The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1890-08-22

heroes, IN Che1r Keeping. There, on the
Barbary coast, began the careers of Stephen
Decatur and Hull; Lawrence, and Charles
Morris; Stewart and Macdonough In
the blockade Of the larbor of Tripoli,
chiefly in 1904, the American navy per-
formed deeds that commanded the admit
ration Of Nelson anil Of his compecrs,
and certainly no more glorious chance
could befall youthful navy than the ex-
petition of bcggarly thousand men in
an improvised fleet against the desperate
fighting men Of Tripoli, with command
ing coast and q powerful land and water
armament. When the war began in 1908
the American fleet, under Commodore
Preble, included the frigates Constitution
and Philadelphia, the briggs Argus and
Siren, the schooners Nautilus and Vixen,
and the Enterprise.
The Philadelphia was stranded on the
rocks in the harbor Of Tripoli, where she
chased an enemy's vessel and was captured
intact in October, 1903 This left but one
good war frigate in the fleet, and Commo-
dore Preble laid many plans for the recapt-
ure of his vessel, which had made power.
full addition to the force of the naughty
Turkish pasha. About this time there fell
into the American hands a Tripolitan ship,
captured while bearing a load of slaves as
present from the pasha of Tripoli to his
lord, the sultan, and this incident gave
rise to two Of the most heroic exploits of
the campaign. For one thing this vessel,
which had been French gunboat, was
made tender Of the American feet and
fifty named the Intrepid. Through her
the captured Philadelphia was destroyed
in the hands of the Turks, and then she
became the instrument of most daring
exploit, sailing as fire ship, manned,
among the enemy's boats The destruc-
ton of the Philadelphia was accomplished
on the 10th of February, Lieut.. Stephen
Decatur, then young and gallant seaman,
leading the attack. With him were Law
renee, Marlborough and the boy Morris, a
nidshipman 16 years old. The Tripolitan
rig of the Intrepid enabled her to enter the
harbor at night and approach tho Phila-
delphia so close that tho boarders, led by
Decatur and Morris, were on the deck Of
the captive before the Tripoltans scented
the danger. In few minutes the Phila-
delphia was in flames, and the intrepid
with all her complement backed out of the
harbor urde calling fire from the pasha's
bc.ts and forts. Is
After this the war on Tripoli was carried
on by series of heavy commandments in
July and August. Tho season of severe
coast storms was approaching and the
brave commander, finding his anmunltloR
running low, determined on one grand and
awful stroke to break the insolent pasha's
power on the Barbary coast. The Ameri
can bombardment had done serious injury
to the enemys batteries and forts, but the
Tripolitan fleet rode defiant in the harbor.
For it's destruction was planned one OF
those bold and startling deeds the men
ton of which makes ones blood run cold. It
was to fit up the intrepid as an internal
put crew upon her and sail her
into the midst of the pasha's feet to ex-
plode and scatter flaming fragments over
the enemy's boats For such an enterprise
the utmost GOODNESS, the sublimest daring
on the part of the leaders and men are in
The wonder is that nerves so
cool and hearts so brave are found in the
humble rank and file of nations plod-
ding servitors.
The harbor of Tripoli was commanded
by over a hundred guns on land, and more
than score of vessels mounting at least
seventy guns rode on her waters, under the
protection of the land batteries. An in
truding vessel detected in such company
could not expect better fate than being
shot into atoms by tho missiles of hun
dred burning throats. Yet there were men
willing to take the risk of plunge into
this whirlpool of danger, from which escape
could not be hoped for unless by miracle
The officers were Lieuts. Richard Somers,
Henry Wsdsworth and Israel. Ten men
from the ships crews made up the force,
and superstitious people may note that |
there were thirteen souls in all.
The Intrepid was prepared for her des-
perate cruise by making a magazine in the
center of her hold and storing there 100 |
barrels of gunpowder. From this maya
zine fire conducting tube led to an adj
Joining room filled with combustibles. On