V.—The War with the Barbary States.
On the northern coast of Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, are four countries known as the Barbary States. These are Tunis, Algiers, Tripoli, and Morocco.
For more than four hundred years, these countries had been making a business of sea-robbery. Their pirate vessels had seized and plundered the ships of other nations, and the captured officers and men were sold into slavery.
Instead of resisting these robbers, most of the nations had found it easier to pay vast sums of money to the Barbary rulers to obtain protection for their commerce.
The Americans had begun in this way, and had made presents of money and goods to Algiers and Tunis.
Then the ruler of Tripoli, called the Bashaw, informed our government that he would wait six months for a handsome present from us. If it did not come then, he would declare war against the United States.
COMMODORE CHARLES MORRIS.
This did not frighten the Americans at all. Their only reply was to send a fleet of four ships to the Mediterranean. The intention was to force the Bashaw to make a treaty which should insure safety for our ships.
This squadron did not do much but blockade the ports of Tripoli.
A year later, in 1802, a larger squadron was fitted out to bring the Bashaw to terms. Commodore Morris was the commander. On one of the vessels, the Adams, was Oliver Perry as midshipman.
Soon after the arrival of his ship in the Mediterranean, Oliver celebrated his seventeenth birthday.
The captain of the Adams was very fond of him, and succeeded in having him appointed lieutenant on that day.
For a year and a half, the squadron of Commodore Morris cruised about the Mediterranean. No great battles were fought and no great victories were won.
The Adams stopped at the coast towns of Spain, France, and Italy. Through the kindness of the captain, Oliver was often allowed to go on shore and visit the places of interest.
Commodore Morris, being recalled to America, sailed thither in the Adams; and so it happened that in November, 1803, Oliver Perry arrived again in America.
His father was then living in Newport, and Oliver remained at home until July of the next year.
He spent much of his time in studying mathematics and astronomy. He liked to go out among the young people, and his pleasing manners and good looks made him a general favorite.
He was fond of music and could play the flute very skillfully. When not studying, he liked most of all to ride horses, and fence with a sword.
While Lieutenant Perry was spending this time at home, the war in the Mediterranean was still being carried on. Commodore Preble, who had succeeded Commodore Morris, had won many brilliant victories.
The most daring feat of all this war was accomplished by Stephen Decatur, a young lieutenant only twenty-three years old.
One of the largest of the American vessels, the Philadelphia, had, by accident, been grounded on a reef. Taking advantage of her helpless condition, the whole Tripolitan fleet opened fire upon her.
Captain Bainbridge, the commander of the Philadelphia, was obliged to surrender. The Tripolitans managed to float the vessel off the reef, and towed her into the harbor.
Captain Bainbridge, although a prisoner, found means to send word of his misfortune to Commodore Preble, who was then at Malta, and the American fleet at once sailed for Tripoli.
At the suggestion of Captain Bainbridge, the Americans determined to burn the Philadelphia, rather than allow the Tripolitans to keep her.
This was a very dangerous undertaking, as the vessel was anchored in the midst of the Tripolitan fleet. It was also within easy range of the guns of the fort, commanding the harbor.
The task was given to Stephen Decatur. In order to deceive the enemy, he took a small boat which had been captured from them a short time before. Its crew was made up of volunteers, for the chances of escape were very few.
STEPHEN DECATUR.
Under cover of night, the little vessel sailed into the harbor, and, as if by accident, ran into the Philadelphia. Before the Tripolitans realized what had happened, Decatur and his men were climbing over the sides of the vessel and through the port holes.
BURNING OF THE PHILADELPHIA.
Decatur had ordered his men to use no firearms. He did not wish to attract the attention of the Tripolitans who were in the fort and on the other vessels in the harbor.
A desperate hand to hand fight ensued. In a few minutes the Americans were in possession of the vessel. Some of the Tripolitan crew had been killed; others had jumped into the sea.
The Americans then set the Philadelphia on fire and jumped into their boat to escape. Lieutenant Decatur was the last one to leave the burning ship.
The situation of the little band was now desperate. The Philadelphia was a mass of flames, lighting up the harbor for miles around.
Decatur's little boat could be plainly seen, and all the vessels and forts opened fire on it. But the Tripolitans were too much excited to do serious damage.
In a short time the fire reached the magazine of the Philadelphia and she blew up with a tremendous crash, leaving the harbor in darkness. Decatur and his men escaped with but one man wounded.
This is only one of many deeds of bravery done in this war, but we can not tell of them in this story. Lieutenant Perry, in his home in America, heard of them, and longed to be on the scene of action.
He was very glad when, in the following September, he was ordered to return in the Constellation to the Mediterranean.
The American fleet in the Mediterranean was by this time so large that the Bashaw was convinced that the Americans were in earnest.
He was glad to make a treaty of peace and release the prisoners on payment of a small ransom.
In October, 1806, Oliver Perry returned to America. He was greatly disappointed that he had not been able to take a more active part in the war.
He spent most of the next two years in Newport, dividing his time between study and his many friends.