Bainbridge, at 9 o'clock A. M., being five leagues to the eastward of Tripoli, descried a sail in shore, standing to the eastward. Chase was immediately ordered. The sail hoisted Tripolitan colours, and continued on her course. The Philadelphia commenced a fire upon her, which was continued, until it was perceived that no effort could arrest the vessel; when the pursuit was given up. It was now half past eleven; and the Philadelphia in seven fathoms water. In beating off, she ran on a rock, not laid down in any known chart; distant only four or five miles from the town. On sounding, the greatest depth of water was found to be astern. To let her off, all sails were laid aback; the top-gallant sails loosened; three anchors thrown away from the bows; the water in the hold started; and all the guns thrown overboard, excepting a few aloft, to defend the ship against the Tripolitan gunboats, then advancing upon her. The foremast was cut away, in order the more effectually to lighten her. All efforts proved ineffectual. A large reinforcement of gunboats came out to the attack: and the Philadelphia, deprived of every means of resistance, was compelled to strike. She was immediately taken into possession, by the Tripolitans, and her officers and crew, to the number of three hundred, were made prisoners. The wind afterwards blowing favourably, the Tripolitans got the frigate off, and towed her into the harbour.

Captain Bainbridge and his fellow prisoners were carried before the bashaw; and thence conducted to the house, previously occupied by Mr. Cathcart, the American consul. The officers were put upon parole, on the guarrantee of the minister to the bashaw, for their security and forthcoming.

Shortly afterwards, off Tripoli, commodore Preble captured a vessel, with the presents of the bashaw to the grand signior, and several distinguished officers on board. It was greatly hoped this opportune capture would, if not facilitate a peace, bring about a desirable release of the crew of the Philadelphia. Commodore Preble forthwith proposed an exchange to the bashaw; and received indirect proposals from him for peace. In these it was offered to restore the Philadelphia for a schooner, and to liberate her officers and crew for

five hundred dollars each: but an annual tribute, from the United States, was demanded as the price of peace. These proposals were promptly rejected; being calculated, if accepted, to prejudice the interests of the United States, in their relations with the other states, and operate as a temptation to them, to follow the example of Tripoli, in exorbitant demands of tribute.

The bashaw made other proposals to the commodore; in which he offered an exchange of the American officers and sailors for the Tripolitan prisoners, as far as they would go; a delivery of the remainder for four hundred dollars each; an exchange of the frigate for a captured schooner; and a ratification of peace, without an annual stipend. These were, in like manner, and for like reasons, rejected.

The frigate Philadelphia, in the harbour of Tripoli, was completely destroyed, by as gallant an enterprize, as was ever recorded to the honour of any hero, or the glory of any nation. Lieutenant, now captain, Stephen Decatur, conceived the design of retaking, or destroying the frigate. He communicated his purpose to commodore Preble, and solicited the means for its execution. His daring views were seconded by the commodore.

Decatur was furnished with seventy resolute men, several midshipmen, and a prize schooner of seventy tons; with orders to proceed to Tripoli, and either bring off, or destroy the Philadelphia. The brig Syren was ordered to accompany the schooner, and lie in the offing, to cover a retreat, when necessary. They sailed from Syracuse, and appeared off Tripoli on the 16th of February, 1804. They entered the harbour with all possible secrecy; and, when within two hundred yards of their object, were hailed, and ordered to anchor, on the peril of being sunk. The pilot, on board the schooner, called the Intrepid, was ordered to reply, that her anchors were lost. The schooner advanced to within fifty yards of the frigate, when the wind died away into a calm, Decatur warped up the Intrepid, and laid her along side. The Tripolitans, on discovering an enemy, were thrown into consternation. Decatur sprang on board, with midshipman, now cap

tain, Morris. The crew followed with all possible spirit and despatch. As soon as the American party had gained the deck, sword in hand, they rushed upon the Tripolitans, and soon overcame them. After Decatur had secured possession of the frigate, the batteries on shore, the castle, and two corsairs opened a tremendous fire upon her. A number of launches were seen rowing about the harbour. Decatur fired the Philadelphia; and, with his brave companions, escaped in the Intrepid. Not one of the Americans was killed, and only four were wounded. Of the Tripolitans, twenty fell by the sword; but of the number burnt and drowned there is no account. It must have been very considerable. One prisoner was brought off, in a mangled condition. The frigate burned to the water's edge, and her bottom drifted to the shore, near the castle. The scene spread terror and confusion over the town.

This bold enterprise added greatly to the reputation of the Americans in the Mediterranean; and, in every future rencontre, made the Tripolitans dastardly, and distrustful of themselves. For the gallantry and skill he displayed in this exploit, the president promoted Decatur to the rank of post captain, in the navy of the United States.

On the 3d of August, 1804, the American squadron anchored, within gun shot of the Tripolitan batteries, and cast off the gun boats and bomb-ketches; which advanced to the attack, covered by the Constitution frigate, the brigs, and schooners. The Tripolitans had, in front of their batteries, a line of gun boats; with a brig of 16, and a schooner of 10 guns, to cover their boats. They commenced a heavy and incessant fire, upon the advancing line. Soon as the American gun boats had arrived within twenty yards of their enemy, they commenced the action, with their guns loaded with forty pounds of musket balls and a heavy discharge of musketry. Five of the boats, composing the right wing of the enemy, cut their cables and fled. The boats of the squadron then bore up for those to leeward. Captain Decatur boarded and carried the first boat, and lieutenant Trip the second. Lieutenant Decatur, brother of the captain, in attacking the third, was killed. Captain Decatur then ran down the line, and attacked

and carried the third. The enemy lost ninety-six men, in the captured boats. The American squadron suffered little, although the action lasted nearly two hours. Independent of the loss of their gun boats, the enemy suffered much, by the well-directed fire from the squadron, at their batteries, and into the town.

On the 7th of August, the American squadron advanced to a second attack. It was conducted with similar courage and effect with the first. By an explosion, on the quarter deck of gun boat No. 9, lieutenant James Caldwell, midshipman Dorsey, and eight seamen, were unfortunately killed. Midshipman Spence and the remainder of the crew gave three cheers, and committed their destiny to the waves. They were all taken up by the prompt exertions of their comrades. In this severe contest only ten men and two officers were lost, on the side of the Americans.

A third engagement was ordered on the 29th of August, 1804. The Americans fired one hundred and twenty rounds each, and sunk several of the Tripolitan gun boats, and a polacre. The Constitution anchored within pistol shot of the principal battery, fired nine broadsides, and received twelve shot in her hull. She had four men killed, and two wounded. The Tripolitan force, on this occasion, was very great. They bad 115 guns on the batteries attacked, and, besides the inhabitants, 45,000 Arabs, to defend the city; and, in the harbour, one brig, two schooners, two galliots, and nineteen gun boats.

On the 4th of September, 1804, a boat was filled with one hundred barrels of powder, and three hundred shells; the command of which was given to lieutenant Somers, accompanied by lieutenants Wadsworth and Israel, and ten men; with orders to approach as near to the town and batteries as possible, and then set fire to the train, communicating with the powder. They took with them a small boat, in which to escape to the Syren, which followed to receive them. The orders were implicitly obeyed. When the boat had arrived at her destination, she was boarded, and carried by two gallies, having on board one hundred men each. At this moment she exploded, with the most awful effect. It is generally supposed,

that the lamented Somers, on perceiving no means to escape, and preferring certain death, 'o an ignominious slavery, set fire to the powder, with his own hands, and consigned himself, his comrades, and two hundred of the enemy, to destruction. About one hundred shells fell into the town and castle, and spread consternation in every direction.

These exploits shed a lustre on the American naval character, and particularly upon the enterprise and skill of commodore Preble, who directed them. Sir Alexander Ball, a distinguished commander in the British navy, addressed the following flattering testimony to him, on his quitting a command, rendered memorable by many feats of gallantry and skill.

"I beg leave to repeat my congratulations on the services you have rendered your country, and the hair-breadth escapes you have had, in setting so distinguished an example to your countrymen, whose bravery and enterprise cannot fail to mark the character of a great and rising nation, in a manner that will ultimately be attended with the best and most important consequences to your country.

"If I were to offer my humble opinion, it would be, that you have done well, in not purchasing a peace with money. A few brave men have been sacrificed; but they could not have fallen in a better cause. And I even conceive it better, to risk more lives, than submit to terms, which might encourage the Barbary states, in their demands and insults."

Commodore Preble, about to surrender the command of the squadron, in the Mediterranean, to his successor, commodore Barron, and take his departure for the United States, was addressed by the officers whom he had commanded, in the most kind and affectionate manner. On arriving in the United States, he was received, by the people, with the most grateful deference. Congress voted him their thanks, for his signal services to his country; and requested the president to present him with an emblematical gold medal. It may be here observed, by the by, that commodore Preble was the first officer, who received the thanks of the people of the United States, by their representatives and senators in congress asVOL. III.

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