I stumbled upon this nugget of info so I thought I'd share it. On the night of February 16, 1804, the US Navy pulled off the most spectacular raid you never heard of, one that famed British Admiral Lord Nelson called the "most bold and daring act of the age."
Probably the least known wars the United States has been involved in were the Barbary Wars. The First Barbary War lasted from 1801-1805 and the second was just three days in 1815. Most people, I think, have heard of the Barbary Pirates and as far as pirates go, well, we know what pirates do. The Barbary pirates were indeed pirates and privateers from the North African coast of Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli, called the Barbary Coast by Europeans. The name comes from the Berbers, who were the indigenous people of North Africa from the Roman province of Mauretania.
In the 1600's, these pirates dominated the Mediterranean Sea, raiding coastal cities in Spain, Sicily and throughout the region. Even going as far as England and Iceland. They captured ships, enslaved their crews and then either ransomed them back or sold them as slaves for the market in North Africa. They were at war with Sweden, England and most of southern Europe as a result. Most times these ransoms were made from funds gathered by local churches and communities of the captured and eventually to cities and countries paying enormous sums to get their people back. Business was good. In the 1780's they began seizing American shipping and since we were a little preoccupied by the Revolutionary War, we did little about the nuisance. However, as part of treaties we signed with the Barbary states, we paid tributes to them to leave our merchant ships alone. It is estimated that we paid more than $1.25 million, which was an enormous sum at the time. In response to this pilfering, George Washington and Congress voted to establish the US Navy and the build of six frigates. By the time Thomas Jefferson took office in 1801, things had gotten out of hand and as the US was far in arrears. During his inaugural address, Jefferson made this famous quote, “Peace, commerce, and friendship with all nations – entangling alliances with none.” He often repeated this line and remained steadfast to his principles of staying out of entanglements. He had actually been sent to negotiate with the Barbary states years earlier and had come away with the idea that by capitulating to their demands would only lead to further conflict. So, in 1801 when he refused to pay further tributes, Tripoli declared war on the United States.
In October of 1803, after years of minor actions, the US began a sustained campaign against Tripoli harbor. The USS Philadelphia, which was a 36 gun frigate, ran aground on an uncharted reef at the edge of the harbor. In a vain attempt to get off the reef, Commander Bainridge ordered some cannons to be thrown overboard as well the foremast cut away. The effort was futile. Under fire from gunboats and shore batteries, the ship was in such an untenable position that surrender was the only option. The 307-member crew was imprisoned and the ship captured. The Americans were afraid that such a well-constructed ship as the Philadelphia would be a boon to the pirates and would result in an advantage in ship building that would be detrimental in the future. So, it was decided that the US would raid the harbor and destroy the ship.
On the moonlit night of February 16, the Intrepid, a captured Tripolitan ketch, commanded by Lieutenant Stephen Decatur Jr, slipped into the harbor disguised as a Maltese merchant ship. The harbor was protected by more than 100 cannon on ship and shore. As the intrepid, and its crew of 74, approached the Philadelphia, a man called out in Arabic for the ship to identify itself. Luckily, a member of the crew on deck, a Sicilian volunteer, spoke enough Arabic to tell the guard that they were Maltese and had lost their anchor in a gale. He asked if they could moor themselves to the Philadelphia for the night. The request was granted. A small gust of wind caught the Intrepid enough to cause it to stay 20 feet away from the Philadelphia rather than nudge up to it as planned. The crew had to throw lines to the Philadelphia and use a rowboat with help from the unaware Tripolitans, to pull the Intrepid right up alongside the much larger frigate. As this was happening a guard on the Philadelphia looked down on the deck of the Intrepid and saw the boarding party, armed with cutlasses and axes and screamed out. It was too late however, as the ship was quickly boarded, with Decatur the first to board. Most of the 20 or so crew was quickly dispatched. A few Tripolitans jumped over-board, others scampered up the riggings and soon indiscriminate fire from two gunboats in the harbor could be heard. The boarding party quickly made their way below decks where the put their combustibles and explosives to use. For some reason the enemy did not counter-attack and soon the Philadelphia was lit up from every hatch. Mats Heermann, a surgeon who stayed on board the Intrepid during the raid, captured the scene,
"Enveloped in a dense cloud of suffocating smoke, the officers and men jumped on board the ketch, and Captain D., bringing up the rear, was literally followed by the flames, which issued out of the hatchways in volumes as large as their diameters would allow.... But, notwithstanding the most imminent danger of being consumed by the devouring element they had kindled, the crew were so delighted by the “bonfire” that, perfectly careless of danger, they indulged in looking and laughing and casting their jokes. But Captain D., seeing the utmost peril of the situation, leapt upon the companion [way] and, flourishing his sword, threatened to cut down the first man that was noisy after that."
Decatur and all of his men dashed back on board, cut the lines and sailed for safety. As the fires below deck on the Philadelphia spread, some of the cannons, which were loaded and ready to fire, started popping off sending fire into the town and shore. The flames soon hit the gun powder reserve and the ship exploded. Sailing out of the harbor under cover of night, not a single American was lost and Decatur was promoted to Captain upon his return to the states. He still holds the distinction as being the youngest captain in the US Navy at 25 years old. He fought in the War of 1812 and had the rare privilege of capturing the HMS Macedonian after a long battle. It was the first British warship ever brought back to a US harbor. Another interesting item of note, when the Philadelphia was originally launched, Stephen Decatur Sr was the commander and four years later his son would burn her to the keel in this daring raid.
Though not as famous as John Paul Jones, Stephen Decatur had a glorious naval career worth reading about. He led the kind of life you only read in books, but met an untimely death in a duel, of all things, in 1820 to Commodore James Barron. The story of the duel is well documented and worth your time as well. Decatur's grave can be found in Philadelphia at St Peter's Episcopal Church. Perhaps his legacy is best shown from an adoring and grateful country. The Navy has named 5 ships after him, there are 46 cities in America named after him, 7 counties, countless streets, avenues, parks and high schools in his honor, he's been on postage stamps, silver certificates, and his house is a museum. There were more than 10,000 people at his funeral, including presidents and all the elite of Washington. Yet, this may be the first time you've heard of him and the most bold and daring act of the age.
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