|
|||||
4 - Challenges to a Young Nation(Part 2)
Battling the Pirates of the Barbary Coast
The Enterprise was assigned to the Mediterranean squadron, which left Hampton Roads, Virginia on June 1, 1801.
During the cruise across the Atlantic in company of the large frigates President, Philadelphia, and
Essex, the Enterprise was unable to keep up with the speed being made by the larger ships. Commodore
Richard Dale, commander of the American squadron, eventually ordered Lt. Andrew Sterrett of the Enterprise to
make his own way to Gibraltar and sailed ahead with the larger ships. When they arrived at Gibraltar on July 1, they
found the Enterprise already at anchor. She had beaten the rest of the squadron by five days after her captain
was allowed to steer a course more advantageous to the Enterprise's smaller size and different sail-rigging.
Lt. Sterrett had a reputation as a highly-charged, demanding commander. One story told of him is that during the Quasi-
War, when he was executive officer on the USS Constellation, he ran through with his sword a crewman who backed
away from hand-to-hand combat "and so put an end to a coward" because "we would put a man to death for even looking pale
on board this ship."15 Regardless of whether or not this story is true, Sterrett was a most
courageous leader in battle.
On August 1, 1801, within one month of arriving in the Mediterranean, the Enterprise was engaged in its first
action. As a ruse, the Enterprise was flying the British Union Jack as it approached the corsair vessel
Tripoli.
Hailing the Tripoli, Sterrett asked what business had brought her to sea. The enemy commander replied that he was hunting Americans but had not, alas, been able to find any. Down went the Enterprise's British flag, up went the American colors, and Sterrett's men fired their muskets across the Tripolitan deck; the Tripoli answered with a ragged broadside.16
Sterrett later reported to Commodore Dale that:
I have the honor to inform you, that on the 1 of August, I fell in with a Tripolitan ship of war, called the Tripoli, mounting 14 guns, commanded by Rais Mahomet Rous. An action immediately commenced within pistol shot, which continued three hours incessantly. She then struck her colors. The carnage on board was dreadful; she having 30 men killed and 30 wounded, among the latter was the Captain and first Lieutenant. Her sails, masts and rigging were cut to pieces with 18 shot between wind and water. Shortly after taking possession, her mizzenmast went over the side. Agreeably to your orders, I dismantled her of everything but an old sail and spar. With heartfelt pleasure I add, that the officers and men throughout the vessel [Enterprise], behaved in the most spirited and determined manner, obeying every command with promptitude and alertness. We have not had a man wounded, and we have sustained no material damage in our hull or rigging.17
Following orders not to take any defeated vessels as prizes, Lt. Sterrett had the Tripoli's guns thrown overboard
and her masts cut down, leaving her a helpless hulk. For the brave actions of the Enterprise and her crew,
President Thomas Jefferson awarded a ceremonial sword to Lt. Sterrett and a month's extra pay to the crew.
On October 3, 1801, the Enterprise was ordered to sail to Baltimore at top speed to deliver important dispatches
to the Secretary of the Navy. Upon arrival in Baltimore, she immediately began preparations for a return to the
Mediterranean. When Congress finally declared war against Tripoli on February 2, 1802, the Enterprise sailed
again to take up a blockade station off the coast of Tripoli.
On January 17, 1803, the Enterprise captured the Pauline, a ship under charter to the Bashaw of Tripoli.
Lt. Isaac Hull took command of the Enterprise from Lt. Sterrett in May 1803, and quickly set his ship and crew
to their continuing task by running a 30-ton corsair vessel aground on the shore of Tripoli on May 22. With the other
ships of the American squadron, the Enterprise cruised off shore for months, bombarding the coast and sending
landing parties to destroy small enemy craft.
In one especially daring episode, early in June 1803, the Enterprise sighted a dozen grain-carrying ships trying
to sneak into Tripoli harbor and chased them into a bay west of the city. On June 11, a group of 50 seamen from the
Enterprise and other ships in the American squadron, led by Lt. David Porter of the USS New York and Lt.
James Lawrence of the Enterprise, went ashore to set fire to the grain boats.
The 50 Americans were met by an army of Tripolitans that [Commodore] Morris estimated at nearly 1,000.... It was a pell-mell battle, but despite the heavy odds, the Americans gradually fought their way up the beach.... [Lt. Porter] kept his small force concentrated on the beach head only long enough for the men in the fire boats to ignite the grain boats. Then he called for retreat, and got nearly all his men back into their boats before he was hit simultaneously in both legs. Crawling into one of the boats, he continued to direct the retreat until he became too weak from loss of blood and called to Lt. Lawrence to take over. Under a hail of bullets the boats raced back to the [American] ships, the sailors and marines watching in satisfaction as the grain boats burned fiercely behind them.18
The Burning of the USS Philadelphia
On October 31, 1803, the American frigate Philadelphia ran aground in uncharted waters while in pursuit of two
Tripolitan ships. The pursuer became the captive, and the Bashaw obtained 300 American hostages and a powerful fighting
ship.
Two months later, on December 23, 1803, the frigate Constitution and the Enterprise, under command of Lt.
Stephen Decatur, Jr., one of the most colorful heroes in American naval lore, captured the Tripolitan vessel
Mastico. A plan was then made to use the Mastico, now renamed Intrepid, to mount a daring
expedition. In a letter to Lt. Decatur, Commodore Edward Preble, new commander of the Mediterranean squadron, wrote
that:
You are hereby ordered to take command of the prize ketch Intrepid. It is my order that you proceed to Tripoli, enter the harbor in the night, board the Philadelphia, burn her and make good your retreat. The destruction of the Philadelphia is an object of great importance and I rely with confidence on your intrepidity and enterprise to effect it. Lieutenant Stewart will support you with the boats of the Siren and will cover your retreat with that vessel. On boarding the frigate, it is possible you may meet with resistance. It will be well, in order to prevent alarm, to carry all by sword.19
On the night of February 16, 1804, the Intrepid, with Decatur in command and manned by 60 men from the
Enterprise and seven men from other American ships, sailed into the harbor of Tripoli. As they approached the
Philadelphia, a breeze sent the Intrepid directly in front of the larger ship's gun batteries. But, they
successfully tricked the Tripolitan seamen aboard the Philadelphia into thinking that the Intrepid was
still under Tripolitan control, and were soon tied up next to the Philadelphia. Decatur and his men then jumped
aboard the Philadelphia, swords in hand. According to one report on the incident:
The sleepy Tripolitans never expected a gang of howling Americans to appear in the midst of a harbor protected by a massive fortress. Many of the Tripolitans simply leaped overboard; others fled below to the orlop deck; the rest were quickly cut down.... Fires were started in every corner of the ship, and the flames began to lick up into the tarred rigging. Decatur was the last man off -- in a flying leap into the rigging of the Intrepid.... When [the Philadelphia] was just under the [Bashaw's] castle, the fire finally reached her magazine and she exploded with an immense thunderclap that reverberated over the town and showered its inhabitants with blazing remnants.20
The wounds of the only American seaman injured in the attack were quickly dressed by the surgeon's mate. The success
of this raid earned Decatur a promotion to captain, at age 25 the youngest American officer to reach this rank, and two
month's extra pay for the Enterprise and other seamen who participated. None other than Britain's Lord Nelson,
is said to have commented that Decatur's expedition was "the most daring feat of the age."21
Interestingly, in 1798 Decatur's father had captured the Croyable, the first American prize in the Quasi-War with
France.
The Enterprise continued to patrol the Barbary Coast and joined in attacks on Tripoli in July and August 1804.
She spent most of the winter of 1804 in Venice, where she was almost completely rebuilt. The Enterprise returned
to her squadron on July 12, 1805. She was put under the command of Lt. David Porter, and spent more than 30 days
patrolling near Tunis. After peace was achieved with Tunis, President Jefferson ordered most of the Mediterranean
squadron to return to home waters. Only the Enterprise, Constitution, and Siren remained on
station to oppose Tripoli and the other warring Barbary powers.
The Enterprise was assigned to patrol between Tripoli and Gibraltar, and on August 15, 1806, she encountered
several Spanish gunboats, which opened fire and attempted to board her. However, the Enterprise returned vicious
fire and only the dying wind allowed the gunboats to escape into port in Morocco. The Enterprise sailed to the
United States in late 1807 and patrolled in coastal waters until June 1809, when she returned to the Mediterranean for
a 6-month patrol. Upon returning to the United States, she was laid up at the Washington Navy Yard for almost a
year.
After the end of the Barbary Wars, Congress ordered that many of the Navy's ships be sold. However, the
Enterprise was a popular vessel and, because of strong opposition by newspapers and among the maritime community,
she escaped the auction block to see many more years of service, including action against the mighty Royal Navy.
|
|||||
|
| Home | Intro | Ventures | Sea | Air | Space | SciFi | Racing | Movies | Art | Travel | Exit |
| Intro
| Dedication
| Foreword
| Preface
| Spanish Armada
| European Fleets
| Independence
| Copyright ©
1996-2009 Arnold E.
van Beverhoudt, Jr.
|
