The captured ship had her main and mizzen topmasts housed (partially lowered), the foremast which had been cut away was not yet replaced; the sails were unbent and her lower yards lying across the bulwarks. Her forty guns were all loaded. She was lying in front of the castle well inshore.
The night was almost calm with a smooth sea and a young moon, and the Intrepid crept slowly in, apparently exciting no distrust. The main part of her crew was kept concealed, only some ten or twelve being visible. She was steered straight for the Philadelphia’s bow.
When still some distance off, a hail from the Philadelphia was answered by the pilot, who stated the vessel to be from Malta, and that her anchors having been lost in a gale, permission was asked to make fast to the ship. A sudden shift of wind brought the Intrepid under the frigate’s broadside and she drifted slowly astern, exposed to the Philadelphia’s port broadside at a distance of about forty yards. So completely were the Tripolitans deceived that they lowered a boat and sent a line. Some of the Intrepid’s men had meanwhile got into her boat and taken one to the frigate’s fore chains (supports to the shrouds). They then took the line from the frigate’s boat which had been run from the after part of the ship and made it fast aboard the Intrepid. Both lines were hauled upon by the men lying down concealed on her deck. On getting near the Philadelphia the Intrepid’s anchors were discovered. On this, the Tripolitans prepared to cut the fasts, passing the cry of “Americanos.” A strong pull brought the Intrepid alongside, “where she was secured quick as thought.”
The ship was immediately boarded. The Tripolitans crowded over to the starboard side and forward, offering practically no resistance, and large numbers jumped overboard. There was some struggle below, “but in less than ten minutes Decatur was on the quarter deck in undisturbed possession of his prize.”
The orders to destroy the ship and not attempt to get her away, which in the circumstances of not a sail bent or a yard aloft would have been almost impossible, were imperative. The arrangements for firing her were so complete that the combustibles prepared were alight in a few minutes, and in some twenty-five minutes from boarding the Americans were hastening out of the ship to escape the flames. Their movements were none too quick to escape; the fasts were cut and the Intrepid shoved clear only just in time herself to escape burning. The sixteen sweeps were manned, and, aided by a light breeze, the little vessel with her brave crew intact swept out of the harbor under the fire of the batteries and the thunder of the Philadelphia’s own guns as they heated and discharged themselves, one broadside toward the town, the other toward the English fort. The only shot striking the Intrepid was one passing through her topgallantsail. She was met outside the harbor by the Siren’s boats. The Siren’s commander had seen the rocket-signal, agreed upon, from the Philadelphia, and in the calm had used his sweeps to close in and protect the Intrepid should she be attacked. Before the signal could be answered the flames were running aloft in the Philadelphia. “Presently a boat was seen coming alongside and a man in a sailor’s jacket sprang over the gangway of the brig. It was Decatur to announce his victory!”[22] On the 19th both vessels were again at Syracuse. This brilliant exploit made Decatur a captain at the age of twenty-five and promoted most of those who accompanied him. It remains as one of the most gallant and successful adventures of the sea, remarkable particularly for the coolness of its procedure and calm courage of execution. It was worthy of all the praise given it at the time and which has continued undimmed.
The loss of the Philadelphia and Decatur’s exploit gave an impetus to naval affairs, which struggled then, as ever since, under conditions of want of knowledge in our legislators and a poor system of administration. There was, for example, not a drydock in the whole country. “Facts,” as Fenimore Cooper expresses it, “were still leading opinion, and the gallant men who were slowly fighting themselves into favor were merely performing an office that would seem inseparable from the advancement of every free people in civilization.”
Preble’s whole force before Tripoli in July, 1804, was the frigate Constitution, six small vessels of from 12 to 16 guns each, six gunboats, and two bomb-vessels; an excellent force for blockading and for attacking the Tripolitan gunboats, which hugged the shores, but not for bombarding the batteries in which were 115 guns.
From now on many brilliant actions between the smaller craft took place, in one of which was a famous incident of the general attack of August 4, 1804, when Decatur, having already boarded and taken one gunboat, boarded another. The captain of the second was a large and powerful Turk who seized the pike with which Decatur attacked him and used it against the latter, who parried with his sword which broke at the hilt. The pike entered the fleshy part of Decatur’s breast. Decatur succeeded in tearing it out and grappled with the Turk. Both fell, the Turk uppermost. He felt for his poniard, but Decatur, grasping his arm with one hand, was able to take a small pistol from his waistcoat pocket and passing his arm around the Turk fired it into his back. The ball passed entirely through his foe and lodged in Decatur’s clothes. While this was going on, another raised a sabre to cleave Decatur, but a young seaman, named Daniel Fraisher,[23] interposed his arm, which was nearly severed at the wrist. Lieutenant Trippe of Gunboat No. 6 had an equally desperate encounter. His own and the enemy’s gunboat separated with the shock, leaving only nine Americans aboard the Tripolitan. Trippe was attacked by a powerful young Turk, who inflicted eight sabre wounds in the head and two in the breast. Trippe was brought to his knees, but he was able to give his adversary a final thrust with his short pike, which ended the struggle. When the captain thus fell, the others surrendered. The desperate nature of the struggle undertaken by the six gunboats in the action may be understood when it is known that the two boats captured by Decatur carried about eighty men; of these fifty-two were known to be killed and wounded, many jumped overboard, and only eight unwounded prisoners were taken. Stephen Decatur’s brother James had command of Gunboat No. 2. In boarding, he was shot through the forehead and died that evening.
The details of the many sanguinary actions during Preble’s blockade cannot be given. Three captured gunboats, numbered 7, 8, and 9, were changed in rig and added to the fleet. On August 7th No. 7 blew up in action and of her crew of twenty-eight, ten, including Lieutenant Caldwell, her commander, and Midshipman Dorsey, were killed, and six wounded.