Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-08-23
fW6ote no 100.

Tim plan for the purpose, and yolun--
:eered his services to execute it The
wary mind OF that veteran officer at
first disapproyed OF an enterprise so full
of peril /: but the risks and difficulties
that surroundedit only sim ulated the
ardour of Decatur, and IMPAIRED TO it
an air of adventure, fascinating to his
youthful imagination.
! The consent ofthe conn odore have
ing been obtained, Lieutena-t Decatur
selected for the expedition a ketoh Qhc
Inirepit) which he had oopts rcd sfew
weeks before from the CT envy. and
manned her with seventy solunteers,
chiefly from his own crow He sailed
from Syracuse on the Sd February,
1904, accompanied by the " ) brig
Syren, Lieutenant Stewart, who was to-
aid with his boats, and to receive the
crew of the ketch, in case ii, should be
found expedient to use her as freship.
After fifteen days of very tempestue
Gus weather, they arrived at The harbour
Of Tripoli little before sunset 1t had
been arranged between liz u,enants
Decatur and Stewart, that tbs ketch
should enter the harbour aboNt ten o.
clock that night, attended by abe boats
OF the SyreE. On arriving c ] the har-
bour, the Syren in consequence OF u
change of wind, had been throw n six or
eight miles without III, intrepid. The
wind al this time was fair, but fast dee
clining, and Lieutenant Decs,ur sp-
pretended that, should he wait for the
( Syren's boats 10 come up, IL might be
TOO late TO make the attack that night
Such delay might be fatal to tilt enter
prise, as they could not remain longer
on the coast, their provisions being
nearly exhausted. For these REASONS he
determined to adventure into the har.
bour alone, which lie did abou. eight
. O'Clock.
An idea may be formed OF the ex-
IRENE hazard OF this enterprise Nom the
situation OF the iriga,e, She was moor
ed within half gun sho, Of the Hashaws
Castle, and OF the principal battery.
Two of the enem,'s cruisers lay with
in two cables length, on the sarboard
quarter, and their gun boats within half
gun shoe, or the otarsasrd bow All
the guns ofthe fIigete were mounted
and loaded. Such were the immediate
perils that our hero ventured to encoun.
ter With single ketch, be sides he 9TH
er dangers that abound in a strongly for.
tilted harbour.
Although from the entrance to the
place where the frigate lay was only
, three miles, yet, in consequence of the
lightness Of The wind they did not get
within hail of her until eleven O'clock.
When they had approached within two
hundred yards, they were hailed and
ordered TO anchor, or they would be f.
red into. Lieut.. Decatur ordered a
Nlalteee pilot, who was on board the
ke,ch, TO answer they had lost their an
chols in a gale of wind on the coast, *
therefore could not comply With their
request. BY this time Il had become
perfectly calm, and they were about SO
yards from the frigat.. Lieut.. Decatur
ordered small boat that was alongside
OF the ketch, to take, a rope and make
it fast to the frigates fore chains. This
being done they began 10 warp the
ketch alongside. 1t was not until this
moment that the enemy suspected the
character of their visitor, and great con.
fusion Immediately ensued. THIS ena.
Died our adyenturers &c get alongside of
the frigate, when Decatur Immediately
sprang aboard, followed by Mr.. Charles
Norris. riidshipman. these two
were neariya minute on the deck, be-,
fore their companions could succeed i'm
mounting the side Fortunately, the
Turks had not sufficiently recovered
from their surprise 10 take the advan-
tage OF THIS delay. They were crowd.
ed together on The quarter deck, per.
feelly astonished and aghasi, without
making any attempt to oppose the asf
sailing party. AS soon ass sufficiently
! number had gained the deck, TO FORM .
! front equal 10 that OF the enemy, they
rushed III upon them. The Turks
stood the assaul, for short time, and
were completely overpowered. A
bout twenty were Killed on the SPOT,
many Jumped overheard, and The rest
| hed TO the main deck, whittier they
were pursued and driven to the hold.
After entire possession had been
gained of the ship, and every thing pre-
! pared to set FIRE to her, number OK
launches were seen rowing about the
Il