CHAPTER XIII
WAR WITH BARBARY PIRATES
A SQUADRON UNDER RICHARD DALE SENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN—THE DEY OF ALGIERS BECAME FRIENDLY, BUT THE BASHAW OF TRIPOLI SHOWED FIGHT—FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN THE SCHOONER ENTERPRISE AND THE TREACHEROUS CREW OF THE POLACRE TRIPOLI—SLAUGHTER OF THE PIRATES—TRIPOLI BLOCKADED—GROUNDING AND LOSS OF THE PHILADELPHIA.
The story of the first conflict with the pirates of the Mediterranean Sea follows that of the small war with France. It was a conflict made necessary, as already explained, because, in the supposed interests of her trade, a civilized nation sicked on the Barbary whelps to tear the peaceful passer-by. Not only did the British agent negotiate a treaty by which the pirates would be turned loose into the Atlantic, especially to prey on American commerce; a British subject named Lisle was admiral of the Tripolitan fleet when the Bashaw of Tripoli, seeing the success of the Dey of Algiers in levying blackmail on the United States, declared war against us.
Benjamin Stoddert.
From a Painting at the Navy Department, Washington.
On May 20, 1801, the Secretary of the Navy (Congress had established a Navy Department on April 30, 1798, with Benjamin Stoddert as Secretary) ordered a “squadron of observation” to the Mediterranean. Capt. Richard Dale was placed in command, and it consisted of the President, Capt. James Barron; the Philadelphia, Capt. Samuel Barron; the Essex, Capt. William Bainbridge; and the twelve-gun schooner Enterprise, that had done such effective work against the French in the West Indies. She was now under Lieut. Andrew Sterrett, the officer who shot a sailor on the Constellation for leaving a gun in time of battle. Under Sterrett was David Porter, who had shown his metal on the captured Insurgent and elsewhere.
When this fleet appeared off Algiers the Dey found his wrath, which presents had not appeased, suddenly changed to effusive friendship for the Americans, but the Bashaw of Tripoli was not so easily awed. However, it was not until August 1st that a fight occurred. On that day, while cruising off Malta, the Enterprise fell in with the war polacre Tripoli, carrying fourteen guns and eighty men. By no means a cheap enemy at any time, she eventually proved a most treacherous one. After the battle had raged for two hours at point-blank range, the Tripoli’s flag was lowered. Lieutenant Porter put off in a boat to take possession, while the crew of the Enterprise in great part turned to repairing damages to their rigging. Thereat the corsairs opened a murderous fire and hoisted the red flag again. The men of the Enterprise quickly returned to their guns, and after a fierce conflict the corsairs, seeing that in fair fight they were worsted, once more hauled down their flag in order to catch the Yankees somewhat off guard. The ruse succeeded again, and Porter was on his way to take possession, when the corsairs renewed battle more vigorously than ever.
“Captain Sterrett in the Enterprise, Paying Tribute to Tripoli.”