners who were still confined
in Algerian dungeons. He made the same treaty
with the rulers of Tripoli and Tunis, and thus put
an end to the enslavement of the Americans by the
corsairs of the Mediterranean. On his return home
he was appointed one of the Board of Naval Com¬
missioners and resided at Kalorama, near George¬
town, until his death, in March, 1820. His death
was not what he had hoped for, instead of dying on
the deck of a good ship, he was killed in a duel with
Commodore James Barron. Ilis remains were laid
in the family vault of Joel Barlow, where they re¬
mained until 1846, when they were re-intered, with
appropriate ceremonies, in the burial ground of St.
Peter's Church, Philadelphia, by the side of his father
and family, a handsome monument surmounting
the grave. After setting forth his birth, rank in the
navy and date of death, the inscriptions read: East
Side: "Devoted to his country by a patriot father,
he cherished in his heart, and sustained by his intrepid
actions, the inspiring sentiment, 'Our country, right
or wrong.' A nation gave him in return its applause
and gratitude." South Side: "The gallant officer
whose prompt and active valor, always on the watch
was guided by a Wisdom and supported by a Firmness
which never tired. Whose exploits in arms reflected
the daring features of Romance and Chilvary."
West Side: "A name brilliant from a service of heroic
deeds on the coast of Barbary, and illustrious by
achievements against more disciplined enemies; the
pride of the Navy, the glory of the Republic."
166
APPENDIX
Richard Somers
This brave young hero who gave up his life while
in command of a most perilous enterprise in the
harbor of Tripoli, September 4, 1804, was born at
Somer's Point, N. J. in 1778. His grandfather was
an Englishman who came to this country and settled
at the place which still bears his name, in 1730.
Richard's father was Colonel of militia, County
Judge and an ardent whig during the revolution.
Richard entered the navy as a midshipman, with
Stephen Decatur, April 30, 1798, and was assigned
to the frigate "United States." He was promoted
lieutenant May 21, 1799, and was on the "United
States" when it took the special embassy to France
the same year. He was made first lieutenant of the
sloop "Boston" and in 1801 again sailed to France
carrying Chancellor Livingston on his mission to
negotiate the cession of Louisiana. On his return
he was made master-commandant and assigned to
the "Nautilus" and ordered to join Preble's squadron
in the Mediterranean. When Commodore Preble
consented to the attempt being made to destroy the
enemy's shipping by means of a fire boat, Somers
volunteered to command and associated with him
were Midshipmen Henry Wadsworth (an uncle of
the poet Longfellow) Joseph Israel and ten men.
The story tells how the "Intrepid" fire boat attempted
to do the work, and how every man who took part
lost his life. The navy has honored the memory of
Somers by always maintaining a boat bearing his
name.
APPENDIX
167
COMMANDERS OF "THE LUCKY
LITTLE ENTERPRISE"
John Siiaw. For biography of this gallant naval
officer the reader is referred to the appendix to "A
Yankee Ship and a Yankee Crew."
Charles Stewart. This hero of many an engage¬
ment is so elosely connected with "old ironsides"
that the reader is referred to that story for an account
of his career.
Andrew Sterett was born in Baltimore, 1760,
and died at Lima, Peru, January 9th, 1807. He
entered the navy as lieutenant, March 25, 1798; was
Executive officer of the frigate "Constellation" under
Truxton. He participated in the capture of
the French frigate " L'lnsurgente," 1799, and took
part in the action with "Le Vengeance," Feb. 1800.
He was appointed to the command of the "Enterprise"
and captured the French ship "L'Amour de la Patrie"
Dec., 1800. He took the "Enterprise" to the Medi¬
terranean. When peace was established, he was
retained as third in list of lieutenants. After his
return to the United States, he was promoted Master-
Commandant and ordered to a brig which was then
building at Baltimore. He had been senior to Decatur,
but the latter was promoted above him, which gave
great offence to Sterett who resigned from the navy
and entered the merchant marine.
Isaac Hull, a biography of this distinguished hero
will be found in No. 3 "Old Ironsides" a romance
full of stirring adventures.
168
APPENDIX
John Trippe entered the navy as a sailing master
May (>, 1803, and sailed in the brig "Vixen" to join
Preble's squadron in the Mediterranean. August,
1804, he was appointed acting-lieutenant and placed
in command of Gun boat No. 6. In the attack
on the Tripolitan fleet, he boarded one of the largest
of the enemy's vessels and had a hand to hand en¬
counter with her commander, while he was armed
only with a short pike. He received nine sabre cuts
across the head, but thrust his pike through his
antagonist. He was promoted lieutenant, 1807, and
in 1809, was Lieutenant-Commander in command
of the "Enterprise" on whose deck he died, off
Havana, July 9, 1810. He was the recipient of a vote
of thanks and a sword from Congress in recognition
of his great bravery and splendid work.
Johnston Blakely was born in Ireland Oct.,
1781, and lost at sea, 1814. He came to America
when he was two years old. He studied hard in his
youth and entered the University of North Carolina,
but, his father dying a year later, he was compelled
to give up his studies and go to work. He was made
midshipman Feb, 5,1800. He served with faithfulness
and was promoted lieutenant Feb. 10, 1807. In
1813 he was, for a short time, in command of the
"Enterprise." He was made Master-Commander
and placed in command of the new sloop of war
"Wasp." In 1814 he fell in with the "Reindeer,"
and captured her after a severe action lasting nineteen
minutes. The "Reindeer" made three attempts to
board th "Wasp." In this action the enemy lost 25
killed and 42 wounded, while the " W7asp," lost 5
killed and 22 wounded. He had to burn his prize to
prevent it being recaptured. For this capture Congress
awarded him a gold medal. Sailing from L'Orient
APPENDIX
169
on August 27, the "Wasp" made several captures,
one a vessel laden with military stores. Blakely com¬
pelled the surrender of the brig "Avon" and after
capturing and scuttling two more vessels, the
"Wasp" captured the brig "Atalanta" which Blakely
sent to Savannah. Blakely was made captain and
continued his cruise in the "Wasp," but after this
capture of the "Atalanta" nothing more was heard of
the "Wasp" and it is supposed that she foundered in
a gale. Blakely's only child, a girl, was educated
at the expense of the State of North Carolina.
William Burrows was born near Philadelphia Oct, 6,
1785. His father was wealthy and the boy was allowed
to follow his inclination as to choice of a profession.
In Nov., 1799, he entered the navy as midshipman.
He was in active service until the close of the difficulties
on the Barbary coast. lie continued in the service
until the breaking out of the war with England when,
on his way from the East, he was made a prisoner.
He reached home in June, 1813, and went immediately
into the service. On Sept, 1. 1813, he was appointed
commander of the "Enterprise" and his record is
given in the sketch of that "lucky "schooner. When he
was wounded in the action with the "Boxer," he refused
to be carried below until the sword of the commander
of the vanquished vessel was presented to him. He
grasped it eagerly and said, "Now I can die con¬
tented. I am satisfied."
Edward McCall was born at Charleston, S. C.
on the 5th of August, 1790. He entered the navy as
a midshipman at the age of fifteen and was assigned
to the "Hornet," Captain Dent. He joined the
"Enterprise" under Blakely in 1811, as a lieutenant,
170
APPENDIX
and was serving in that capacity under Burrows, when
the latter received his death wound. He wrote a
most interesting account of the engagement to Commo¬
dore Hull. He was transferred first to the " Ontario."
and then to the "Java," Commodore Perry, and with
that officer cruised in the Mediterranean until 1817.
On his return he took command of the sloop-of-war
"Peacock," and made a cruise in the Mediterranean.
March, 1825, he was promoted to master-commander,
and in 1835 he received the commission of captain.
He died at Bordentown, N. J., July 31, 1853.
Lawrence Kearney was born at Perth Amboy, N J.,
Nov. 30, 1789, and died at the same place Nov. 29,
1868. He entered the navy as midshipman in 1807,
and served on the flotilla of gunboats under Commo¬
dore John Rodgers. He served on the "Constitution"
and "President" until 1810, when he was transferred
to the "Enterprise." In 1813 he was promoted to
rank of lieutenant. During the war of 1812-15,
he was actively employed in the defence of the coast
of South Carolina and adjacent states, and, after the
close of the war, he distinguished himself in clearing
the West Indies and the Gulf of pirates. In 1826,
he was placed in command of the "Warren" and sent
to the Levant, where he succesfully attacked the Greek
pirates, broke up their strongholds and frequently
captured several of their vessels in a day. He re¬
turned to the United States in 1832, and was made a
captain and given various shore appointments. He
became commander of the "Potomac" and did good
service. In 1842 he was advanced to rank of commo¬
dore of the East India squadron. He hoisted his
broad pennant on the "Constitution" in the harbor of
Rio de Janeiro, this being the first instance of that
APPENDIX
171
act being performed at a foreign station. He was
active in the suppression of opium smuggling, and it
was through his negotiations with China, that Caleb
Cushing was enabled to obtain a treaty with that
country similar to the one entered into between Great
Britain and China. On his return home, he held
various shore appointments including that of the
presidency of the Naval Board of Inquiry and member¬
ship of the Lighthouse Board. In April, 1867, he
was retired with the rank of Commodore. lie was
a great friend of his neighbor Charles Stewart, the
grand "Old Ironsides."
YALE UNIVERSITY
3 9002 07310 6396